Year: 1873

Stanley-0ur bargain Is not lnauey yeI. hiay
make it a tougher one for you than you will
like, if you irritate me too far"


A terrible oath escaped Stanley's lips, and
he struck Leroy with all his force across the
face.


With yell like that of an enraged tiger,
his adversary sprang upon him, and in an in
stant they closed in deadly combat.


Under ordinary circumstances, they would
have been pretty equally matched. Leroy
was the broadest and burliest of the two, but
Stanley, though more slightly built, was a
man of powerful muscle, and made up in ac'
tivity what he lacked in brute force. Now,
however, he was unnerved and weakened by
fatigue and excitement, and one arm, too, had
sustained some injury, though not a very Sc
we're one, in his exertions during the fire.


Half maddened by the contending emo
tions which excited him, he was no match for
his cool, selfpossessed opponent, and soon be-
came aware that he was getting the worst in
the affray.


A moment more, and he was on the ground,
his adversarys knee planted on his chest.


"You have struck me-" Missed the French
man in his ear, "and 1 have never yet for
given blow"


He held in his hand powerful cudgel,
which he raised above the head of his pros
trate foe. But ere he struck the threatened
blow, his countenance changed; bis grasp re-
laxed, and he rose slowly to his feet.


Stanleys eyes were closed; gurgling
sound escaped his lips, and stream Of blood
gushed over his clothing.


"a blood-vessel broken" murmured Leroy.
81 have done for him, believe"


He stood regarding him earnestly for an
instant. Stanley lay motionless, the ghastly
whiteness of his face contrasting terribly with
the crimson tide that oozed from his lips.


Leroy turned, and with swift pace strobe
off toward the gate.


About ten minutes afterward, one of the
negroes came by, and spying his master ON
the ground came hurrying up to see what was
the matter.


His loud cry of dismay and surprise
brought one of his fellows to his assistance
They thought their master was dead, and pro-
ceeded to convey him to the house.


Life was not extinct, however, for as they
raised him he uttered faint groan.


This was the only sign Of consciousness he
gave, until they reaced the house and carried
him to his own chamber.


The terrified Lucy met them at the door.
They could give her no explanation Of the ca
tastrophe, but at her direction laid him on the
bed, and then hastened off to summon ply.
sican to his aid


At length stanley's eyes opened, and in a
faint tone he murmured Lucy's name.


She bent over his pillow, and laid her hand
soothingly on his brow.


"Lucy," he muttered, ~ am going to die,
and how shall appear at the final account
with this burden on my soul?" A violent
shudder convulsed his frame; his eyes closed
again, and another swoon followed, from which
no effort could arouse him.


At last the physician came, and after ex'
animation pronounced the case to be a hope
less one.


"He may linger for several hours" he said
"but there is no chance whatever of his re-
covery. Nothing can be done but to keep
him as tranquil as possible, and try to make
his last moments easy. How did this acci,
dent come about?"


Lucy related all she knew Of the circun,,
stances.


The doctor shook his head. "He has sus.
tanned some sudden and violent shock" he
said, (which has produced an internal and
fatal injury. Have you no reason to suspect
any foul play?"


Lucy shook her head.


II am totally in the dark regarding the
matter" she replied. "Until he was brought
home in this condition, had seen nothing Of
him since the fire. He may have exerted
himself too much in trying to save the house,
may he not?"


"He may" said the physician. But he ev-
identity had his suspicious, which for the sake
of Lucy's peace Of mind, he would not ex-
press any further.


What pitiable state poor Lucy was in !
She was so wrought up by the intense excite
ment of the last few hours that she was scarce
ly conscious of her own identity, and felt as
though she were moving in hideous dream.


She had no longer the power to think or
act for herself, and mechanically followed the
directions of the physician, who used all his
skill to promote the restoration of her hus-
band to consciousness, and who looked with
infinite compassion on the pale and stricken
young wife, deeming that it was grief for the
sudden blow alone which had thus crushed
and paralyzed her faculties.


He could not read all the hidden emotions
of her heart, nor penetrate the mystery of the
awful experiences she had recently undergone.
Those pages of her life were closed and hidden
from mortal eyes.


At length Stanley was sufficiently restored
to be able to speak. When the doctor had
left, which be did with the promise to return
in as short time as he possibly could, he sig
ni6ed to Lucy his wish to converse with her
privately, as he had revelation to make to
her which would admit of no delay.


>,rvno I


How LONG IT TAKES TO STARvE TO
DEArH.-Bradley Grant, rich farmer who
lived near Binghampton, New York, commit
tod suicide bv starving himself to death. The