The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-28

detect it.
Jim. I'm going to wish for that snow
drift. There can be no deception can
there? See how clear he skv l.. And
how hot II ". II never SHOWS in this region;
those men yondcr don't know wha, snow Is
Come, jim. let's put this to the proof
for good and all Law ycrr head here
against my breast and listen while I utter
the wish, and tell mo whether YOU can hear
anything like what | have told YOU of"
Now. / hadn't believed n word Of this
weird story. Of course. II had greatly
perplexed me
Roberts had spoken sanely and nationally
HIS whole course throughout our tourney
had proved him man of poise, holding
himself well in hand, cool and deliberate
IN every emergency; the very last man o
suggest the need Of the attention or treat
ment OF an alenist.
He evidently believed the story he told:
there was a tone of conviction that settled
all doubt on that point. A lie has a tone
OF its own: so has truth But while be-
lieved that Rop>rG believed this strange
story. OF course l .ild not believe IL for a
moment But, sinRularlv enough, when
the opportunity was thus given me TO prove
that II was all an allucjna' ion. and to de-
liver my friend from the bondage OF his
fear. i was loath to at'ompt It.
To my suggestions 4 delay Roberts an
sweed mpetuoualy:
NO, lets have II over now. The moon
hsiN - iiHhI enough LOT our lu'Ibfts VIZ
camp is more quiet than il would be in day.
night. the Conditions could not he more
favorable
Since could not refuse without betraving
my fear. and therefore belief in the possible
existence Of the -conier," ] was obliged to
consent. although reluctantlv.
standing erect. Roberts said slowly and
dist inctly
, i wish that could see n snowdrift over
yonder beyond the horses
As he Ceased, with my ear pressed close
against his barred bosom. | distinctly heard
somewhere inside of him whirr, a. OF a
clock running down, and click az though
some kind Of a registering mac hne We're a,
| work. But physician though am. could
not for the life of me have told in what part
| of the BODY the sound was. nor what could
possibly have produced II.
But had no time TO think OF that, then.
| for. with a low moan Of agony, Roberts
slipped away from me and fell 10 the ground.
apparently lifeless. Only for moment.
however. Recovering himself before had
time TO apply restoratives, he snt up and,
looking toward the horses, said simply
There on the moonlit sands CLEANED
sonnet hing long and white, Quickly !
walked ovc- to il; thrust my hand into it.
sifted it through my fingers. u was snow.
In that depressed valley OF the Arabian
peninsula whore frost Is an unknown thing,
~ %
and q dozen feet in length.
swell, jim said Roberts as ! returned
slowly to the tents, what was it''
SNOW
'Then YOU believe--'
ooh, man don't ask me- what ! believe
now' Give me time TO think. NV brain
is in n whirl, Us too horrible--I mean
It's impossihle-Fred. I don't know what
! mean ] must sleep on this. Let
va 20 TO bel now and talk this thing over
in the morning
sVery well. old man" and there was
lingering. wis,fu cadence in his voice that
I shall always remember: very well. tio
| 70 bed now: I've kept YOU too long already
Thank Won for your patience with my prosv
story: and thank YOU. too, Tor helping me
in NV experiment tonight.
Il know now that il is no dream OF mine
that il is real Marin Lies CONFER has
got me sure enough. for time and Tor
eternity.
II am having nv wish now; for that
ought To he grateful TO her. ! suppose
But she will have her wish when die. and
I know right well that that wish will be to
have me with her forever and ever.
sShe and I are inseparahly linked to-
gether. Parted here by my impatience,
we are fellow travellers in the long road
that stretches on beyond the gates OF death.
sCan't saw that relish the prospect
-ruch. nc continued with a pitiful smile
shut II IL 81 no use to complain. II Is writ.
ten in the books Of the gods, and 40 II will
he. Kis,net! But go to bed, jim: 90 to
bed Good night and-Gol bless you.'
To bed bu. not TO sleep Hour after
hour I law with wide-open ewes, staring
this horrible mystery in the face. All nv
intelljrent being rose no against it to de-
clare II absurd impossible. untrue
II was easy TO prove u 81 by SCRIPTURE
rational sosophies" and "oloRies" that man
has ever known. There was absolutely no
cronnd for il; II simply could not be.
But in that deeper soul OF mine. which
does not think. but feels I knew that 1t
was 90 Protest as ! might against poor
I wasaonscio,,s that IL was the truth that
his soul was somehow entan0led in the
mnshes OF that of the poor dead negro
woman, and that together they would spend
tho coming cndlessness
Conscious % this? How? I could not
tell; I simply knew it with a knowledge that
I Recognized as infallhle. In that knowl-
edro there was no reckoning OF the results
Of the experiment just made: IL was sheer
intuition: the knowing that is Independent
OF the proces 'es OF knowing; that Is. in the
human fash OF what Is in the Deity ON
niscience.
How could meet my friend in the MORN
ing? What could | say to HIM How
could we 20 on in the old way with this
horror lying between us?
Az D
unn,,iet sleep, for I heard nothing OF the
noise Of the awakening camp, and it was
already broad daylight when Yusuf came
to call me TO breakfast.
A. drew back the tent curtains note
pinned to the canvas nuttered to the ground
II was from Roberts; somehow seemed to
have expected il, although did not realize
II until saw IL. II was very brief, simply
the repetition Of his parting words Of the
night before.
.Good- by, and God bless you!"
No one had seen him go; even the watch
man was, or pretended to be, In utter ig-
norance when questioned on the subject
Quietly he had saddled his horse and stolen
awav alone; but whether north. south. east
or west, the sands Of the travelled caravan
route gave no token and made no sign
never saw him again, never expected
to. With the same uareaSon!ng certainty
knew that our ways parted definitely at
the Aincl-Iibheva.
Months after had returned home there
came to me one day a Calcutta paper,
bearing an indis, ing'shahle postmark
and addressed In an entirely unfamiliar
handwriting. looking 1t carefully through.
I came upon n single paragraph surrounded
by family traced lines, telling Of the sudden
| and mvst eTio,is Disappearance OF an Eng
| fish or American gentleman from one 81 the
| up-country stations Of the East Indian