The midland journal., 1915-05-21
CHAPTER xvlll-continued.

he was In no DeCter mOO0 Iuan my
self to encounter insult. and what had
been a simple difference between as
famed into a quarrel which reached
Its elimination when he mentioned
divers name with taunt. which the
boy, for all his obstinate clinging to
his journalistic idea. did not deserve
Knowing my own temper. drew
back into the Hollow.
He followed me
tried to speak
He took the word out Of my mouth
This may have been with the intent
of quelling my anger. but the tone
was rasping. and. noting this and not
his words. my hand tightened insen
sibly about the stick which the devil
Tor John Scovilleh had put in my hand
Did he see this. or was ne prompted
by some old memory Of boyish quar-
rels that he should give utterance to,
that quick, sharp laugh of scorn! !
shall never know. but ere the sound
had ceased the stick was whirling over
my head-there came crash and he
fell My friend! My friend!
Next moment the earth seemed too
marrow. the heavens too contracted
for my misery. That he was dead
that my blow had killed him. never
doubted for an instant. knew It. as
we know the face OF Doom when once
1t has risen upon us Never, never
again would this lump OF clay. which
few minutes before had filled the
Hollow with shrillest whistling.
breathe or think or speak He was
dead. dead. dead!-And 4? What was 81
The name which no man hears un
moved, no amount of repetition makes
easy to the tongue or welcome to the
ear! the name which had
heard launched in full forensic elO
quence so many times in accusation
against the wretches I had hardly re
garded- as being In the same human
class as myself rang in my ears as
though intoned from the very mouth
of hell. could mot escape it. should
never be able TO escape 1t again
Though was standing in familiar
scene-a scene had known and fire.
quented from childhood felt myseM
as isolated from my past and as com
pietely set apart from my fellows as
the shipwrecked mariner tossed to
precarious foothold on his wave
dashed rock forgot that other
criminals existed
In that one awful moment was IN
my own eyes the only blot upon the
universe-the sole inhabitant OF the
new world into which had plunged
the world Of crime-the world upon
which had sat in judgment before
knew
What broke the spell? God knows:
all ! can say is that drawn by some
other will than my own. found my
glance travelling up the opposing blur
TIL at its top. framed between the
ragged wall and towering chimney of
Spencer's Folly. l saw the presence
had dreaded. the witness who was
to undo me.
1t was a woman-a woman with q
little child in hand I did not see her
face for she was Just on the point OF
turning away from the dizzy verge. but
nothing could have been palmer than
the silhouette which these two made
against the flush of that early evening
sky
AS long as could catch glimpse
of this woman's fluttering skirt as she
retreated through the ruins. stood
there. self-convicted above the man
had slain, staring up at that blotch of
shining sky which was as the gate OF
hell to me Not till their two figures
had disappeared and II was quite clear
again did the instinct Of self-preserva.
tion return. and with 1t the thought
Of flight
But where could dy9 No spot In
the whole world was secret enough to
conceal me now was a marked man
Better to stand my ground. and take
the consequences than to act the COW.
ards part and slink away like those
other men of blood had SO often sat
in Judgment upon
Had I but followed this impulse!
Had but gone among my fellows.
shown them the mark OF Cain upon
my forehead and prayed. not for In.
dulgence. but punishment. what days
Of gnawing misery should have been
spared!
The horror Of what lay at my feet
drove me from the Hollow. As my
steps fell mechanically into the trail
down which had come in Innocence
and kindly purpose only few minutes
before. startling thought shot
through my benumbed mind. The
woman had shown no haste In her
turning! There had been a natural
ness In her movement. a dignity and q
grace which spoke of ease. not shock
What II she had not seen! What II
my deed was as yet unknown. Might
] not have time for-for what? did
not stop to think: 4 just pressed on.
saying to myself LET Providence de-
Seide. II | meet any one before reach
my own door my doom is settled II