Strange Story

The clcar tone of the town clock Struck niño as I elosed niv heavy ledgcr, laid down rny pen, lit a cigar and stavted homewan I. It was a beautiful, clear November nlght. The air was cool and invigoratiia-, the stara were ont ia all their glory, ad the mellow light of the moon gave the dull streets of the town a wëird and romantic appearance. It was so still that the erackling of the dry leaves os the suddeu gusts of wind swept them over the streets, almost seemed painful lo the ear. At that hour the streets in llie vicinity of my office were eomparatively desertad, and as I moved toward the corner of Tcnth and Farnam streets there was nolhing to break the silence luit the sound of my own footsteps. But as L reached' that corner I was atartled to hear coming towarda me, as from a distance, the rapid strokes of a horse's f eet clattering over the stones. Nearer and aearer they came, until tne}' swepl dt me wiin me speen 01 lightning, going southward. But wlnit vras my amazement when although th thunderous sound of Ihc horse's feei sliook the parement on whieh I stood, and altiiough I could feel the rush o! cold wind as it swept by. tho horse itself was invisible to my oyes. It seemed impossible that I should not see him in the clear, cold nighij underthe stars and yet, strange as it may seom, ] could discorn nothing whatever of the creature either before or after it passed me! Here was a ruystery. I am anything but superstitious, and immediately began to argue myself into the belief thal I had been deluded, but in spite of al] selves with in casos of tliis kind, I could not drive away a strange and nncomfortable feeling of nervousness that was creeping over me. I determinad to step in and ask a fríen d, who lived close by, if he had heard anything of this mysterious horseman. X was a man apparently of high culture, who had traveled, and always seemed to have plenty of money. He was at this time about 40 years of age, tall, and of fine appearanoe, excepl that he seemed perpetually haunted by the deepest nielancholy. I understood that he had experienced trouble in his youth, but on this point lie was vcry reserved, and nover Jet a word escape from whieh we might obtain a clue to bis past history. He liad been reading as I stepped into his room in the hotel, but notieing my pale and troubled face, he laid down his book and said: "You seem excited, George. Anything oecurred to disturb your serenity of mind?' 'Well.7 1 rdnlifd. 'niv danr X . 1 have such a strange story to teil thal yon'U Iaugh al me, süre. You know ] i'm not superstitious, or nervous, and yet to-night I lieard the strangest - hark! There it is again, and I rushec to the window, dragging him after me, Then swept by the strange clatter oi hoofs wliieh had before startled me, and (ücil away in the distance. Dread and astonishment froze me to my place, and au icy thrill of horror shot ihrough my veins. Bnt never did 1 see the face of man change as did my friend's His pale and noble countenanv seemed suddenly of a greenish hue, and like two red and glowing coala hi eyes blazed uader contracted brovrs. 'My fate! my fate!' he mnttered in a harsh and grating tone, ] cannot escape from thee, - thou foliowest me ever. But the grave will soon shut me from yoni sight, and then onr warfare will be ended!' I was so agitated and shocked al hearing these" words from him that ] sank down uowerless on a sofa. He. seeing distress, seerned suddenly to recollect himself, and going to a sraall cupboard poured out a glass of brandy, vvhich he offered me. 'f hen addressihg me in an altered tone, mournful indeed, but calm, he told me the following story: 'Ueorge, my dear fellow,' he began, 'I have never told you anything of my past life, but I feel now that the -time haa come. In a little while this voice which is speaking to you will be stilled forever. Nay, start not, I have no evil design, but I know my fatc. Now for my story. In my youth I dwelt in a oity far away from here on the shores of the Atlantic. It is unneeessary that you should know any more of that. My parents were wealthy. I was woll ediieated and received all that a young man could demand. In time 1 mét and loved the beautiful Alice B . She had many admirers, but I seemed to be the fayored one. But among my rivals was one Henry Arlington, who' had been acquainted with my beloved ever since ""■J '1 V1V i miMi . il, illl'l UI il Lililí feared he might be successful. Ah! in those days pride and jealousy filled my whole liein-, and have now finally brought me to my ruin. I reracmber that when young Arlington and myself hot with iury, our eyes blazing, were about to fly at each other in the garden back of her house, shc, who had in sorae way heard of our quarrel, came down and begged us by the love we both professed for her to desist. Ah, my lost one! whv had I not ahvays listeaed to ner (jicc as then. 