Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-07-12

houses down in the valley formed the
| world for four hundred people. The
furnace hands and their families saw
nothing beyond the hills and rocks that
hemmed in their village-knew nothing
Of the mad tumults outside. An un-
taught, sturdy race of men, they diff
fered little one from another. Every
day when the sun rose they went forth
to toll, and every night when the great
furnace over the creek cleaned red
they lay down to sleep. But ignorance
and superstition filled their hearts, and
anger, hate and jealousy were as rife
among them as in the crowded cities.
Another day passed, and the night
which followed it was dark and cloudy.
Near midnight the great bell signaled
tor the last run Of iron. Occasionally
blue flames leaped up from the furnace,
lurld as the fiery tongues of volcano.
The long and narrow roof brooded owe,
the sand-bed like the black wings Of
some monster bird lowering in the air.
Under its shadow groups of men were
but wavering, dusky figures. Suddenly
as an electric flash a dazzling yellow
glare broke out, and a fierce, scorching,
whitening blast swept from an opening
that seemed the mouth of hell itself.
Slowly out of the burning cavern a
kissing stream of molten iron came
creeping down. It crawled, and turned
and crawled, rib after rib, until it lay
like some huge skeleton stretched upon
the ground. A thin vapor foated up in
the sulphurous air, and quivered with
reflected splendor. The scarlet-shirted
men looked weird in the unearthly
brightness. The yellow glow faded to
red, that deepened to a blood-colored
spot in the night. The bell rang to dis
charge the hands, and squads of men
broke up, scattering in the darkness.
Monk went to his garnet room, hest
tated amoment at the door, then passed
in an shut it SO violently that the door
shook. He struck match. In the
birthstone light horrible demon
countenance wavered, blue and ghast-
ly; but when the candle famed, it
grew into Monks face, covered by the
black scowl Of rage that had disfgured
it once before-a rage that was freshly
reused.
eff I'd had my knife I'd done it just
now, when Istumbled against him. But
he dies tomorrow night at"
The words fro4e on his lips, and his
black, scowling face was suddenly over
spread by strange pallor. He stood
motionless, as if chained to the floor,
his eyes darted quickly about, and he
seemed to suspend his very breath.
A clear, distinct, tickling sound oc-
CURED at regular intervals for minute,
and left profound silence.
Monk raised his head.
ats a sign of coming death. That's
for Peters. There it is again p
The strange sound, like a faint, metal
lie tick, repeated itself several times.
"D-n i'll" I don't like to hear the
thing But there will be a sudden
DEATH"
Time after time Monk heard at in
tervals the same faint sound, like the
ticking of watch for minute, and
it made his blood run cold. He found
himself listening to it with terror, and
In the long silence, always straining his
ears to catch it, always expecting,
dreading its repetition, until the thing
grew more horrible to him than a
a nightmare. Sometimes he would
fall into a doze, and, Weakening with a
start, hear it, while cold perspiration
broke in drops on his forehead.
It grew intolerable. He swOre he
would find the thing and kill it, but it
Knocked hin IN his search The sound
seemed to come from the table; but
when he stood beside the table, it licked
SO distinctly at the window that he
thought he could put his finger on the
spot; but when he tried to, it had
changed again, and sounded at the
head of his'bed. Sometimes it seemed
close at his right, and he turned only
to hear it on the other side, then in
front, then behind. Again and again
he searched, and swore in his exaspera-
ton and disappointment.
The sound became exaggerated by
his distempered imagination, till he
trembled lest some one else should hear
this omen which SO plainly foretold his
anticipated crime. Once an hour drag
ged by, and his unseen tormentor was
silent. His eyes, that had glittered with
deadly hatred, now wore startled look
and wandered restlessly about the
room.
An owl that perched on the topmost
branch of high tree near by, scream
ed loud and long. A bat flew in at the
open window, banged against the cell
ing, and darted out.
Monk shivered. Leaning his head
between his arms, he drummed ner-
vously on the table with his fingers. In
stantly the clear metallic click sounded
again. He looked up, and a strange
light broke into his face-a mixed ex-
preston of amazement and fright. For
a moment he seemed stupefed, then
raising his hand, he tapped lightly
against the wood with his finger nail.
The last tap had not died until it was
answered by what seemed like faint
er repetition of itself.
Uttering fearful oath, Monk recoil-
ed from the table, but as if drawn back
and held by wierd fascination, he sat
an hour striking the hard surface with
his nails, and pausing for the response
that each time came clear and distinct.
Gray streaks crept along the East,
and quivered like a faded fringe bor-
4 I