The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1890-07-31
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The continual excitement could
not fa.l to undermine even such a
powerful constitution as Hartman
possessed. With every day that
brought him nearer to the Ionged
for goal, he grew feebler and paIer.
1t seemed to him rs if his limbs were
lead, as if his head were too heavy
to bear. He dragged himself heav-
lily from the sofa to the chair, from
the chair to the sofa. When pain in
the back seized him he called ply
stefan.
"Iou are going to have a severe
sickness" was his decision.
cot what kind? Be perfectly frank.
| am alone in the world, and must
make my arrangements"
"Well the symptoms look like
typhus."
Hartman's face became even paler
than before; his eyes started with the
expression of horror upon the speak
err.
"A slow fever, in which one does
not lose consciousness; is it not SO,
doctor? Certainly sop
"If my fears are likely to be realized
] woIld wish the contrary. The
fever begins violently, you ure delir,
Gus at the crisis, and the worst is
over, when you recover conscious
ness"
TO be delirious! Hartman shud-
dered. To be delirious, not to be
master of his thoughts and words,
to betray his secret motives, in spite
OF himself to reveal that with which
his mind had necessarily occupied it
selt-nO, tor heavens sake, anything
but that!-'I want no Sister OF
Mercy, no attendant: look after me
at intervals of several hours" he
said turning to the physician.
He smiled at the notion.
Hartman determined not to fall
sick; he struggled terribly, and
fought with oil the strength he had
left against the approaching foe,
There he lay shaken by the fever,
but still conscious.
"That's the nurse, that's the chair,
now | q stretching out nv hand. I
know exactly what l am doing" he
repeated ten times every hour.
And if it turns out otherwise,
would they give any weight to fever
lsh dreams? Nurses, who have to
hear so many things, will not notice
it at all. Il have not committed the
THEFT; | know nothing OF it. That l.
will keep repeating to myself cnntin-
ually; perhaps that will influence the
delirum. They say the mind runs
usually on things that are the fartAest
removed from the normal thinking,
but my thoughts are stllE perfectly
clear
Then veil fell over the reality. In
stead of the Sister of Mercy, the at
torney, in his black gown and cap
stepped into the room. took chair
and sat down be ore the bed.
Through the sharp glasses the still
sharper looks were necessarily d.
rected upon him. Like glowing steel,
they bored themselves into his brain.
You will be delirious my bow"
said the attorney and nodded his
head.
Il shall not" thrnrht, the sick
youth and chung , his&te1,
Day after day the tormentor sat
there. staring at him, and listened.
Then more and more OF his colleagues
came, also Judges in their robes.
and all seated themselves in long
rows before his bed Breathless they
listened; one gentleman, old and
hard OF hearing, always kept his hand
at his ear. Nov he will be delirious."
they whispered at times. There was
a deatening ringing in Hartman's
ears.
He felt terrible rage against the
black assembly.
He had a mind to put out his
tongue at them and to call: "Wait,
if you will, you tools, you will not
hear one syllable from me: shall re-
main mute as the grave" But he
controlled himself and remained
quietly lying.
The faces in close array, drew near
rand rearer to him. Now the near
est were ALREADY sitting on the edge
ofthe bed, and now even on his body,
They put heavy ice cold law books
ON his head, hcaping them up to q
crushing burden. One kept striking
him with an invisible hammer on his
forehead and crying out madly.
Wont you rave now, won't you?'>
1t became insupportable, He
struck out and shrieked so that the
landlord came hurrying up the stairs
and looked through the chink of the
door, and the attendant drew back
in terror. and the physician stood
helping for a moment.
With the greatest effort the teverish
patient raised himselfan cried loudly
and distinctly: "Wretehes, YOU would
think | would reveal and betray Inv
self. Now, lust to DEFY you | shall
not do it. See, with u clear mind, to
spoil your pleasure, ! say it frankly:
| stole the money from the merchant
Helwig in his office the 25th of March,
l. Conrad Hartman.
AS If relieved, Ire So. l0nilS 6fltow.
From this moment "a sensible i'm
provement was NOTICED.
The nurse told Incidentally abont
the strange occurrence, the landlord
spoke it, and so it Ia opened that
she young attorney had the sa tisfac-
ton, before the expiration of the De-
riOd of limitation, of redeeming has
previous failure,
The first caller which the con-
vAlescent received was the attorney.
Without surprise, cold and quiet, he
received him aud made hiSeonlession.
Afterwards he tried several times
TO drink of his medicine with OK
draught, but he was prevented iron
doing SO,
So he was able, after a few weeks,
to exchange the sick chamber for
the prison cell.
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