The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-21
THE BLACK CROSS.


sons for our deeds. The deeds wer
enough, and this black cross mean
death, and when it had been shown IL
all that we needed to know further wa
ut what hour we should meet for tn,
contemplated raid.
A word from the captain settled that
and when the next Friday came dozer
men met at the place of rendezvou.
ready for the ride which should bring
them to the judges solitary mansion
across the mountains.
was among them and in as salts
factory a mood as ] had ever been in my
life, for the night was favorable and the
men hearty and in first rate condition.
But after we had started and were
threading certain wood | began tC
have doubts. Feelings had never be-
fore experienced assaulted me with force
that first perplexed and then astounded
me. l was afraid. and what rather
heightened than diminished the I'M
wonted sensation was the fact that was
not afraid Of anything tangible, either
in the present or future, but of some
thing unexplainable and peculiar, which
if it lay In the skies certainly made
them look dark indeed, and if it hid in
the forest, caused its faintest murmur to
seem like the utterance of a great dread
as awful as it was inexplicable.
/ nevertheless proceeded, and should
have done so if the great strealls of light
ming which now and then shot ZigZag
through the sky had taken the shape of
words and babe us all beware. was
not one TO be daunted, and knew no
other course than that of advance when
once stroke Of justice had been planned
and the direction for its ful6llment
marked out. went on, but began to
think, and that TO me was an experience,
for | had never been taught to reflect
only to fight and obey.
The house toward which we were rid
Ing was built on hillside, and the first
thing we saw on emerging from the for
est was light burning in one of its dis
tant windows. This was a surprise. for
the hour was late, and in that part Of the
country people were accustomed to re-
tire early, even such busy men as the
judge. He must have a visitor, and a
visitor meant possible complication of
affairs; so a halt was called, and was
singled out to reconnoiter the premises
and bring back word of what we had a
right to expect.
/ started off in a strange state of
mind. The fear / had spoken of had left
me, but a vague shadow remained,
through which, as through mist, saw
the light in that far away window beck
oning me on to what felt was in some
way to make an end of my present life.
As l drew nearer to it the feeling in
creased; then it, toe, left me, and |
found myself once more the daring
Rvenger. This was when / came to the
Foot of the hill and discovered aad but
few steps more to take.
The house, which had now become
plainly visible, was a solid one of stone.
built, as / have said, on the hillside. 1t
faced the road, as was shown by the
large portico dimly to be discerned in
that direction. but its rooms were main
~ on the side, and it was from one of
these that the light shone. AS l came
yet nearer l perceived that these rooms
were guarded by piazza, which, COM
municating with the portico in front,
afforded an open road to that window
and a clear sight of what lay behind it.
was instantly off my horse and upon
the piazza, and before l had time to real
ize that my fears had returned to me
with double force had crept stealthilv
toward that uncurtained window and
looked in.
What did see? At first nothing but
calm, studious figure bending above a
batch of closely written papers, upon
which the light shone too brightly for
me To perceive much of what Law behind
Them. But gradually AN influence, of
whose workings was scarce conscious. |
drew my eyes away, and began to dis
cover on every side strange and beauti- |
tul objects which greatly interested me.
until suddenly my eyes fell upon a vision
of loneliness SO enchanting that / forgot |
to look elsewhere and became for the /
moment nothing but sight and feeling.
1t was picture, or so l thought in the !
hrst instant of awe and delight. But |
presently l saw that it was a woman. |
living and full of the thoughts that had |
never been mine, and at the discovery a |
Sudden trembling seized me, for / had |
never seen anything in heaven or earth
like her beauty, while she saw nothing |
but the man who was bending over his |
papers.
There was door or something dark |
behind her, and against it her tail, strong
figure. clad in close white gown. stood
out with diStinctnesS that was not alto !
gether earthly. But it was her face that
held me and made of me from moment
10 moment a new man.
For in it discerned what I had never
believed in till now, devotion that had
no limit and love which asked nothing
in return. She seemed 10 be faltering
on the threshold of that room, like one
who would like TO enter but does not
dare, and In another moment. with a
smile that pierced ME through. she
turned as if TO go. Instantly forget
1920 hnt nv despair- and leaned
AVi warn With an mpetnoslTy that be-
traNed my presence. She glanced Quick
ly toward the window. and seeing me
turned pale, even while she rose in
height I'LL i felt myself shrink and grow
small before her.
Ihrusting out her hand she caught
from the table before her what looked
hke a small dagger, and holding it ND.
advanced upon me with blazing eres