The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-24

| clock that was ticking off the moments
of his life-a second each time. A few
more minutes and then-he broke out into
cold sweat; an unmanning fear of this
unknown, cruel thing crept over him,
and for a while he sat, huddled in abject
terror; then slowly the soul of the man
steadied itself; he closed his eyes to pray,
ana the word that came was Dorothy"
i With fierce mental effort he pulled TO-
gether his shaken faculties for her sake.
For her he would die like a man. Per-
haps she would know he had been no
/ coward.
Tick-tack, tick-tack, twenty minutes
past ten. All! it was time to sit and talk to
"Dorrie." Well. he would do it-woud
give to her those last twenty minutes And
so he sat on his face drawn and ghastly,
but his courage frm-sat and bade long
goodby to the girl ne loved; thought strong
manly thoughts to her, that kept fear from
his heart. But while his Utmost self talked
with "Dorre" his flesh grew gray and
pinched, the lonely silence broken only by
the steady ticking of his clock of doom.
Dorothy that night sat reading; then la
ter fell to wondering of Arthur alone in
that great building, and at the thought OF
/ his loneliness all her heart went out to
him; and perhaps some of her soul for
her body fell asleep. Then she, too, woke
with a start-a start of perplexity and
fear; fear for Arthur-what was it? She
passed her hand over her forehead Devil
dered. What was it-why could she not re-
member? Then the ticking of the clock on
The mantel caught her ear-caught it
strangely, and she listened. breathless.
trembling; tick-tack, tick-tack-What dld
it mean? Then slowly and softly a solemn
voice fell on her inner ear: "Goodby, Dor
rie goodby, darling"
| "Ahw she rose to her full hght-was
! rigid there for an instant then quickly
Yes, l know; I understand. She walk
ed quietly to her fathers room, took his
keys, and, taking her hat and coat, slip
ped unseen out into the night
Tick-tack, tick-tack, eight minutes more.
Eight mintes more; eight years; God!
Can l wait? One brave spring now would
end the torture, and-no, no, for Dorrie 5
sake, for the honor of love, I'll live my life
out to the last bitter second" Shotwen
closed his eyes a few minutes, then open
ing them, saw a face in the doorway gaz-
ing at him. to him it seemed the soul OF
Dorrie, come to say, "Good-by."
! He was not afraid, hardly awed; it was
not real; dying mems eyes are sometimes
strangely clear; he noticed the
hat, the coat the face
drawn with fearful anguish-sous
did not look like that-it was Dorrie her
self A moment of wild joy was swal-
lowed uD in a still greater horror-"Dor-
U
was worst of all-but her quick hands
touched him, deftly untieing first the
handkerchief that gagged him. then den
cately slipping those fearful strings from
his wrists
How long, Arthur" she whispered.
He glanced desperately at the clock.
1.-TWO minutes; don't stop to unite me;
water, quick There's bucket fill it at
the tap it's our only chance"
She comprehended instantly. Oh, how
SLOW the water rant She walked swiftly 10
the desk took the box in her hands am
earrit I IT, ticking to the bucket; placed u
in anC held it, trembling. as the water
swallowed it. until there was little rasp-
ing jar in the ticking Shotwell drew one
deep, long breath as he stopped over inc
girl and waited for what never came. one
Two three minutes raised; then, win
breath Of half fearful relief, he lookeN
down at Dorrle. She was fast asleep. nest
led in his arms and breathing peaeefuiP
He walked her with a kiss. She stared Il,
him in sleepy surprise. why, Artnul.
, Where am L? What is it. dear? How "hHG9
you look; and see the waters running A.
over he floor; your careless boy-l-o"'
Arthur, I-take rae home"
Aqui.a Kempster
An Extreme View-"What arc MOCK