The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-28

as I flew off on another nervous trip around the room Look at youl A per- feet crate of bones-no 'get-up' in your walk-no color in your face-no appetite mo anything but a wisp of shattered nerves. and a pair of bowling hungry ] eyes that do nothing else but stare.'
 Tt wouldn't seem that you did have much to say, upon the point at least. !" 1 I Interrupted. Never mind my physical condition; what do you think of my spi- der?o
 What do think of your spiderl" he repeated contemptuously; why, 1 think it's a little the thinnest piece of twad- dle I ever listened to! And I think fur ther-f'
 Hold on. nowi, I exclaimed. a trife warmed. but smiling: q knew you'd have to sweat awhile over that; but hold on-hold onl I have only told you the minor facts of the strange occurrence; | the most startling and irrefutable portion yet remains. Now, listen. What I have already told you I pledge you my honor is pure truth. I can offer nothing but my word for that But will close now -don't interrupt me- if you please: As I awakened from that dream, I saw that spider jerked from aoove the desk here just as a small boy might whip up fish l line-jerked by his own thread, of course l We'll and l got up at once-came to the 1 desk like this feeling instinctively that l that internal spider had some object in lowering itself among my letters; and found this scrap of paper, which I'll swear I left last night without one blot l or line of ink or pencil on it. l found this scrap of paper with this zigzag line which you can see was never made with human hand-scrawled across it, and the ink was yet wet when l picked 1 1t up. Now what do you say?'
 He took the scrap of paper in his hand half curiously, and then, as though ashamed of having betrayed so great weakness, threw 1t back upon the desk with scarce look.
 What do you say?" repeated, in tone of triumph.
 Well" he replied, it is barely possi- ble you did see a spider in this last in- stance, and I must confess that 1t is a much easier matter for me to imagine a spider dropping by accident into your inkstand and leaving the trail of his sal- vation across your writing-paper than 1t is for me to fancy the fantastic in- sect plucking the strings of your guitar In fact. the first part of your story won't do at all. I don't mean to intimate that your veracity is defective-not at all But do mean that you have overworked yourself of late, and that your brain 1 needs a rest
 But" said I, pushing the scrap of paper toward him again, you don't seem to recognize the fact that that ugly scrawl of ink means something. Look at 1t carefully; it's writing"
 He again took the paper in his hand, but this time without a glance, and ere 1 could prevent him he had torn it in half a dozen pieces and flung 1t on the floor.
 What do you mean?" I cried, resent fully, springing forward.
 Why, 1 mean that you're a babbling idiot" he answered, in tone of half an- ger, half alarm; "and if you won't look after your own condition I'll do it for you, and in spite of you! You must quit this worlx--quit this room-quit every thing, and come with me out in the fresh air for awhile, or you'll die; that's what meant"
 Although he spoke with almost savage vehemence, l recognized, of course, the real promptings of his action, and smiled softly to myself as l gathered up the scattered scraps of paper from the carpet
 1 "Oh, we'll not quarrel, said I. seating myself patiently at the desk, and dipping my finger in the paste-cup-"we'l not quarrel about little thing like this; only if you'll just wait minute I'll show you that 1t does mean something"
 "Therep' said I. good-naturedly. when I had deftly joined the fragments in their proper places on base of legal cap; now you can read it; but don't tear 1t again. please" I think I was very white when I said that, for my companion took the paper in his hand with at least a show of interest, and looked at 1t long and curiously.
 Well, what is it?' he asked laying it back upon the desk before me; T am really very sorry, but I am forced to acknowledge that I fail to find anything exactly tangible in It."
 Look" said I. You see this capital that begins the line; the first letter? It's a T." isn't it?'
 Yes, 1t looks like Tor a e."
 No; it's a Y" said I, land there's no more doubt about it than that this next one is an e.
 we'll
 well. this next letter is an san old fashioned s.. but it's an 'S' all the same. l and you can't make anything else out of | it: I've tried 1t, and it can't be done"
 Well. go on."
 l This Is a e." I continued. s'Go on; call 1t anything you like" NO; but I want you to be thoroughly satisfied
 "oh. do you? Well, it's e then; go on.'
 And this Is an n. | "Go on"
 | And this is an o'; you know that!' "Yes; know it by the hole in it.
 Don't get funny. And this is an T. That's an T.
 l This Is an a. ." Close observer!' 1 And that's an 'r'-and that's all"
 Well you've got 1t all down to suit you; now, what does it spell?'' What does it spell? Why, can't you read?' I exclaimed, fiourishing the scrap triumphantly before his eyes. Tt spells | 'Ye schoiar!-why, could read 1t across the roomI'
 ''Yes, or across the street." he an- | swered caustically. But come now!" he continued, seriously, throw It aside for the present at least, and let's go out In the sunshine for awhile Here, light a cigar, and come along; and he moved toward the door.
 NO" said I, turning to the mysterious scrawl "I shall hound this thing down while the Inspirations on me-"
 'Inspiration ?-Bahi" The door slammed but never turned my head
 I had sat thus in dead silence for ten minutes, when suddenly heard quick, impatient movement at my back, and then the sharp, impetuous words-"In Gods name! quit biting your nails like that! Don't you know it's an indication of madness!"
 I think I need not enter into any expla- nation as to the reason which, from that moment, determined me upon a course that could afford no further conflict of l 1tl. fhaV hot o1r Of,,1r