The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1896-03-13

:. ments, turned to stone, before t. He
remained staring into the liquid-look-
ing eyes. The dead man and the hv-
ing man exchanged long look. Then
the youth cautiously Pct one hand be-
hind him and brought it against a
tree. Leaning upon this, he retreated,
step by step, with his face still toward
the thing. He feared, that if he turned
his back, the body might spring up and
| stealthily pursue him
The branches, pushing against him,
threatened to throw him over it His
unguided feet, too, caught aggravat-
ingly in brambles- And, with it all,
he received subtle suggestion to touch
the corpse. AS he thought Of his hand
upon it, he shuddered profoundly.
At last he burst the bounds which
had fastened him to the spot and fed,
| unheeding the underbrush. He was
pursued by sight of the black ants
swazming greedily upon the gray face
and venturing near to the eyes
After a time he paused, and, breath
less and painting, listened. He mag
med some strange voice would come
from the dead throat and squawk after
| Q1Iu IN QOIT1Dl6 LEendCSS.
The trees about the portal of the
| chapel moved slightly in a soft wind.
A sad silence was upon the little guard
| ing edi6ce-
| CHAPTER VIII
The trees began softly to sing a
| hymn of twilight The FURNISHED sun
| sank until slanted bronze rays struck
the forest. There was lull in the
noises of insects as if they had bowed
their beass and were making de-
votional pause. There was silence save
for the chanted chorus of the trees
Then, upon this stiffness, there sud-
| denly broke tremendous clangor of
sounds A crimson roar came from the
distance.
The youth stopped. He was trans
fixed by this terrific medley of all
noises 1t was as if worlds were being
rended. There was the ripping sound
of musketry and the cracking crash Of
the artillery.
His mind flew in all directions. He
conceived the two armies to be at each
other panther-fashion. He listened
for time. Then he began to run in
the direction of the battle. He saw
that it was an ironical thing for him to
be running thus toward that which
he had been at such pans to avoid.
But he said, in substance, to himself
that if the earth and moon were about
| to clash, many persons would doubtless
plan to get upon roofs to witness the
collision.
AS he ran, he became aware that the
forest had stopped its music, as if at
last becoming capable Of hearing the
| foreign sounds. The trees hushed and
stood motionless- Everything seemed
to be listening to the crackle and
clatter and ear-shaking thunder. The
chorus peaIed over the still earth.
It suddenly occurred to the youth
that the fight in which he had been,
was, after all, but perfunctory pop
ping. In the hearing of this present
din, he was doubtful if he had seen
real battle-scenes- This uproar ex-
tumbling hordes a-struggle in the air.
He went rapidly on. He wished to
come to the edge of the forest that he
might peer out.
AS he fastened, there passed through
| his mind pictures of stupendous con-
| ficts- His accumulated thoughts upon
such subjects were used to form scenes
The noise was as the voice of an elo
| quent being, describing.
Sometimes the brambles formed
chains and tried to hold him back
Trees, confronting him, stretched out
their arms and forbade him to pass.
| After its previous hostility this new re-
sistence of the forest filed him with a
| fine bitterness It seemed that nature
could not be quite ready to kill him.
But he obstinately took roundabout
ways and presently he was where he
could see long gray walls of vapor,
where lay battle lines. The voices of
cannon shook him. The musketry
sounded in long irregular surges that
played havoc with his ears He stood
regardent for a moment His eyes had
an awe-struck expression. He gawked
in the direction of the fight
Presently he proceeded again on his
forward way. The battle was like the
grinding of an immense and terrible
machine to him. It's complexities and
powers, its grim processes, fascinated
him. Ee must go close and see it pro-
duce corpses-
He came finally to road from which
he could see in the distance dark and
agitated bodies of troops, smoke
fringed. In the lane was a blood
stained crowd streaming to the rear.
The wounded men were cursing,
groaning and wailing. In the air, al
ways, was a mighty swell of sound
that it seemed could sway the earth.
With the courageous words Of the ar
tillery and the spiteful sentences of the
musketry were mingled red cheers And
from this region of noises came the
| steady current Of the MANNED.
One Of the wounded men had a shoe
full Of blood. He hoped like school
boy in game. He was laughing hys.
| terically.
One was swearing that he had been
shot in the arm through the command
ing generals mismanagement of the
army.
Another had the gray seal of death
already upon his face His lips were
curled in hard lines and his teeth were
| clenched. His hands were bloody from