The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-07-09
THE KNOCK
 AT THE DOOR

dark roofs of the city outlined in som' Der silhouette against the star lit sky A slckly smile lowered over his pale vlsage. and his lips were set as in the suppression of an inward curse. Ills hands lay folded pcnslvely across his thin legs. and he looked out over the shadowy housetops with dull sugges- ton of hatred in hls bloodshot eyes
 Suddenly there came low tapping at the door behind him. He arose with n muttered curse at thus having his thoughts interrupted and approached the door lazily.
 "what do you wantr' he demanded In sharp voice.
 But there was no reply. He opened the door cautiously, and only a cold gust of midnight air entered the dark apartment. He glanced out Into the silent hallway and saw again the same familiar darkness that he had seen when be entered hls room. Confused. startled, he drew his hand thoughtful ly across his brow. then closed the door carefully and locked it. A mo- ment later he seated himself In the chair by the open easement and stared ont through the nocturnal shadows It was quite cold. and few patches of snow wero glc0mlng brightly on many of the hOusetops, but the pessi' mist was unconscious of the cold.
 'Why do myeY" he asked himself And th. echo of his own voice came back to his cars from beyond the hall way.
 '.There Is m object in every life" !" the voice said to him. "We all have mission to fulfill"
 "Yes." he answered the voice, with something of a sepulchral tone in hls own. "and the object of mine Is to ascertain the limit of mans endurance the capaclty of human beings for pain. Some day will reach the limit Some dny my capacity will be exceeded"
 While he was speaking there came to hls ears the sound of human voice In the alley below his window 10 seemed like a low groan. ending in a sharp. mournful cry, as Of an infant ln- stanty his gloomy mcdlmtlons were disDelled. and he leaned forward through the window 10 the hope of ] again hearing the strange sound , Agnln the long groan was borne Co him from out Of the darkness, but when he looked down in the direction from which it came he could sec only deep wall of darkness and midnight shadows. Suddenly:
 God. please help me!'
 IL was the voice of Q child lying at the base of the building among the half dozen ash barrels In the 0lleyway. He arose and went down upon the street A moment later hc passed down the alley along the row Of ash barrels Lying beside one of these he discover cd the cuddllng body of a child. baby boy, scarcely more than six years of age. It was half frozen, and, judging from the plnched face. it had not tasted food for many hours or days. lt was clad only in a dirty cloth of tat tcrs. and the childish lips were parted ln a repeated cry, God, please help mcw He lifted the child boy in his long. bony arms and bore it Into the house and up the long flight of stairs to his chamber. There he undrcSsed it and revived it. He procured food and sustenancc and placed it tcnderly In his own soft bed Then he took from hls pocket a roll of grcenbacks and , placed it carefully in the ragged pocket of the child's clothes Why he did SO be was not able to say, but-lt was m Impulse which De could not resist He sald to hlmself
 ''Thls Is another of earths poor crca. lures who has been depending on the Lord Christ"
 And be resumed his seat by the win dow.
 Thrice as he sat there he heard the mysterious knock at tho door; thrice he arose and looked out Into the hall. way and thrice returned ngain Co his seat, bewIldered and mystlled; thrice had the midnight air entered in a cold gust through the chamber door, and thrice be had answered the low tap ping to discover only the midnight darkness. But at Inst his head fell for. ward on bis breast. and he slept soft. ly; then, when his breathing had be- come heavier and harder, the door, which he had securely locked. opened slowly, and the white vlsage of grin. hing skull looked In upon him. A mo- ment later the gleaming, phosphores- cent skeleton entered the dark cham. Der and moved nlmbly to his side. It placed its bony hand over the sleep Ing mans lips and held it there until the heavy breathing became inaudible, When tho Inst short breath had escap. cd the slumberers lips, t sprang back ward with a silent bound and passed out through the open door.
 The cold hand of death had complct. ed lts work.
 In the morning the child awoke and found the dead body of It's benefactor sitting rlgldly In the leather chair by the open window. In It's ragged pock' cts the child discovered the money which the dead man had placed there as lt lay asleep In the big soft bed. and when the crowd surgcd Into the deathroom the child told them In It's own way how the dead man had savec lts young life. Then the arab of tht street passed out Of the building Into th, srroot rf,iof,,r, r,,,frono1fg and lost