The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-06-27
Il want many things; all who live do"


ing to give that l could accept-now."
Dye mean that l may yet have an op-
portunity of showing how generous I can
be? continued MPLeod in the same tone of
mockery.
We may; should we meet on the day Of
your nativity"
Then, should that happen, l hope you'll
wear your proper Dress
And that?
rs a woman's," said the soldier, bluntly
Again that low, enhancing laugh rppled
out on the night.
1T might be done if I were a woman
said the unknown. "Or l might even be a
woman for the time
Don't talk stuff You can't be any other
than one of two-either man or a
woman"
And what if tell you 1 am nether?"
I'D say you're -. What are you
then?"
''One whom time has forgotten
The utterance of the words seemed to
send a cold chill to NJ Leod's very heart
they were SO full of hopeless sadness of
unutterable despair Then, too, he noticed
for the first time a strange thing, though
the unknown was himself perfectly motion
less his robe kept swaying to and fro as
II waved by a gentle wind and yet there
was not breath of air stirring The dis
covery startled NJ eod good DEAL and
for a moment he felt almost afraid. Then
he shook off the feeling and laughed.
men tHele 5 All the more reason that
should not forget YOU" he said. And as
my birthday falls farther away than
next Saturday, III meet you-the womn
remember-where you will"
Agreed. Then let it be at moonrise, and
here; or rather yonder by the tower. But
there is a condition"
What is it?"
Who meets me at such time must
leave his God behind him."
That's easily done. l have none.'
Say it again.
II have none.''
THAT is we'll. Good night"
And before the surprised soldier could ar
rest the movement the speaker had gone,
SEEMING rather to glide than walk over the
rough ground. In another moment he had
vanished in the darkness, and MLeod.
more convinced than ever that he had to
do with a woman more less insane, lit
his pipe and slowly returned to Wanowrie.
The appointed day came and found
MLeod in one of his darkest moods but,
nevertheless, quite resolved to keep faith
with the mysterious stranger 1t is probable
that he would have done 50 without soul
in the lines being aware of his absence, had
not the fat captain taken it into his head to
come up to Wanowrie about midday, on a
surprise visit. M'Leod was mess orderly for
the day, and as among other discoveries
evincins laXity of discipline, the captain
found the lamps untitled, he instantly gave
orders for the culprits Incarceration in
the guard room. NFLeod heard the COM
mand given, and setting discipline at de-
tiance, made for the woods, pursued by
corporal and two men. The latter kept up
the search during the whole afternoon; until
indeed, the approach of sunset suggested
that it time to sit down under tree
and curse both the captain and the runa-
way,a suggestion on which they acted with
positive pleasure.
'!Tell We what. boys" said the corporal,
he sat throwing pebbles into the nulah
upon the bank of which the tree grew;
this wark's like lookin' for canaries in a
coalhole We'd better gang ava back to the
lines, and let M'Leod come in himself.
We're like to catch him this gate, an
even if we did, l question whether the
three os wad be able to talk him in
'Whey?" asked one of the men, sharply.
He was six feet high, had the strength and
snews of bull, and rather resented the
notion of inability.
Because" replied the corporal, gravely
''the dark hours on him. l saw that afore
he gaed cot, and We ken what he is at sic
times. If we cam, on him the moo. he'd
either hurt US we'd hurt him; sac we'll
ava hame and let the captain whusse.
AS all appeared to think that 'whussle
would do the captain good, an immediate
move was made, and the last of the white
helmets was speedily out of sight.
Then there came a scraping, rafting
sound among the pebbles at the bottom of
the nullah, and instant later, MLeod
assembled the steep bank and seated him
self under the tree that had so recently
sheltered his pursuers His face was pale
as ashes, his brows were heavily knitted,
and in his eyes ShOne a strange light like
the reflected flicker of inner and hidden
fire.
He leaned back against the tree and
looked in the direction taken by the search
party, a derisive smile curving his lips the
while. He had heard the conversation of a
fo1xy f1S hofn q iOh
est intention of gratifying the captain by
presenting himself with undue haste at the
guard-room door, In his then state of mind
the very thought of restraint or even hui
man companionship, was hateful, and he
determined to wait until morning before
going in. But where was he to go mean
while? If he remained where he was there
was always the probability that he might
be seen and
His eyes had suddenly fallen upon the
Tower of Silence burning blood-red against
the sky in the flame of the sinking sun,
and with the sight the recollection of his
appointment with the stranger, which he
mad for the time forgotten, returned to
MIN. But that was hours away, fer the
moon would not rise until near midnight
Yet II he were to go up to the tower now
he would in it's vicinity be safe from con-
tact with undesired companions, seeing that
the soldiery were expressly forbidden to
approach 1t, and that the superstitiOus fears
of the natives barred it's envirous against
feet Of theirs.
Rising, he made his way cautiously along
the nullah until he reached it's termination
at the slope wherein the tower stood. Then
after careful scrutiny of the ground lying
towards Wanowrie, he felt himself safe and
began to ascend the hill.
BY this time the sun had set and the
night was rushing down like rain. Already
the eastern landscape was lost in the dark
above which the stars seemed to whirl up
the sky like showers of fire, and as the
ebbing tide Of day swept westward. the
burning bars Of the sunset began to grow
dull and dim. little longer and they shut
down wholly, the last glimmer of light went
out, and night was everywhere So swift
was the transition from day to night that
NJ Leod, fresh from witnessing the long.
magical gloamings Of his far Norlan'
nome was startled, and looked around him
wonderingly.
He had nearly reached the crest of the
NIL. Right before him. black as ink in the
night, and seeming to rest grim head
among the stars, rose the tower. Familiar
though he had become with the sight of it,
this was the first time he had approached
1t closely. and in some way it's aspect filled
nlm with feeling Of deepening awe. Per-
haps it was due to the working Of fancy
an outcome of the darkness and his own
gloomy frame of mnd--but whatever the
cause, he felt sudden shuddering chill pass
over him, making his heart throb heavily
ana awaking an indefinable sense of near
ana deadly peril. Almost as soon as 1t
came however, it passed away, and he
laughed aloud at his own folly.
"A moments pause and he was nearly
shaken back into his former dread The
laugh seemed to run up the side of the back
column and die away-to be answered by
another from within the tower--a wom-
ans.
Faint and unified az ~ nv tho horr,o ~