The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-08

tho marc impressive by the little breaks of
sourd-the ripping of the stream or an oc-
casicnal tut fitting overhead. with a gush
of melody. Scarcely a leaf stirred in all
that green wilderness. Here and there
where a Shaft of sunlight had found its
way through, spotted lizards lay basking
among the dry leaves and fragments of
brown and silvery bark that covered the
moist black earth on every side. Above
were myriads of leaves and branches; be-
low, myriads of ferns. The stately tree
ferns lowered up above the gravel bed of
the stream. and in every gully by tens and
hundreds the ferns multiplied and grew
Lille was so rampant here as to hide death
and decay If tree fell today one would
expect TO ind it green tomorrow with
ferns and young suckers. There seemed
something almost savage and unnatural in
this swarming luxuriance of life, this in
sistence of growth. A touch of quiet au-
tumn would have come as a benediction
In such an hour one feels most the mys-
terry and the solemn grandeur of the bush.
Presently man came limping into sight
He was covered with dust from head to
foot. and the great beads Of perspiration
rolling down his face had made runlets
through the dust, ana gave him a strange
CHASTITY look. His eyes were like those Of
hunted animal. his tongue lolled out in
the heat like a dogs.
He made straight for the stream, and
painfully scrambling down the edge of the
gully. among ferns and creepers. he flung
himself over the water and drank eagerly.
having his face in the stream as he drank
Then he drew deep breath of relief, and
laS back. his arms behind his head, in a
state of exhaustion.
He had thrown aside his hat and his
hair. wet with sweat. lay Imply on his
brow. He was stalwartiy built fellow.
with a keen. hard face and hands rough
ened By years of toll. His clothes were old
and rough: on the knee of one trouser was
a stain like that OF recently split blood.
As he lay among delicate fern fronds.
still hot. and painting now and then, wild
pigeon came close above him on a fallen
tree bough. The mild. innocent creature
looked at him with its full red eye and
showed no sign OF perturbation; its kind
had not vet learned to be afraid of man.
lence. His eye marked its one beauty after
another; its broad. snowy breast. its red
bill. the lovely mingling of green, red and
purple on its wings and back. He had OPP
portunity to examine II fully, for it sat
there with great composure, only now and
then pulling off green leaf and eating it.
At last the man reached out his hand for
a. big pebble; he could knock 1t down cas-
lily, without changing his position. He had
his hand ready to throw. when a swift
compunction seized him. and he flung the
pebble crashing through the distant un-
derwood
No. I'm darned." he muttered. eff can
hurt the prettr, innocent thing after ail.''
1T the noise Of the falling pebble the
bird rose with a loud whirr OF its magnifi-
cent wings and passed on to another tree
The man was sorry; he wished it had stay
ed where it was, that he might watch IT.
Then things gradually grew indistinct. and
he feH asleep as easily as child
He slept heavily for time. Then his
sleep became broken: dreams troubled him
ugly dreams of things that had happened
since this summer sun rose.
Again he was at the little village public
house. smoking and drinking with his mate
Bill Harris. The drink was bad. but the
day was hot and both men thirsty after
hours of work in the scorching sun. Then
they turned out again, going back to their
Telling and saving of timber And as thew
went quarrel sprang up between them
and grew fierce. Then Bill in an unhappy
moment reminded his mate Jack of the
4so he has been owing him these months
past. This brought Jacks wrath to a eli
max; he raised the ak he was carrying and
Struck Bill, who fell like log on the
dusty road. the blood spouting from his
wound. Jack knelt down and gazed stu
pidiy- Bill was dead. The shock sobered
Inn on the instant. He dragged the dead
man into the shade OF the bushes, and fed
for his life, feeling the hot breath of the
avengers behind him every second.
Bill dead? Bill. Oh confound it all, no,
Things were getting mixed up in his
brain. 1t was he himself who had been
Ill Tor weeks together in the winter-nigh
at deaths door-and Bill had nursed him
and waited on him with the tenderness of
woman. Yes, 1t was Bill who had saved
his life-brave. honest old Bill. who had
faced sun and storm with him for three
years past. Ay, ne was such mate as a
fellow didn't often chance to get. And
then 10 say that he was dead! Oh, how
absurd!
Wildly thoughts and images foatea
through his brain, leaving only a dim
haunting sense Of trouble. Then he Slip
ped back TO the English meadows of his
hildhood-daisy -sprinkled grass. and a.
grey river edged with pollard willows that
broke into green loveiincss every spring
How well he remembered it ALI He used
10 battle there as a boy. and dream of strik-
ing out brevely for himself in the great
river OF life. The skies above him were
not higher than his aspirations. And Dow
= had all come to this-that he had struck
down his fiiend. and the word Murderer
was written in letters of fire across his
soul,
He shive-ed, drew a long breath. and
swoke. There was refreshing undercur- |
rent Of GOODNESS in the air, and golden |
lights slanted down among the ferns. II |
must be evening, then. He looked at his |
watch: it was o'clock. He rose, still
sh'yerlng little. and looked round him
What should he do? Self-preseryation urp.
ed bin to some immediate course. bu,
where had he best turn for safety?
He stumbled on listlessly for awhile
swearing hard now and again at the tan,
giles of creeper and brambles through
which he had TO force his way. All al
once he stood stock still. trembling in ev-
cry limb. He rubbed his hand across bis
eyes to assure himself that he was NOT
dreaming. and then grew worse feeling
that madness had come upon him He had
often heard of murderers being haunted
by the corpses of their victims. and ah,
here the CHASTITY thing had come upon him,
Bits body lay almost at his feet and al
ready IL was oyerarched by long luxuriant
FERNS.
He knelt down with a little stifed cry and
hi his face. When he looked again IL
was still there; but as he looked a sudden
ray Of hope darted into his mind This
thing wore coarse plaid. 1t could not
be Bill. The sudden overpowering sense
OF relief made him sick and dizzy Then |