Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-01-15


Sew open. and out poured the contents
blue, green and gold, like a glittering
rush of water broken beneath the sun.
The cabby's heart stopped beating.
Diamonds" he cried softly. Then he
grasped at the wind ~ ledge. for the
creature gave howl IF anguish.
Good God. they give no l'ght"
and the echoes chartered back mo
Light! N light"
There Vas IA long silence The huddle
on the floor rocked to and fro, his face
buried in his TIN haads.
The Jmc1n had sunk and the sky was
clear as G.rk glass. a cock crowed
sCmcwhc,o in the cast. AT that sound
the wrci ,luI figure raised its head. OPP
posite him was doorwith fan shaped
trans5m over it, and as he looked il
grew gray aId then rosy. Some one WAS
coming; i.1W even the cabman could
hear the Light crcal; cf steps. Nearer
| they came, nearer. The door opened,
and Lido figure pcepcd into the room
tho little figure If woman, sbriYoleG
ard very Old
The man ~ the hrC rlsce sr9ang up.
= the worian's eyes met that CHASTITY
face she gave IA cry "J2das!' she
screamed, Judas" Thea she tottcred
I'D slid in a heap at his feet e Kicked
at her. hut she only lay Their, GLIDER
ing: ny hat do you want? What do YOU
w.nt?"
At last he answered her
1T WAS black; il chol;od met waa
81 da:k-oh, so G,.rk! have come back
for tie light they promised me. They
said l shoull find it here; that without
it my soul " i'll be blind-blirdl Do you
near me? Help me find it! AS you We're
NY wife, ho lp me find itV'
The woman crawlcd to her knees, her
| eyes raised TO his. and the terrified cab
man, watching through the window, saw
| that the * rchief folded across her b)so IN
was bright as if lamp glowed behind
| it,
The other man saw it, too and his
white claws shot out, burying them.
selves III her breast When he had mt
ished he held in his stained and drip
ping hands the woman's heart. 1t quiz
cred, like the bruised human thing ii
was, but the light shining from it never
wavered, lighting the hollow of the
| mans hand and the hollow of the great
| room, his face and his loose, white lips
| smiling widely, and the pit Of his
| throat, that was black as the gate of
hell; lighting, too, the tumbled, tram
pied body and the star dust of spilled
| diamonds.
He paused an instant, he whose name
was that Of the dead, then he turned
and bounded toward the window. There
was smash of glass. and the cabman
| felt those smeared fingers at his own
neck.
Now take me back where / came
from BE quick, or else -" He did not
| finish his threat
The cabby gave sick gulp, as if his
throat were full of paste; then he was
dragged over the ground and flung into
the seat of his cab. The creature sprang
after him, grinding him against the
dashboard with its bony knees, whore
the poor cabby chung, frantic with ter
ror, as they fled, pounded, flew down the
road.
When the cabman opened his eyes
again, there was great burst of sun
shine Above his head shone the heav.
ems, deep as the core Of sapphire, and
far away he could see the blue haze Of
the city st.eaked with gray plumes Of
smoke. In the grass lay his shattered
cab, and high over his head, its pearly
summit seeming plunged in the eternal
azure, rose a marble shaft. On it We're
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 in
San Francisco Argonaut