The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-06-26

time of high pulse and excitement
wears for n fleeting instant Nowhere
outside a madhouse could it become fix
ed and cEangcless.
Yes, that was it indeed Tho pcrpet-
uation of the expression of u moment,
like the work Of instantaneous photog-
raphy, with all the latent power and
sense of breathlessness that such fact
involves.
The brows were contracted into u
deep scowl. The thin lips seemed al
most to quivcr, and with its staring
eyes and chmgcless look in the glare Of
the gaslight this fearful countonance
seemed to float ON through space.
The sound Of music came from the
other room Miss Maxoy was singing
the cave Maria.
DR.. Lamar felt himself safe from in
terruption. An odd fancy, suggested
perhaps by the peculiar character of the
subject, came to him ITo reached up
and turned off the gas jets one by one
till but single light remained He re-
duccd this until it was the fecbcst
spark and stepped back to see the effect
There was fire in the open CRATE
The light Of the Goals flickercd and fell,
and the room was full of shadows. But
the face! Truly the lip quiyersl And
the eyes! Did they not move? The
scowll Does it not deepen? Surely this
cannot be water through which it looks?
But moment ago it was space. Now
it seems as if the tide were flowing
the steady and relentless tide-and as
it flows its CeasclCss motion causes the
soft flesh to tremble The eyes seem to
grow hollow, to fade away, leaving UNI
tcnanted cavities, and IS this happens
the quivering lips break into q mocking
leer. A fierce breath from the unseen
river rises to rap with a hollow rattle at
the windows. The sound breaks the
spell.
Horrificd ut his own sensations La
mar turned and hurried from the room
When DIR. Lamar rejoined the party
in the next room, he found Mrs Maxey
in tears
"Did You notice how affected she
was?" Ellen asked him in an undertone
"By WHAT"
"By the singing of Schubert's Ave
Maria Don't you remember, it was
the song that made her faint in the old
days? have never sung it since. Some
how thought Of it tonight, and imme-
diately we found her crying. And it
seems it was something her. mother
used to sing"
"Ah! DR.. Bcntly was right then. It
was q reminiscence.
There was knock at the door Max
ey answered it. He closed the entrance
to the rear chamber after lin and turn
cd mp the gas in the vcstibule before he
opened it TO his visitor.
He was seized with a suddcu hem-
bling at tho knees when he saw who that
visitor was. Palcr, ghastlicr, more fu-
nereal than ever, the melancholy Dye,
whose woebcgOne hat and threadhare
coat exhibited still deeper shade Of
desolation, stood upon the threshold
"You again?"
Sir, again"
"In spite of all that / told you?"
Sir, l have borne your instructions
well in mind. | have forgotten nothing.
1t remains for you to say whether you
will admit me or no."
Mr.. Dye did not look at Maxey when
he addressed him. In truth he did not
seem to have energy or spirit enough
left to raise his head, and he certainly
did not appear at all anxious to be in
vitod into the room.
The growing conviction that this man
was not the prime mover, but only the
instrument in the hands Of u moro pow
erful parsonage who kept himself al
ways in the background, lcaped to q
most mature stage in the artists mind.
admit you'll" he exclaimed, suppress
ing the tendency to loudness in his
tones for fcar Of reaching the ears in
the adjoining chamber THAT / shall
do most certainly, since you have como.
Walk in, Mr.. Dye, and state your bust
ness, and let us see if we cannot como
to something approaching a mutual un-
Outstanding. That is Il point which we
have too long been dodging about, Mr..
Dye, and I have avery distinct idea that
it would be we'll FOR us to reach it to-
night"
The somber man raised look of mild
inquiry to the artists face said sim
ply, "As you will, " and passed into the
parlor.
Maxcy closed and locked the door and
turned on two of the gas jets,
Then he noticed that Mr. Dye was
trembling. 1t was a chilly evening and
it occurred to him that the threadbare
coat could not be very warm.
"You are cold, man, he said. DRAW
up here by the fire. y
Hc placed chair as he spoke in front
of the open crate. Mr. Dye bowed
gravely.
"Sir, thank you"
He had only looked at Maxey himself.
He sat down with his back to the picture
and began at once to warm his hands
over the Goals. He did not wait for the
artist to question him, but Immediately,
with his most oratorical air, began:
"Sir, You are doubtless exceedingly
surprised and, may l venture to add
not inconsidorably annoyed by my reap
pearance in this house. When l went
away from here sir, you adjured me,
upon pain Of personal injury, never, OK
cept upon certain conditions, to appear
in your presence again. But at the risk
of that personal injury have once more
and for the last time, come. Upon q
former occasion 1 might have feared
you; but strange and paradoxical rs it
may seem, now that am much weaker
and less capable of self defense / no
longer dread the violence of your re-
sentiment ~