Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1901-07-18
ODE Bondrnan 49,.
coahnaes
Story.
BY HALL GAME.
CHAPTER v.-(Continued.)

4 all. OOm6 Oh you nate me. 0OLue
OF you fear me. Ali of you think me
a sort of wild beast among men. That
is why you Gagged me. But l have
broken my bars, and brought this man
along with me-"
The men on the Mount had not time
to breathe under the light and fire
that flashed upon them when Jason
lifted his cIinched fist and said, 20,
you that dwell in peace; you that go
to your beds at night; you that eat
when you are hungry and drink when
you are thirst, and rest when you are
weary; would to God you could know
by bitter proof what this poor man
has suffered. But l know it, and
can tell you what it has been. Where
is your Michael Sunlocks, that l may
tell it to him? Which is he? Point
him out to me-"
Then the people drew a deep breath,
for they saw in an instant what had
befallen these two men in the dread
shaping of their fate.
Where is he?" cried Jason, again.
AND in a voice quivering with emo
ton, the Judge said:
Don't you know the man you have
brought here?"
"No-yes-yes," cried Jason. "My
brother in suffering-my brother in
misery-that's all 1 know or care.
But where is your Michael Sunlocks?
1 have something to say to him. Where
is he?"
Jorgen Jorgensen had recovered
himself by this time, and pressing for
ward, he said with a cruel smile:
you fool; shall I tell you where
he tsp"
Heaven forbid it," said the Bishop,
stepping out and lifting both hands
before the Governors face. But in
that instant Jason had recognized
Jorgen Jorgensen.
81 know this old man." he said.
VIVA is he doing here? All, God
pity me, 1 had forgotten. I saw him
at the mines. Then he is back. And,
now I remember, he is Governor
again"
Saying this, an agony Of bewilder-
ment quivered in his face. He looked
around.
Then where is Michael Sunlocks?"
he cried in a loud voice. Where is
he? Which is he? Who is he? Will
no one tell me? Speak! For the mer-
ciful Christ's sake let some one speak"
There was a moment of silence in
which the vast crowd trembled as
one man with wonder and dismay. The
Bishop and Judge stood motion
less. Jorgen Jorgensen smiled bitter
1y and shook his head, and Jason rails
ed his right hand to cover his face
from the face of the inselsible man
at his feet, as if some dark fore
~shadowing of the truth had swept over
him in an instant.
What happened thereafter Jason
never knew, only that there was a
shrill cry and a rustic like that of a
swirl of wind, only that someone was
coming up behind him through the
walls of human beings, that still stood
apart like riven rocks, only that in a
moment a m had flung herself
over the PROSTATE body of his COM
rade, embracing it, rising it in her
arms, kissing it's pale cheeks, and Sob
bling over it, my husband! my hus-
band!"
1t was Greeba. When the dark mist
had cleared away from before his eyes,
Jason saw her and knew her. At the
same instant he saw and knew his des-
tiny, that his yoke-fellow had been
Michael Sunlocks, that his lifelong IN
envy had been his life sole friend.
1t was a terrible discovery, and ia
son reeled under the shock Of it like
a beast that is smitten to it's death.
And while he stood there. half-blind,
half-deaf, swaying to and fro as if the
earth rocked beneath him, across his
shoulders, over his cheeks and his
mouth and his eyes fell the lash of the
tongue of Jorgen J~orgensen.
Eyes, fool that you are and have
BEEN" he cried in his husky voice."
that's where your Michael Sunlocks
is"
Shame! Shame." cried the people.
But Jorgen Jorgensen showed no
pity or ruth.
You have brought him here to your
confusion" he cried again, land it's
not the first time you've taken this
part to your own loss"
More he would have said in the
merciless cruelty of his heart, only
that a deep growl came up from the
crowd and silenced him.
But Jason heard nothing, seen noth-
ing, felt nothing, knew nothing, save
that Michael Sunlocks lay at his feet,
and that she was coaxing him, caress-
ing him, and kissing him back to
life.
Michael" she whispered, Michael!
My poor Michael" she murmured,
while she moistened his lips and
parched tongue with the brenni-vin
from the horn of some good man
standing ear
Jason saw this and heard this,
though he had eyes and ears for moth
ing besides. And thinking, in the
wild tumult of his distempered brain,
that such tenderness might have been
his, should have been his, must have
been his, but for this man who had
robbed him of this woman, all the
bitterness of his poisoned heart rose
up to choke him.
He remembered his weary life with
this man, his sufferings with him, his
love for him, and he hated himself for
it all. What devil of hell had made
sport Of him, to give him his enemy
for his friend? How Satan himself
must shrek aloud to see it, that he
who had been thrice robbed by this
man-robbed of a father, robbed of a
mother, robbed of a wife-should in
his blindness tend him, and nurse him,
and carry him with sweat of blood
overtrack less wastes that he might
save him alive for her who waited to