Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-09-24

Whatever business was occupytpg
Lamar, it was not the sort 70 be dis
posed OF quickly. Hour after hour
passed, and still he did not rejoin us. At
last climbed the stairs and. knocking
at the door of his room. asked if there
was anything he desired US TO do. =
AT present. nothing" he answered.
NO use tryin TO nudge him." John
son observed. when | returned to the
liying-room. He'll let us know fast
enough when the time comes. You'd
better get some sleep, doctor, il you
can curl Uncomfortable in a chair. I'll
stand watch"
Nothing better suggesting itself. ]
tried to follow the fsherman's advice.
at first with very Indifferent success.
The events of the evening had not been
| of the sort to make one sleepy. SO /
sat in my corner specializing on the
| probable outcome of the encounter.
| What Lamar's plans would be it was
difficult to foretell. Physically he was
in poor condition to undertake further
Eight from his enemies, yet be would
hardly dare to remain without estab-
fishing a small standing army. John
son had covered himself with glory, but
he was but one man; and / did not
enumerate myself as part of the bel
ligerent force. Again, the excitement
and worry the presence of his enemies
must cause would certainly have an
extremely bad effect upon Lamar, ag-
gravating his disease and cutting short
even the scant allowance of time had
estimated as his. If anything could
have overcome my extreme repulsion
! for him, it must have been the cool
courage he had displayed in the face
of danger; but, though | appreciated
it, could not bring myself to more
kindly feeling for the man who had ex-
hibited it in such trying circumstances.
What would Dorothy have to say such
part of the tale as | could tell her? /
was thinking more of her and less of
Lamar, when my eyes closed for weari-
ness.
Johnson's hand on my shoulder
brought me back from my dreams.
Hes called for you," he said "He
wants you to go up to his room"
Very we'll; I'll go; hut what's the
time@" ! asked, grinding my knuckles
into my eyes.
Most six o'clock. The suns just
risin'.''
Reaching the head of the stairs. |
heard Lamar's voice from the rear
room. one which he had never before
invited me to enter
Gone in" he said. 81 regret to have
detained you so long, but my task is at
last Completed
In spite of his efforts 10 maintain the
old steady tone. his voice sounded
hoarse and full of WEAKNESS; and all
that it suggested was more than borne
out by his face, upon which fell the cold
light of the morning, revealing with
pitiless distinctness the traces of the
struggle of an indomitable will against
physical weakness. His pallor was
CHASTITY, the skin was drawn above the
temples, the cheeks were sunken, the
lines about the mouth were grown 10
burrows. His eyes burned with fever
ish fire. The hand which rested on the
desk at which he sat shook, notwith-
standing it's support. J had never seen
the man in such a state-so completely
mastered by his iniirmities. How he
had been able to work through the night
was almost beyond comprehension,
though the bottle Of brandy at his e.
bow showed that lie had had the aid of
a stimulant. 1t had carried him
through, but at fearful price Plain
~. il was no longer question of weeks
or months with him; his days. perhaps
his hours, were numbered
On the desk before him lay sealed
| letter, IA check book. sheet of paper
covered with figures and the little blacl,
valise which he had guarded so Jealous
ly on our journey to Rodneytown. and
which had not rested eyes upon since
| the day of our arrival.
| He motioned me to seat beside him
DIR. Norris" said he, last nights
| visitation warned me 10 perform Ger
tain duties which, in view of my fail
ure of health, had too long been neg
lected. ! desire your assistance in the
completion of them.
81 am at your orders" said |. "Fo~
| the little while that remains for YOU"
| added, to myself.
| He opened the hand bag and took
| from il a paper, which. upon being un-
/ folded. appeared TO be n petition or
] agreement of some sort; for appended
TO several closely-written paragraphs
was long list of signatures. He gave
me no time, however, to decipher either
text or names. Striking match, he set
! fire 20 the document. which was burn
| ing briskly before he dropped it TO the
floor. As the flame grew l saw that
about it lay several little heaps Of
fluffy ash, no doubt all that remained
of other papers he had chosen to put
out of the way. He watched the fire
creep along until fhe whole sheet was
ablaze.
"lf the question arise. as it may. you
can make oath that document Of this
appearance was destroyed" said La
mar. You may feel free TO do so. No