'Well, we were marned, and I was the happiest man ulive. Not a cloud tnarred the serenity of my life, until - in V7il „lt,lll UUC JUUiJLJLUlll, UUilltiililU IIIfornal spirit and blasted my happiness forever. Returning one evening from my business rather earlier than usual, as I was about to enter my gate, I saw in a retired part of the 'arden my wife and - young Arlington. To describe ïuy emotions would be impossible. Oh, how L had lored tliat woman, and now it geemed she was faithlcss to me. Where I stood in the ehade of a largo tree I was uaseen, but I could hear wliat üiey wort' sayiug. My ftrst impulse was to rush forward attd dash the manto the earth; lit lie seemed about to leave her, so 1 waited. Presently they parled, ho. held hor lliiml R. lnno limii -imi T could sec thut her eyes were iilled with tears. Arlingto tiirned down one of the sidewalks of the garden, mounted his horse, which was hitched tliere, and rode away slowly, u deep meditation. I could see that mj presence was not suspected. Like a tiger following his prcv through the jungle, with eye ablae and my whole beiag burniñg wfth rage and hatred, I followed liim. Enough; the path led down by the river siae, high over arched with old and mightv trees. As he i:ised aloug in a lonely and seeludqd ,s])ot: I leaped suddenly upon him froni beland, and, with the strength of a madman, grasping hU throat 1 dragged him out of the saddle h) the ground. Over and.over we rolled in desperate staruggle. 1 hadnoweapon. l might have strangled him, bul at this moment, getting one hand freo, hu drew a small dagger and made a lungo at me. I feit the steel enter my left arm, luit the pain was nothing compared with my joy it seeing a weapon. With both hands' 1 tore it froni him, stabbed him again and again, and threw him into the river. 'In a. moment after the deed was done the fearful thought of tlie crime I had committed rushed over me. The horse had led in wild terror during our struggle, and as he was a Bpíendid animal and known to everybody, suspicion would be aronsed. ïhe whole country vrould be on the alert. I would be captured and suffer au ignominious death. But, alas, what had 1 to live for? She, my lovo, niy darling, was falso to me. I WUUIU lUUt' 11UI UUl Lili 11UUU LULrvcr. In the darkness of the night I tleil. taking wilh me what mono}' was in niv offloe. Thflt place has seen my face no more. 1 hare wandered in many lands, over (he sands of Egypt, the deserta of Perste, the wide steppes of Siberia. Every capital oí Europa I have visited. All excitemeut, pleasnre, dissipation, I have tasted, Imt I cannot escape from myself, Ten thousand eyes glare from the heavcns and denounce me for my crimc. _í ,-v f BA.A -- - - T -in vmr r c 1-1 , jx fin' TAl'tti 0 TAI' ever stalk and reproaoh me. For she, alas, was innocent! In in untjuarded moment she had consented to bis desire that a last interview niight be granted bef ore he started on a longjourney; - in an evil hour I saw them - and slew him. The fearful news of the mm-der and my flight soon reached her, and knowing suspicions, grief crazed her, and in two days she died. Happy is she to find in the grave tlie rest that I can never know! 'But this mysterious horseman. One night as I was alowly walking up the Nevasky Prospect in St. Petersburg carne this same strange clatter of hoofs. Only to my ear it came then ; nobody ciaví m iiiu il, .uní ci vui tjiivi w iaiv. 'Twice more I come and then thou shall join us!' 'Twas his voice; 'twas the clatter of his hoi'se' hoofs as I had heard them on that evil day so long ago. I feil on the pavement and for many weeks was delirious. Again in a secliided country road in England one wild September evening, I met him and he cried, "Once more I come and then (hou shalt join us!1 And now, to-night, :i;:iin, my dear friend, have we see him. I feel that niy time has come.' With breathless attention I liad tened to this strange and terrible story and when he had íinished we both re mained with our oyes fixed on the ground in süence. í was overwhelmec with such a whirl of emotion that I couli think of nothing to say, and he seeniec buried in bitter rêverie, but iinally rais inghis head, he said: "Let na walk. out; it seenis so warm here I could fan cy the walls were closing around me.' Again we walked out in theclear night As we went along my compamoi rnanv a time raised bis eyes to the skies and the stars. Then he turned anc looked back at the river glinimering in the moonlight. We were on the grounc near the Omaha high school building when suddenly he bade me stop ant listen. 'Hark!' said he, 'it is coming!' anc his face turned niarble. As I aazed in the samo direction I saw coming to wards us in the clear moonlight a shad owy steed with a spectral rider, whose face, pale and stern, was üxed witl stony glare upon my companion, wlu returned the look with one of despair and pride. 'Come!' said the spectre, in a voice that froze my blood, as he graspei X by the wrist. I fainted. 'Surely I haven'tslepthere all night, said l as I raised myself up, stiff ani weary, f rom the floor of my oflice. Can ihis all havo been a dreamP I hope so There is my chair upside down on the floor. I must have fallen out of it, anx laid herc on this cold oil cloth all night and this has bred this horrible dream in rav imagination. I went to the door. The morning paper was there. Opening it, the firs thing I ï-ead was a notice headed in large capitals, that made a tremor run through my frame. My friend X had been found - dcd - near the higl school grounds, with no mark of vio lence on his person, except that rounc his wrist were pressed the marks o: fingors, that had sunk nearly to the bone! G. E. H.