The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-19

J VIZ ~ W. ~ " ~
handkerchief and made pre,ense to bind
/ X about MY hand.
Alec. the guide. was az my right side
/ settling my numbering foot IN the stirrup.
! felt him touch the sheath of my knife
and then I remembered that IL must De
/ empty.
''sidl has lost his dagger" he said.
| Look
The consul who had been on my left.
! wheeled round by the horses head
| glanced at the useless sheath that was
stuck IN the belt OF my jacket, and then
looked back into my stupid face.
ttSidi IL ill.," he said. quietly. Ride
quickly. my men; lose no time; get him
out OF the country without delay"
/ heard Alec answer Right. all right"
Then the consuFs servant rode up-he
was Beforehand took his place at the
head OF our caravan.
IAN ready?" asked the consul in Ara
bic.
Ready" the men answered.
Then away as IL you were flying ~.
! your lives"
The men put spurs to their mules: Alec
gave the lash 10 my horse. and We started.
"Goodby. Doctor" cried the consul.
May you find your Attle son better when
you reach home"
/ shouted some incohereat answer IN a
thick. loud voice, and in a few minutes
more We were galioping across the plain
outside the town.
The next two hours are blank In my
| memory. In a kind OF drunken stupor
| / rode on and on. The gray light deep
ened into the darkness OF night. and the
stars came out Still We rode and rode.
The moon appeared In the southern sky
and rose into the broad wiliteness Of the
stars overhead. Then consciousness came
back TO me, and with II came the first
pangs Of remorse- Through the long
hours OF that night ride one awful sight
stood up constantly before my eyes. Il
was the sight Of that dead body stark and
cold lying within that little sanctuary
behind me. white now with the moon
light, and silent with the night.
Father, / reached my home at last. At
Gibraltar / telegraphed that / was COM
ing, and at Dover / received a telegram
/ in reply. Four days had interviewed be-
tween the dispatch OF my message and
the receipt Of my wifes. Anything might
have happened in that time and my anxi-
ETY. was feyerish. Stepping OF 10 the Ad-
miraiiy pier / saw telegraph boy hust-
ling about among the passengers from the
packet with a telegram In his hand.
What name?' / asked.
lie gave one that was not my own and
yet sounded like it.
looked at the envelope. Clearly the
name was intended for mine. / snatched
the telegram out of the boys hand. It
ran:
Welcome home; boy very weak, but
not beyond hope"
I think I read the words aloud amid
all the people. so tremendous was my re-
lief and SO overwhelming my Joy The
messenger got gold coin for himself.
and / ieapt into the tram.
AT Charing Cross l did not walt for my
luggage, but gave foolish tip 10 Il por-
ter and told him 10 send my things after
mel Within half a minute of my arrival
was driving OFT CT the station.
What l suffered during those last mo-
ments OF waiting before l reached my
house no tongue of man could tell /
read my .wiles telegram again, and OBJ
served for the first time that Il was now
six hours old. SIX hours. They were ike
six days 10 my tortured mind. From the
moment when we turned out of oxford
street until we drew up al my own door
in Wiu1poe stree, / did not once draw
breath. And. being here I dare hardly lift
my eyes 10 the window lest the blinds
should be down.
l had my latch key with me. and | let
myself In without ringing. A moment
afterward I was in nay dar!ing's room.
My beloved wife Was with our boy, and
he WAS unconscious. That did not trou-
bic me II all. for saw az a glance that
was not too LATE. Throwing off my coat,
! sent 20 the surgery for my case. dis
missed my dear girl with scani embraces,
drew my dar.ing's cot up 10 the window
and tore down the curtains that kept out
the light. for the spring day was far
spent,
Then. being alone with my darling.
d.d my aork. ! had tremblsd like an
aspen .eaf until / entered his room. but
when my time came my hand was a. firm
a Tock and my pulse beat Ike a chila-s
knew could do II and / did IT, God
had spared me TO come home ard | rad
kept my vow. had Travelled ten DAVIS
and nights TO tackle The work. bat ii
Was a short task when once begun.
After | had finished l opened the i-e7r
10 call nay wife back 10 the room. The
poor soul was crouchsug with the boys
nurse on the threshold. and they wer..
dong their utmost % check their sohs
There l cried: there's youg boy.
He'll BE- az risht now"
The mischief WAS removed. and 7 had
never a doaol NJ the chiid's recovery.
Ny wife flung hers&lf on MY breast. ana
then 7 realized the price paid eor SO
much nervous tension. All the nerves ~
orgar!c he seemed 10 collapse II an In
stane.
y IA Atzzy; lead NE 10 my ro3fn." saf4.
ny wife brought me brandy. but ny
hand could not Eft the ,amhler 10 NV
mouth. and Ntsc my dear girls arms na4
raised my own ihe glass ratjlea against
ne teeth. They PAT ma 20 bed: Us
GoDe-&oTe.
Father. that was 4 month ago. ana 7
an lying AeTe ss.!l. Il Is not nuras.harsa
OF tae body Rat IS kiUjas me. out narss-
shefg!a - the sogl No Doctors strar
WIN ever purge Fae ot thar. Il IS here }sIs,
FIRE II MY brain. and herA Ike sc IL r,,,.
heart WAS ny awIul sct Justigzb1e be-.
fore God Was x F5gAt in the ewes -
H.m Who EaS written IN the tables -
his law. *'Ihoa shalt DO no fnDrta,--,s
Was It murder Was II er.rnes III oar
ragged the letter OF the holy eal~t. sia
also wTonS is sp.r3t9
Speak. speak. Eor g.;y's saka sneak
Have mercy upon Ele. As yo4 hone Or
mercy. Talk here / vas ST u.hs.
fate was before ne Wouia 10 IL a.,
In spite 90 sI7 Ies. YES \ thn,,se.,4
thousand times yes. ! vi 90 10 God vx-l.S
TIA. word On ny EqS, aaa lie s-An 5r5ea
me.
AnG yet safer these ago-sss - s,,.e..
Life was always sacred thirx n ~
God gave IT, end OILY God SHOULD t4ka :,
away. RE u ho spit She blood ~
bowman tock the Soverusrey. ~ -.
wc~ia out 81 Gods hands Ana -
and then-FatneT, have I not tod YOU ara
On the day WHEN arrived - ra-~,s-
trpn FeE l had some two hours :, =.
for the French steamer from Malaga -.
vas TO take rgaS 70 Casiz. IT orssar >, -
guile my rnsGa % rs iTs9pa t.ageee I vs-stt--t
through the town as Tar a. the ogs.s~ -.
the Sok Sc E&Ers- K was marker a.
Thursday. and tes place vas TIE ssrra