Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-07-07
lei. Is q snall rrarerard. a narrow

night
He said no more but turned and went
out as soiemnly as he had entered,
passed up the street, looking neither To
the right nor left, and disappeared over
the hill.
Devil or no devil, III SO. said Dr.
Moulton. There's an air of mystery
about the fellow that attracts me"
At dusk DR.. Moulton, exercising. as
eended the hill on whose summit stood
the village churcn. lie passed through
the handpolished turu-stile and follow
ed a path that wound around to the
right of the quaint little structure I'M
der the steep. projecting caves Be
fore him lay the burial ground some
what neglected. but with here and there
well kept mound guarded by taste
full marble or granite shaft. A child
ish voice. sweet ard plaintive, grooming
a nursery rhyme attracted him.
Following the direction OF the sound
he came upon little girl sitting by the
side of a grave over which nature had
not yet spread dts softening mantle of
green. Her apron was filled with maple
leaves. painted crimson by the frost.
and her little body swayed slowly back
and forth. keeping time TO the rythm Of
the melody, the cadences of which she
carefully punetuated by pressing the
stem of a leaf into the mound. Il will
be good" piped the vaiee.
The little face had mature look,
strongly in contrast with the thyme.
Il am making the grave pretty she
said. looking up quietly as the doctor
came near. "fhe frost has killed the
flowers and so | use the leaves. They
are almost as bright as flowers
"A thoughtful little girl said the
doctor softly.
she was my mamma; | come over
every day. We live In the house over
there" She pointed to brown cottage
in the distance, which Or. Moulin inn
mediately concluded TO be the homo of
his queer visitor of the afternoon.
The child arose and went slowly alor &
narrow path toward the house. At
the border of a olump of naples, just
at the confines of the grounds, she half
turned to look at the stranger. A
Swirling wind came out of the trees.
bearing In its eddy an srmful of parti=
coiorsd leaves. About the little figure
It swept and when II lifted its streak
of color from the earth n moment later
and shot upward to break into hum
bred tiny whirlwinds, she had disap-
peared.
Returning to his oflice Dr. Moalton
selected a book and read and dozed
through the tagging hours until 1t was
time for him to prepare for his first pro
fessional visit in the town. AT the
street door he paused. The moon in its
first quarter hung, barbarie Jewel In
the ear of Night dog howled mourn
fully and a rate scurried across the
side walk and sat down on its launches
In a half lighted alleyway. When he
passed the grave beside which the child
| had knelt he fancied the leaves which
she had planted there held the outlines
of human head. A dim light shone
In the cottage window he hurried to-
ward It. His knock brought the atten-
uated man OF the afternoon to the door.
Once within, his host proved a de-
/ lightful conyersationalist,, despite hia
/ greWsome appearance.
Il am physician also" he said later.
Medicine Is my slave. have conquer
ed the power of its greatest drug" His
] eyes flashed like those OF wild ami
nal. From a small leatnern case which
he took from a stand near by he ex-
| tracted two small white waters and
| handing them over 10 the doctor, press
4 ed him to swallow them, at the same
| time throwing half dozen into his
own mouth by way OF assurance.
What is this?" continued the dark
man dreamily. ut Is the o Flu YGng
of the Orient. the opium of the west.
Do not start. &c cannot harm you. In
my hands 1t is as innocent as water. |
alone of all men have discovered its
secret power, and may control 1t as |
choose" The young doctor leaned for
awrd and listened eagerly.
What Is the dual power enrolled in
each tiny pill-enfolded in each tiny
power?' he continued 80 l asked
myself for many long years. And at
last | am able to answer the question. "
He rose and going to a small cupboard
in the farther corner OF the room, Sc
lected a brown porcelain jar Return
ing he uncovered it., disclosing 1t par
TALLY filled with fine white substance.
See" he exclaimed, how ! have
conquered this sentiment imp incarnate
this opium" He took a small spoon
from the stand at his side and ate from
the lar as a child might eat from a
DONl VI ITO albSh'ott<4 pcuy
swayed from side TO side and the eyes
of DR.. Moulton followed it as the eyes
OF a frightened child will follow the
motions of a snake.
Suddenly a querulous treble rose ON
the air and the mature face of the girl
he had seen at the grave peered over
the shoulder of the swaying figure, with
its cleaning eyes.
81 will be good she chanted.
The voices faded away and strange
sounds as of the wings of thousand
doves in flight struck on his ear.
III.
In the cold gray Of morning DIR. Monl-
ton staggered along the path through
the burying round going toward the
town. In the dim light he saw the flg-
ure OF his late host stretched beside
the grave where the child had brousnS
her treasure. A stiff breeze was elow-
ing and the gaunt fingers Of the mal,
plucked up one by one the crimson
leaves the child had planted and sent
them whistling down the wind. Doctor
Moulton sprang past him and almost
ran down the deserted street to his Of
fee. Hurriedly climbing the stairs, re
threw himself into the chair before the
window and closed his eyes. When he
opened them a moment later, the sun
was shining brightly; an indolent man
in the door OF the grocery whlstled