Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-08-24

every man sooner or later to be roped
in by circumstance. and. although Rich
| ard Maxwell h3d battled with and de-
fred events all his life. be, like others,
was destined at last TO fall victim 30
| that willy foe which knows 80 well how
TO watch and wait.
As soon as the guests had partaken
OF the ample supper which All Sin had
| provided they were shown to their
rooms for the fatigues of the day had
at last forced even the vivacfous ener-
gy Of Erna Thomas to surrender Then
father and son also parted for the
night.
Both were strangely silent. and DeI-
Their noticed that the other was so.
The house had not been planned for
entertainment and particularly had fe-
male guests and their many require
ments been left out of the plans of
construction and furnishing. There
was only one room within it that was
at all adapted to the uses OF a woman
| and 10 that one-it was Lisle's-the
young Lady had been shown The IL
brary couch was roomy and comforta-
| BILE, and upon that Isle threw himself
after the others had retired 1t was a
| much softer bed than he required for a
good nights rest.
Richard Maxwel's bedchamber ad-
Joined the library, and the two were
| connected by door, which was rarely
closed, the portieres suspended from
the frame above II doing ample service
In the matter Of isolating one from the
other.
Lisle selected a book and read or APP
peared to read long after his father
had retired. At last he put Il down, d.
vested himself OF his boots, coat and
waistcoat, loosened bis belt and. hav-
| Ing covered himself with a Navajo
blanket. went speedily to sleep.
During the night he was awakened.
An unusual sound startled him, and he
sat erect, listening. impressed with the
| dea that his father had called He
rose and tiptoed to the door. pulled the
curtains aside and peered into the room.
The moon, now Respondent, sbone in
at the window and athwart his fathers
bed, and Lisle could see him plainly.
did you speak, father" he asked In
low tone so that the sleeper might
not be disturbed IL be were mistaken.
and. receiving no reply. he returned to
sleep again. He remained wide awake.
however. while hour after hour passed
by. thinking upon those perplexing
problems which refused sufficiently to
shape themselves for recognition. The
moon passed over the house and set
| tied In the west. The heavens took on
a transparent hue In the east. Dawn
was near at hand when he was again
startled by a repetition OF the sound
that he had heard before. This time
he was not sleeping. he knew there
could be no mistake. The noise came
from his fathers room. was made by
| his father.
He leaped to his feet and hurried
| past the portieres straight to his IA
theirs side and came upon a sight
which filed him with sudden and IN
namable horror.
Richard Maxwell was lying upon his
back. His eyes were wide open and star
ing. There Vas deathliEe, leaden pal
ior upon his face, which In the imper- |
feet light seemed CHASTITY. he was
breathing, but that was the only sign
/ of life that was evident
Lisle knelt down beside him, chafed
stricken man made no reply except to i
utter that half articulate groan which
| already had alarmed his son. The
| young man procured restoratives, but
they were OF no avail He endeavored
| TO force brandy between his fathers
lips, but Richard Maxwell could not
swallow. He chafed his hands, but
they were cold and deathlike in his
| grasp. Power OF motion seemed to
have been retained only by the optic
muscles, for whichever way Isle turn
ed his fathers eyes followed him with
| agonized entreaty.
Dawn increased and developed into
day while Isle worked over his IA
| ther, but his eXtremities became colder
and colder. 50 that at last, with that
intuition which is born of parental
| love, Lisle knew that his father was
| dying. The eyes that watched him un- |
ceasingly while he worked became
more dim as the minutes glided into
the past, and death lowered nearer and
nearer to Richard Maxwell.
Accustomed all his life to being alone
| with his father, Isle had forgotten
the presence Of strangers in the house,
/ but suddenly he remembered. Hell
l sprang from the room and ran to the
one occupied by Mr.. Thomas, bursting
| precipitously into it and shaking the
sleeping man fercely.
"Win you come. sir, at once? Some
thing has happened TO my fatherp' he
cried. >He is dyingr'
Good Godi What is It? What has
happened? Your father? Dying, did
4 Won saw Shot9 Hrrf1 Uhat 90 che
matterT' exclaimed the suddenly awak- |
/ eAed man
/ 81 do not know. Please come. II
know that he is dying"
THAT will. 1t may not be as bad
as you think. Where is he?" Mr.. |
Thomas had leaped from the bed and
was rapidly drawing on his trousers.
I'm the room of the library. Hasten.
| please! HASTEN
| Il won't be a minute. Cali Erna