San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-03-31


Mary watched them out of sight, and
while she was doing so Gerald Heath
approached from the contrary direction.
He had heard the girls scream. Why
he was within earshot he might not have .
been able to explain satisfactorily for it
was not his habit to take midnight walks,
even when the air was so brightly moon
lit and so temporarily fine; but if cross
questioned he would doubtless have
maintained that he had sought only to
escape from the darkness and closeness
Of his shanty quarters. Besides, where
would he so likely wander in quest of
good sight and breath as to the spot
whence he could view the scenery which
he in vain asked the railway company to
exhibit to their passengers. As he turned
the corner of the cabin he saw Eph and
the Waterman departing, and compre-
hended the disturbance.
"Eph has been frightening you, Miss
Warmer" he said.
Mary screamed again, but this time it
was a low, musical little cutlery of mod
esty. She had not observed Geralds ap-
proach. She clutched the blanket closely
around her white throat, which had been
alMost az mIsch ecpo4ed &C by an ordi-
nary cut of frock, and drew under cover
the cleaning wrists which had all day
been barred to greater extent by sleeves
of handy working length. Then she
reached out one taper arm and swung
the sash around on its hinges, so its
| inner covering Of muslin made screen
| between her and the visitor. He did not
| apologize for his intrusion, and she
| pouted a little, on her safe side of the
sash, at his failure to do so.
| 81 see it was Eph that alarmed you,"
he said. "What did he do?'
She told him, and then asked, ''Who
| is he, and what ails him?" - t
HE is common laborer with an I'M
common affection, was the reply. Zone
day an excavation caved in and for an
hour he was buried. Some timbers made
little space around his head, but the
rest of him was packed in earth. He
had breathed the inclosed air two or
three times over, and was almost suffo-
Gated when we got him out He was
insensible. He never came back to his
| IN At----I-L-- ~ 80
senses He believes he is living at the
rate of more than year every hour.
That is why he was in such hurry with
his imaginary message"
"Poor fellowr' came from the diverse
| side of the sash.
"Yes, poor fellow" the narrator as
| sented. II understood his hallucination
| at once. When man is suddenly placed
in mortal peril his past life dashes before
him. Half drowned men afterward tell Of
reviewing in minute the events of years.
1t is curious mental phenomenon. Well,
this poor chap had. that familiar expert
ence, but with singular sequence. The
impression that all his lifetime before the
accident happened in brief time has re-
manned in his disordered mind. He be-
lieves that his whole earthly existence is
condensed-that future years as well as
his past ones are compressed into days,
and his days into minutes. Nothing can
disabuse him of this idea. Everything is
to him ephemeral. That's why named
him Eph-short for ephemeral, you see.
| He doesn't remember his real name, and
| on the roll he had only a number. He
has done his work well enough until
within a few days, but now his malady
seems to have turned to the worst He
has talked wildly Of getting some physi-
clans to check the speed of time with
him, and it may have been that he wished
to telegraph to this fancied expert"
''It is singular" Mary said, land very
sad" .....
| The midnight incident seemed to have
come to conclusion. 1t was proper
tine for Gerald to say good night and
go away. He still stood on the opposite
side of the half open sash, around the
edge Of which appeared small set of
| finger tips, which pulled the screen a
| little closer, showing that the girl was
minded to shut herself in. But hand
twice as big opposed hers, gently yet
strongly, and in doing so it touched her,
upon which she let go and the window
flew open.
"Oh, You mustn't see me-" Mary ex-
| claimed, as Gerald got a vanishing
| glimpse of the white draped figure.
"Good night"
"You will be afraid if left alone"
Gerald protested; ''you can't go to sleep,
nervous as you must be-"
81 surely can't go to sleep talking"
was her rejoindeF, with the first touch
of coquetry she had INDUCED in at Over
look.
81 won't talk, then; I'll only keep
guard out here until daylight. Eph
may return"
''But there's the Waterman. 1t is his
duty"