Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1893-11-04
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CHAPTER XVII.

So by these strokes OF good fortune
am become heir of Cedarcliffe, and my
dreams Of power and felicity are within
my grasp.
1t is now three days since the scene in
the courtroom. The perjury which |
committed answered its purpose. After
considerable discussion Sin6re was ac-
quilted, and Henry's murderer still re-
mains unknown. Even Sinfre's strong
nerves were overthrown by the shock Of
Johns terrible death, and whether or
not she had previously intended to chal-
lenge my testimony she let the time
pass by when she could have done SO
with effect. Since then she has remain
ed at Faxon's house. where his wife
waits upon her. But today | shall speak
with her and learn her mind. What |
have done has been done for har--t-ia.
my consolation. EyelshoIll she rejec
it, it VIII be n consolation a,il.
Were the past weeks still il the future,
would pursue the same course? Well.
l cannot argue from what am to What
was. Up to the time when Siniire ap-
peared my lie had been all tAought and
speculation, but so far as action was
concerned only dull level of moaot-
anous r0utiae-no memories, no an ci-
pations. no events. Then during ono Ey.
.ng summer | lived through the full
height and depth Of my nature. The
action and passion Of lifetime were con-
centratel in that little space. The torch
famed up proyally for amoment. but now
il 1icliers, and perhaps it will die out.
Indeed | feel an Indifference stealing
over me. Few terrors and few joys could
quicken my pulses now. have made
trial of myself, sld the result is not very
satisfactory.
thought had in me the making of a
great man, but great man is great for
lifetime. not merely for an hour. |
have cleared my way and am ready to
begin my career, but now that all else is
won tho enterprise is lacking. Some
men, it would seem, are Knocked in their
very creation. They feel within them
the STRINGS of what seems to be a
mighty soul. They follow its dictates,
and, behold! all that fine fame exhales
away and leaves nothing but dust and
ashes. 1t was but the specter of a mighty
soul-a will-o the-wisp that tempts them
to destruction.
Yet there is one thing that can re-
animate me and perhaps stimulate me
to fulfill the destiny had imagined. If
Sinfire gives herself to me, | am happy,
l am in heaven, and the powers of hell
shall not prevail against me. She is my
hfeblood and the breath of my nostrils.
Who she is, whence she comes and for
what end know not, but she has made
herself my earth and my heaven, my
space, my fate. Will she vanish as she
Gamer The sun sets and darkness falls,
but anon the east is afire, and he comes
again. But upon the night of her depar-
ture--if she depart-no dawn will ever
rise.
cannot feel any confidence or securi-
ty. She seems when fix my thoughts
upon her to be far off and still receding.
am crushed down by some nameless
oppression of evil visions. The ghosts
of my dead brothers seem to be lying in
wait for me in the gloom. But Sinfire
can rescue me; her soft white hand can
save me. She is my god; can look to
no other. But if she fails me, what then?
Well, there is still saprani.
This little blank booli-now no longer
blank-which picked up in an idle mo-
ment and resolved to make a journal of,
has but few pages left, and when it is
finished l shall not begin another. So
does the Creator Of men pick up the
white leaf of their ignorant souls and
trace black marks upon it and then fling
it aside. But who reads them? Angels,
perhaps, and sigh at what they read,
and devils read them and tear them to
pieces and laugh. But no soul inter-
prets its fellow soul; it cannot even in
terpret itself; it knows that it is no longer
white. and that is all.
Sinfre has been with me, and now
am alone again. My library is cool and
quiet, and the lamplight shines upon tho
backs of the books upon the shelves, and
yonder the door opens into the labora'
tory, which is dark, and in these rooms
my days aad years have been spent, but
not my lfe-that has been lived else
where. Is it immortal2 1t may be SO,
but what is immortality to me2 Will it
give mo Sinire?
"All the obstacles that separated us
have disappeared" said to her. Zone
after another they are gone. If there is
any other thing to keep us apart, it must
be in you and nowhere else. You know
why took that sin upon myself. Do
you forgive ity'
"What SIM" she asked.
Perjury"
"Oh, thatr
"Did you wish to die under false ac-
cusation?' said l.
"How do you know it was false?" she
returned.
"At any rate, l know it,"
perhaps, then," she said, 81 may
have wished to save the one who was
really guilty. Why should l SO greatly