Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-12-22
over all that. You're more willing

| over all that. You're more Wiling
slave than you WERE"
Van shuddered. "You have no fur
ther power" he asserted. II have
ril myself of you-entirely." y
The Soul smiled. "Hardly!" it
said softly. "Don't you know that
when you sleep, your souls at
liberty to 90 whittier it will-bound
: only to be back by. the time you
awaken? You know? Well, when
next you sleep, your Christmas Spirit
and ! will try our strength, that all!'
And from its confident expression at
Vans hopeless one, it is enough, too.
mo, Boy" resumed the Soul,
jovially, Pm too fond ofyou to leave
yt u lightly. And why all this unflat-
tering despair? You're used to me,
now. You wouldn't know how to
obey any other sort of spirit. That
new one of yours hasn't half my intel
lect. Come! Let US be as we WERE"
But Van, with a mighty effort, flung
off the depression that he knew and
hated SO well. "Never!" he declared;
W've done my last task for you, old
fellow; if you won't 90 to old Goldth-
waite, you must wander around with
out body. You can't have me. l
defy you!"
"a little rash!" it chuckled. "Yes,
decidedly rash. can make it most
unpleasant for you. On the whole. I
think will. 1t will make my domin-
ion so much the greater when do re-
gain possession of you. You shall
| plunge into all the excuses and dissi-
pations that have, 80 far. only sug-
Eested to you. don't take pleasure
in them myself, but can make you
suffer thereby; but think I won't
show you any more OF my hand"
pleasantly, cit will all come out as l
play" And it laughed withgay good
| hnmOr.
| Van had gradually become conscious
OF q strangely oppressed feeling togeth-
er with a passionate desire for sleep;
but he resolutely fought it
Off, dreading lest the threaten
conflict between his old Soul and the
new Spirit should take place before the
latter had attained sufficient strength
to withstand the powerful old Soul
In which event he knew he was doom
ed to Il hopeless slavery from which
there would be no escape but death.
But he could no longer keep his eye.
lids propped open; they closed heavily,
though he made q frantic endeavOr to
at least keep his mind clear.
VAN! Even as he so resolved
he was surrounded by light clouds
that stifle him flashes of red
light around him-the clouds grew
d..nser.
lie ceased to struggle and awaited
the end with calm certaintv-quite
sure that he would the old Souls
captive, and not rousing himself to
care much about the issue in either
case, 1t seemed to him that he could
actually feel the opposing forces as q
heavy, deadly stupor crept upon him.
Suddenly. he was revived by a rush
Of cold air, and the next instant Tom
Russell was eagerly pulling him out OF
his chair, stamping out the flames on
the floor, scoldnc shouting, congrnt.
ulntins. and eXpostnlaiing n at once.
"Confonnd it, Van!" he roared.
"tp to your old tricks ncain-fncng
Your dirty rags all over the place, and
then calmly dropping hot asNes on
en-, Just like you | don't believe
You could stop it to save your soul"
! Van grasprd his friends hands
warmly, while he said slowly. 10
save my Soul. wouldn't Tom
AMI to this day Tom never quite
understands why Van spoke so sol
| einnIy.-Short Stories.