Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-27


weeks: and on forcing an fptrance into the
house, it was evident THAI she had taken
a hasty flight, leaving everything In con-
fusion behind her. another coincidence.
vd but ALL. all that could say Nas' go on with
'I wished that I might be rich. Before
night received from New York parties an
offer of 100000 for some mining stock that
I had inherited from my father, and had
held simply because I-eouldn't get rid OF It.
Didn't suppose it was worth dollar, or
ever would be. OF eoTse did not rise a.
cool million from 1t. Next day a cablegram
from London announced the death OF a
great-uncle whom I had never seen, and
who might have been dad a score Of
Ing me sole heir to hiS property, amounting
to more than dare tell you, or than you
would easily believe"
Jimmy! This is getting interesting! Any
more Marin Lies around with their uncan-
ny but lucrative predictions? Give them
steer in my direction If there are. I'd like
to get rise of that sort out Of them"
would you take it at the price?" he
asked. in the strangely dead, duh voice
which had characterized his recital. well,
these instances simply illustrate the his
tory. / wished for success in the law; and
I won every case 1 tried, even against the
most overwhelming odds of law and evil
dence and opposing talent 1 became IA
nous throughout that whole region. More
business was thrust upon me than could
possible handle. l took partner, then an
other: still the same unvarying story. AT
last, in WEAKNESS and disgust at success
which was not the fruit Of my own lawful
striving. but simply the gift of dead
black woman whose very memory L loath-
ed, / threw up my practice, turned every
thing over to my partners, and cleared out.
Since then have been tramp, OF a little
higher order than the ordinary hobo. per-
haps but like him, following ever upon the
heels of a vagrant fancy
"And does this Aladdin-like power of get
ting what you wish for continued"
Yes, 1 suppose am afraid so. 1t is
long time since I have tried 1t, though.
Each new wish Wrenched me more than
the last had done. and l was conscious each
time more sensibly Of giving up something
of life in it. So have cultivated the habit
of not wishing for anything at all, and
have attained in some measure to that
state of stolid animal content. of which my
friend the OK, is a conspicuous example
That is the reason for my abrupt answer
the other night. Much as 1 might desire
that snowdrift. 1 couldn't afford to wish for
it; and my harShness was not toward your
query, but toward my own stirring but as
yet unspoken thought. But l know, 1 feel
that have but to wish for that Snowdrft
to see it lying just there in the moonlight
before us.
"Jim-there was no lack of passion in
his voice now: he had risen from his ham,
mock. and was standing before me, his face
working in the agony of a deadly earnest
ness-"Jim, 1 have told you tonight what
no one else on earth knows. You don't
believe my story; how can you? You think
1 am crazy; perhaps 1 am. But as God
lives l have told you the truth I see
it and know it. These things are real to
me- Are they real, jim? Are they real?
want to find out; l must-I will prove
this thing.
II have been thinking it over since the
other night Perhaps we were brought to-
thnr for 10 on
physician. and have given your life to the
study of mental and nervous diseases and
disorders. If this is simply a matter of
nerve or brain you ought to be able to de-
tect it.
"Jim, I'm going to wish for that snow
drift There can be no deception, can
there? See how clear the sky is. And
how hot it is. 1t never SHOWS in this re-
gion; those men yonder don't know what
snow is. Come. Jim, let's put this to the
proof for good and all. Lay your head
here against my breast and listen while 1
utter the wish. and tell me whether you
can hear anything like what 1 have told
you Of"
Now. I hadn't believed word of this
weird story, of course. 1t had greatly per-
picked me. Roberts had spoken sanely and
nationally. His whole course throughout
our journey had proved himaa man of poise,
holding himself we'll in hand, cool and de-
Hberate in every emergency the very last
man to suggest the need Of the attention
believed the story he told, there was
tone of conviction that settled all doubt on
that point. A lie has a tone of its own;
so has truth But while l believed that
Roberts believed this strange story, of
course I did not believe it for moment.
1t was absurd, impossible. from beginning
to end. But singularly enough, when the
opportunity was thus given me to prove
that it was all an hallucination, and. to de-
liver my friend from the bondage OF his
fear. 1 was loath to attempt it I shrank
from the proposed test with a curious, I'M
reasoning dread. Not even my professional
interest in the case was sufficient to over
come my instructive horror at that I'M
canny experiment out there on the Ara
bian desert
To my suggestions of delay Roberts an
swered impetuously:
mo, let's have it over now. The moon
light is bright enough for our purpose; the
camp is more quiet than it would be in day.
light; the conditions could not be more IA
vorable.'
Since I could not refuse without betraying
my fear, and therefore a belief in the posi-
Bile existence of the CONFER" was obliged
to consent. although reluctantly.
Standing erect, Roberts said slowly and
distinctly:
Il wish that 1 could see a snowdrift over
yonder beyond the horses"
AS he ceased, with my ear pressed close
against his barred BOSOM 1 distinctly heard
somewhere inside of him "whirr," as of
clock running down, and a Click
though some kind of a registering machine
were at work. But, physician though l
am, 1 could not for the life of me have
told in what part of the body the sound
was, nor what could possibly have pro-
duced it. But 1 had no time to think of
that, then, for, with a low moan of agony
Roberts slipped away from me and fell to
the ground, apparently lifeess. Only for
a moment, however. Recovering himself
before l had time to apply restoratives, he
sat up ard, looking toward the horses, said
simply:
Look"
There on the moonlit sands CLEANED
something long and white Quickly l
walked over to it; thrust my hand into it;
sifted it through my fingersAt was snow.
In that depressed valley of the Arabian
peninsula, where frost is an unknown
thing, lay a snowdrift a foot or more in
depth, and dozen feet In length
well, Jim," said Roberts, as I returned
slowly to the tents, what was it,"
Snow"
Then you believe"
"Oh, man, don't ask me what believe
now! Give me time to think! My brain is
in whirl! It's too horrible-I mean-its
mpossible-Fred, 1 don't know what l
mean. 1 must sleep on this. Let us go to
bed now, and talk this thing over in the
morning"
VERY well. old man." and there was a
lingering, wistful cadence in his voice that
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