Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-01-23

ticking of the moments OF his life-a
second each time. A few more minutes
and then-he broke out into cold
sweat; an unmanning fear OF this un-
known, cruel thing crept over him, and
for while he sat. huddled in abject
terror: then slowly the soul of the man
steadied itself; he closed his eyes to
pray, and the word that came was
Dorothy With a fierce mental effort
he pulled together his shaken faculties
for her sake. For her he would die like
a man. Perhaps she would know he
had been no coward.
Tck-tack, tick-tack, twenty minutes
past 10. All! it was time TO sit and talk
to "Dorrie." Well, he would do it
would give to her those last twenty
minutes. And so he sat on, his face
drawn and ghastly, but his courage
firm-sat and bade a long good-by to
the girl he loved; thought strong, manly
thoughts to her, that kept fear from his
heart. But while his inmost self talked
. with "Dorrie' his flesh grew gray and
: pinched. the lonely silence broken only
: by the steady ticking of his clock Of
| doom.
Dorothy that night sat reading: then
! later fell TO wondering of Arthur alone
in that great building, and at the
thought of his loneliness all her heart
| went out to him; and perhaps some Of
hgf. har Itr fol ag1a
!, she, too, woke with a start-a start Of
perpleXity and fear; fear for Arthur
, what was it: She passed her hand over
her forehead, bewildered. What was it
: why could she not remember? Then
the ticking Of the clock on the mantel
5 caught her ear-caught it strangely.
t and she listened, breathless, trembling:
, tick-tack. tick-tack-what did it mean ?
5 Then slowly and softly solemn voice
, fell on her inner ear: "Good-by. Dorrie;
s good-by, darling"
: ''Ah-' she rose to her full helght-was
t rigid there for an instant, then quietly
Yes. ] know: | understand" She
walked quietly to her fathers room.
= took his keys, and. taking her hat and
: coat. slipped unseen out into the night
b Tick-tack. tick-tack, eight minutes
, more.
:, Eight minutes; eight years; God
A Can | wait? one brave spring now
= would end the torture, and-no, no, for
I Dorrie's sake, for the honor of love. I'll
= live my life out to the last bitter sec
!, ond." Shotwell closed his eyes a few
:, moments, then opening them. saw n
s face in the doorway gazing at him; to
r him it seemed the soul of Dorrie, come
i to say 'good-by."
e He was not afraid. hardly awed II
: was not real; dying mems eyes are
n sometimes strangely clear; he noticed
: the hat the coat; the face drawn with
:. fearful anguish-souls did not look like
a that--it was Dorrie herself. A moment
0 of wild joy was swallowed up in a still
d greater horror-"Dorriew w-here, with
e that thing-Oh. God; this was worst OF
n all-but her quick hands touched him
t. deftly untieing first the handkerchief
It that gagged him. then delicately slip
t ping those fearful strings from hi.
n wrists.
g How long, Arthur she whispered
f He glanced desperately at the clock
n Two minutes; don't stop to unite me
water. quick! There's a bucket; fill Il
o at the tap; it's our only chance"
e She comprehended instantly. oh. how
slow the water ran! She walked swiftly
s to the desk, took the box in her hands
4 and carried it, ticking, to the bucket
, placed it in and held 1t, trembling, al
k the water swallowed it, until there wa;
: little rasping jar in the ticking. Shot
well drew one deep, long breath as h'
o stopped over the girl and waited fol
y what never came One, two. three min
e utes passed; then. with breath of hal
4 fearful relief. he looked down at DOrrie
e She was fast asleep, nestled in his army
s and breathing peacefully.
o He walked her with kiss She stared
e at him in sleepy surprise Why Ar
n thur! Where am |? What is it, dear
k How white you look; and see. the wa
h ter's running all over the floor; yoi
r careless boy-I--oh. Arthur. take La,
s home. Wisconsin.