The Strand Magazine, Volume I, Issue 2, February 1891

had come to a contest between him and the young Mr. Lloyd, and that whichever should acquit himself in t

s the most nervous, hesitating, and involved extempore speaker in the world. His sermons and discourses were always written, but he delivered them so well that very few would have guessed that he had manuscri

he had been under sentence of death; and, indeed, life or death seemed to his overwrought nerves to hang upon the issue. If he failed, and he feared he would fail, fail signally, for he did not doubt but that the young and boisterous Mr. Lloyd was without nerves, and was a glib and self

s. He thought he would write down something on the subject of the debate, and commit it to memory. He had sat down and written a little, when he bethought him that he did not know when he would be called upon to

ark and slimy sea, that Mr. Lloyd stood aloof unconcernedly looking on, and that he, the husband and father, lay unable to stir hand

ld not drink, he could not rest; and thus the day passed and the hour came when he must set out for the f

he was met by his friend, the Chairman o

? You look very faint and pale.

d the minister. "I a

, I think," said his friend,

I am afraid I can do little; I am the

ly and considered him. "I should not

is friend's hope of his succ

d; he drank great gulps of water to moisten his parched mouth (which, for all the water, remained obstinately dry) and he felt his hour was come. He glanced round him, but saw only shadows of men. One only he saw-the man opposite him, the very young and boisterous Mr. Lloyd, who clapp

DE

id to himself: "This is the man, this is the conceited and ignorant smatterer, who would supplant me, and rob my wife and child of health and happiness!" He rose at once in his anger to answer him, to smash and pulverise him. What he said in his anger he did not know; but when he had fi

ut with brain on fire; the train was starting, when the door w

OR SWUN

as, wasn't it?" He did not wait for an answer, but hurried on in his loquacity, "I

exaggerated dread and humility, thought that the question who was to be minister must really have b

old, humdrum way. It's a fine place, and a magnificent chapel, and can be made a popular cause: and I'll make it, to

or caring what he said in his bitterne

"This is the man who has robbed me of my chance, and my wife and child of health and ha

ervous, over-strained condition, hatred

believed he had endured, observed absently that the inner handle of the door showed that the catch was open. The train slowed dow

quoth he, "are c

ly, or if the train went on with a jerk, he was likely to be thrown out. Should he warn him? Should he say, "Take care: yo

e door swung open, and Lloyd fell, and as the minister put out his hands and head to catch him, with a horrified "Oh!" he saw the fiery eye of a train rus