The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-07-31

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She stretched out to me her unite, trem,-
bling hands.
woman My eye followed the curves
the snake would take if it exuded from
the belt. I knew that the asp slips or
orawls along, sighting its victim, be-
fore it makes the final spring. Fifty
no., a thousand-times l saw that close,
flattened head rise, and the leer, awak-
ening to brilliant d~istension, charm me
into death. I believe I must have nod
ded over then, for l slept.
was awakened by the clash of steel.
Where was 1? The room was quite dark,
save for one white band extending from
the portfolio window. A very silent
band. And extending yet toward me.
I sprang.
"Great God in heaven, the snake
There are moments of your life that
are m%illennial. This side of the veil
that fences in time from the eternities
the breath of all the bloom inside there
can crowd itself into go heart beat pet
ais and flower into one lilied moment.
And the livid, acrid breath, sweating
from those old death sword disks that
defend Eden, can blow into your face
in n moment, too, a vapor damper
than Dante. And yet you live.
l lived after that crawling, wet mo-
ment, when something brushed against
my arm. Was it the ships evening sig
nal that had awakened one? No.
cpronO apd ctarod into that uh;to
band unfolding before me. Unfolding,
though, like scrolls of angels from heav-
ell, not earth. My stateroom was in
full moonlight. 1t must have been 8
o'clock, night, that struck. I had slept
all day.
What was that which had touched
my arm? I stared out into that white
band Of moonlight across my room. BY
George, there was something unearthly,
but most divine, In the onf1owing light,
a message from heaven too full of white
blessedness to close it's doors quite upon
the approaching threats of poor, dark hu-
manity. I kept staring out into that
moonbeam and listening.
"Well, old fellowi Good for you'll
Caithness' jolly voice rolled in. Pom
my word. a voice has an atmosphere.
"You've been at it all day, torporesque
too. Where's the girdle?"
"Was it you who brushed my arm?''
I said, going cautiously toward the
portfolio corner.
"No. / haven't been here before for
an hour. Schmalenstopfer and I decided
to let you 60 it. Yes. the internal liv.
ing is all right
A sharp click, as of the cooking of a
pistol, interrupted his words. The sweat
broke upon my forehead. Ye gods be
praised! An undertook that we had not
noticed in the belt had Jared and shak-
en-, too. with the tread of the glorious
South Staffordshire across the room,
and the creature within was for the
time a prisoner. But Caithness and ]
gave one another one look, for we knew
that the snake had moved inside that
girdle.
care you going to be on picket duty
much longer?" says Caithness. "Dil.
Ions, what are you up to? You haven't
had a bite. The 'Jemappes' has never
left her stateroom today. I've got tt
, leave you and your charge, old fellow.
I'm booked for poker with Cassner and
his crowd. I hear we shall sight Malta
in a couple of hours"
"I'll join you soon," 1 called bach
hastily, my plan working at my very
soul. "Had never left her stateroom to
+ dayr' Was she alive? Iquickly got my.
self together, presentable, and taking
the girdle under my O%vercoat, with 6
horrible qualm, ! went on deck. The
moonlight had gone before me, though,
+ and lay, a white splendor, on water ant
sail. The crowd had not yet come W
, from dinner, and the promenade decl
! was deserted. MOI Ha, way off toward
the stern of the ship a 1.-the figure,
+ graceful still in its sad abandonment o.
Z suffering, bent low in the black shadow
of the swinging, Tapping sail. 1t tool
a me a second and a quarter to reach hel
, side.
She heard my step and lifted upo1
, me a white face like the flower of
moonlit field whose guests are tn,
ghosts of only yesterday. She read my
, eyes. She stretched out to me her white
trembling hands, but did not speak
And then-the long, marble silenc'
and control shattered in the sweet
, white moonbeam that had brought som,
l one. Some one to her, her face bent up
on her hands, and the angels and I only
4 heard the dropping of a woman's tears
D A womGn's heart was made to hid,
: naught save the heart of her lover il
: her own and unsolder all his burdens
in that heat.
: 81 think You will let me help you, ;
! l said, choking down a mighty, big gull
in my throat and getting misty aroun.
T my eyes, confound it, with my 10 fee
: Of shadow. 81 have the girdle." 1 sa
down beside her and told her all quick
ly. lifted the coat beneath whose fold
the hideous burden lay. But / held bacl
her hand as she reached for that burden
Jove, I'd have chaperoned go snakes {
have had the bliss of that one moment
You will give it to me-, " she said
reaching for the girdle.
"If you will tell me all. If you will
give me your solemn oath that you will
. not She knew what ] could not say
v ''The word of a lady is enough. I be
lieve you"
a And she told me all. Born in India
the daughter of a celebrated snak
. charmer whose beauty had subdued
Scotch nobleman tarrying In Bombay
the temperament Of the mother and tn
n = ~ - q