The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-16

the result OF my own trial Upon that
/ unlocked the cabinet and found. by Hoi-
listers direction. another Task contain
ing The solution. poured out enough. re-
placed the flask and locked the cabinet.
Coiwin's eyes were on me az ! put the
key into my pocket and read his pur-
pose in his glance. He would have taken
the key as soon as l became helpless. ]
knew that / should wake, Il indeed
walked az an. 90 find him dead. Hollis
ter I feel sure had not the same intent.
yct for fear that h. might yield, hid the
key. distracting Colwin's attention By
ruse while doing SO. lie was palpaoly
eager that / should drink at once, but 10
my surprise. HOLSTER rose suddenly as
put the glass 90 my dips and endeaVofea
70 restrain me. He was not quick
enough his hand touched my arm JUST
too late,
n am sorry" he said, simply. And
read in his eyes the only sign OF friend
ship that he had ever displayed IN the
years OF our companionship. Had l wait
"a another moment he would have told me
the secret.
seoinz that had drunk, he resumed his
ordinary demeanor, hut the change IN
him had started train OF emotion IN my
own soul. woman's face came sudden
Is before me with startling distinctness
/ saw her as she would have looked could
she have known that I was stalking heF
happiness and mine upon foolish ha@-
ard that FOR a glimpse at some unna'uiai
aud vaiucloss revelation / was ready 70
forget my word TO her and tho uosi
sacred obligation Of honor.
HOLSTER was watching me Narrowly.
His peculiar insight. which often revealed
10 him the thoughts OF others. though
they were wholly ~ variance with the
line Of his own inward experiences pen
etrated my brain az that moment
Il think there Is no question that you
will come through this all right SAID ne
kindly. but. IN view OF the hundredth
chance YOU may wish TO leave written
message There may still be time
He opened the lid of quaint old desk
that stood againA The wall. aud SET
chair for me before n. ! hastily TOOK my
place and found pen. ! was conscious
OF a considerable exaifaton OF spirit, hut
principally Of a deep sincerity that should
have fitted me TO lay my heart IN worus
upon the paper. ] had the impression OF
writing rapidly: chen suddenly ! was IN
terrupted by a strange sound that seem
cd 10 come from a great distance II
must have been tho crash OF my own
body falling forward on the lid OF the
desk.
I was aware OF priisating force that
connected itself presently with me. IL
was Necessary. but why / did not know
or ask. that I should keep this force N
action. felt. indistinctly. the burden
OF this meaningless task.
A volceless command that had no source
compelIed me 20 perform other tabor also.
Forces were al work IN me and ! must
guide them all and be the spring OF them.
They worked without purpose aud with
weary rcpetition.
/ had no memory OF anything like this
no memory whatever. indeed. until my
eyes that strained TO SEQ without desir-
ing 10 do so. excited IN my brain a sense
81 familiarity IN an object that moved be-
fore me II was Hoilisser. though ] did
not known him. or even wonder what he
was. When ne spoke. the sound OF his
voice annoyed me. without producing any
impression Of intelligence, until three
words touched the spring OF real con-
sciousness.
This Is life" said he.
Then / began 20 understand. I knew
that had laborod a. these tasks before,
and chat something had freed me from
them. I wished 20 be free again.
The dun mechanics OF this process that
ne had called life weighed upon me In
tolernbly My thought clothed itself In
words. and rang In my brain; Why
| should do this? Why should do thisF
HOLSTER was speaking again could
| not follow him. hut his words registered
| themselves upon my mind so that now
| perfectly remember them. and at the time
| they secured a partial understandg.
You have tried 20 ind out what death
is." said he "and you have failed. You
/ know no more about death than you did
before. but YOU know a great deal more
| about life a chasn ~ complete uncon-
sclousness separates YOU from all the old
| Impressions ana preludices. The habit OF
/ living is broken on. All the labor OF
/ living that use had taught you 90 bear
/ a. now apparent You perceive that
/ what you had been taught 10 call the
| involuntary processes o. existence are
really performed with effort You see
| life as a mere Struggle 10 live. Is II worth
the labor
| / buried my face In my hands resting
| up1n the desk for I had passed my pc
/ riod Of dreamless sleep in the place where
/ Il had begun. The weight Of my body,
even thus supported, tortured me, being
toll without motive.
A hand was laid upon my shoulder, and
I hsarha voice say. Where did you put
| the key Of the cabinetF'
| Il was Colwin. During my sleep, as
aftcrward learned. ne had tried 20 get
/ the key. and had discovered despite Hoi-
/ listers resistance that q was not IN my
pocket
The word brought the recollection OF the
events Immediately preceding my sleep.
had not previously remembered the
/ drug or given any real thought 10 the
question OF how | came 20 he In the state
| in which / found myself ! had wished
/ blndly. 20 be rid OF life. Colwins words
showed the way.
with no thought for him, l rose and
/ began 10 search for the key. The In
/ stinct or repetition which Is the hasis OF
unconscious memory led me 10 the place
/ where / had hidden a. ! would have gone
| at once to the cabinet. but from weakness
| I sank down a moment In the chair before
the desk. Directly IN my line 81 vision
was a sheet OF paper on which appeared
In my own hand. two words: My beiov-
81 4"
They were all that 7 had written IN
| that message which had seemed so long
| and so complete. Instantly saw her con
| demned 10 this duil slavery OF life. As a
| sick man cannot picture health. so I was
/ unable to compr, bend that life could be
| 20 her a different thing from what Il was
I 20 me How could J bear the thought
/ that she must walk the weary round OF
I life and be free, ] would not have her
| thus 60 suffer Il alone. What help was
I possible from one mortal creature to an
other. / was not IN condition 20 under
| stand. nor did care 10 struggle with that
I problem II was enough that our instinct
Z afrounar than death. Took hold unan mo