Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-08-21

be haa pees digging. There was no KEY
IN the lock, but at his touch the cover
dew open, and out poured the contents
blue, green and gold, like glittering
rush of water broken beneath the sun.
The cabby's heart stopped beating.
diamonds" he cried softly. Then he
grasped at the window ledge, for the
creature gave Il howl Of anguish.
Good God, they give no light"
And the echoes chartered back, "No
! light! No jightp'
There WAS "a long silence. The huddle
on the floor rocked to and fro, his face
buried in his thin hands.
The moon had sunk and the sky was
clear as dark glass. A cock crowcd
somewhere in the east. At that sound
the wretched figure raised its head. OPP
posite him was door with fan shaped
transom over it, and as he looked il
grew gray and then rosy. Some one was
coming; now even the cabman could
hear the light creak of steps Nearer
they came, nearer. The door opened.
and a little figure peeped into the room
the little figure Of "A woman, shriveled
and very old.
The man by the fireplace sprang up.
As the woman's eyes met that ghastly
face she gave cry. "Judas!" she
screamed, "Judas!" Then she tottered
and slid III a heap at his feet. He kicked
at her. but she only lay there, gibber-
ing: What do you want? What do you
Want:'
At last he answered her.
at was black; it choked met was
SO dark-oh, so dark have come back
for the light they promised me. They
said | should find it here; that without
it my soul will be blind-blind! Do you
hear me: Help me find it! AS you were
my wife, help me find it!''
The woman crawled 10 her knees, her
eyes raised TO his, and the terrified cab
man, watching through the window, saw
that the kcrchicf folded across her bosom
was bright as ii lamp glowed behind
il.
The other man saw ii, too and his
white claws shot out, burying them
selves in hcl breast. When he had fin
ished. he held in his stained and drip
ping hands the WOmGn's heart. 1t quiv-
eIcd, like the bruised human thing il
was, lat the light shining from il never
wave. I. lichting the hollow of the
mans hand and the hollow of the great
room, his f&re and his loose, white lips
smiling vic ly, ana the pit Of his
throat, that was black as the gate OF
hell; light g., too, the tumbled tram
pied BODY &Id ,..c star dust Ct spilled
diamonds
He paused a. i"s.apt, Il VIII So name
was thar q -" dead, then lie turned
and bounded toward the window There
Vas smash Of glass. and the cabman
-o't those s,uearld fingers at his own
nocE
IN W tale ne back where l came
from BE quick, or else -" He did not
finish h's t''roat.
The calhy gave SICK gulp, as if his
,hroat were fall Of paste then he was
ragged over The ground and flung into
lie sea. Of his cab. The creature sprang
after him, grinding him against the
dashboard with its bony knees, where
The poor cabby chung, frantic with ter
ror. a they fed, pounded, flew down the
Dad.
When the cabman opened his eyes
again. there was "a great burst Of sun
shine Above his head shOne the heav-
ems deep IS the core Of sapphire, anc
tar away he could see the blue haze Of
the city streaked with gray plumes OF
smoke. H. the grass lay his shattered
cab, and high over his head, its pearly
summit seeming plunged III the eternal
aZure, rose marble shaft On il Were
carved these words: ITO Judas Withers
Erected by his loving wife. -
The letters were Of gold but the
morning sun had touched them into
words Of fire. Julie Closson Kenly III
san Francisco Argon3ut.