The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-25


passed me nor did he have suspicion
of my presence. Hewent up the stairs
to the next landing and there paused.
/ waited for the noise of the doors
closing, but it did not come. Instead,
/ heard a light, peculiar sound, which
even in my miseries aroused faint
curiosity. 1 remembered suddenly that
the Lawrences who occupied the fat
above were away from the city. What
was this man doing at their door?
| 81 assembled the stairs noiselessly.
There was ray Of light above. It
came from dark lantern in the hand
Of a man who kneeled before the door
examining the lock. In an instant a
wild and absurd thought came to me.
drew my revolver and advanced upon
this man. He heard me and turned.
Enough of the light from his lantern
struck upon his face to show me pic
ture of fright. This burglar evidently
had not the courage suited to his pro-
! fession
Don't be alarmed said I. If you
do what tell you and do it promptly.
" Al ACO yOo 81.
HE looked at the revolver, and then
he uttered sort of growl which re-
solved itself at last into tho words:
What do you want?'
with my left hand struck match
and lit the gas in the hall in order to
have light enough to shoot by. Come
with me- 1 said, and made him go
down the fight Of stairs carrying his
tools with him.
"'Now,' said I, you have nippers In
that little bag. Turn the key in this
lock- He did it for he had no choice.
assured myself that the door could
be opened with small latch key. My
heart beat like trip hammer. had
no voice to tell sthe burglar he might
go. waved my hand and he vanished
in second. Then entered.
1.-THE hall was bare; no curtains hung
before the parlor door. The windows
stared at me. Enough light shone in
from the street to show a room abso-
lutely empty! My wife's name came
from my lips in tone such as a man
may use when he pleads for mercy in
the face of death and has no hope.
II raised the pistol which was still
in my hand and then l whispered to
myself: Not here Even the bare
walls, thought, retained some
sacred memory of her which stayed
my hand. In that room, I said,
had come to me the one chance
of my life, and I had thrown it
away; but 1 would not die there. l
would at least hide my disgrace from
the eye of mercenary curiosity. l
wished no such epitaph as the papers
would be likely togive me.
Gas for death itself it had already
come. When l turned to leave that
room there was upon me the peace
which is the reward of the good man
and the pardon Of the evil doer-the
common lot of us all. II there had
been any hope in my soul that could
ever make amends to her I would have
lived in torment, if necessary, to do it.
But had utterly despaired of myself.
Il tell you, Harry, was dead when
/ left that room. The function of To-
comotion was all that distinguished
me f-om one who has passed through
the great change. My mind had ceased
to exist and my heart to suffer. Doubt
less the muscular energy of my frame
would have carried me to the actual
physical consummatiop Of suicide;
but mentally had died of despair, of
degradation.
Il passed down the stairs; opened
and closed the outside door and stood
upon the step. In the sky was the
glimmer of dawn. The physical sense
which yet survived in me perceived it
and was more weary of living at this
sign of reviving life and tunult and
struggling. The soul was gone and
the body was impatient for dissolution.
"And yet the habits Of this life per
sist strangely in tho body. What do
you suppose. Harry, that this present
shell of my spirit did when ceased
to direct it?"
shook my head.
well, sir, it walked ffty-six feet to
the left-the width of two city lots
turned to the left again and entered a
house. 1t mounted two flights of
stairs, opened door and walked into
a pretty little parlor. Then it passed
into room where dim light burned
and a woman lay asleep with one
white arm stretched out as if to greet
man whom she loved. Ny bodily
eyes saw that, and then my soul came
back. 1 fell upon my knees beside
that bed. and covered the white hand
with kisses.
That's the story, Harry. The soul
when it came back to me was better
than before. I can resist temptation;
it can do its own will, being no more
the slave of that witch who poisoned
my blood centuries ago, perhaps; and,
above all, it can love without fear,
being now sufficiently in harmony with
what it loves to feel secure.
"Of course you don't need to be told
that it wasn't Saturday morning he
continued. THAT paper in my Office
was almost week old. l had been I'M
conscious from drink not more than six
hours AS for my getting into the
wrong mouse, discovered the next
day that the man who built that block
OF flats got his locks and keys cheaper
By having them all alike. One of the
reasons why we moved out: and yet
forgive him for his parsimony. Indeed.
bless him for it. Otherwise might
not have died, and If / had not died
could not have lived the new life"
A Fair Suggestion.
Old Party-So you wish TO marry my
daughter?
NouDor par~v-Yes sir