The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-03-31


HIS BARE HANDS.
had seized upon the most hOrrfyinS
thought Of all, and my whole being
sprang to arms for revenge.
"What has he done: Where is he!
asked Selling the doctors arm.
NV own intenser excitement had
calming effect on him, and he fastened
to assure me that Patrick had really
done nothing worse than catch Il small
garden snake.
but, oh, the way he did it, the doc
tor shuddered. "And his hidcous face!
Horrible, horrible"
With Il profound sense of relief that
the tragedy consisted of nothing more
serious than an assault on my brother
in-law'S nerves, | first became angry
and then amused at the absurdity of it
all.
'TIow did he do it?' l asked, sup
| pressing a smile.
IL can't begin to tell YOU" said the
doctor II can't make you see it as it
was. Oh, what face! What diabo-
lism.'
"Whcn was it,
'Just now When I came home. he
was raking the lawn, and l stopped to
speak with him. He seemed to be in
his usual calm temper until little
green garden snake slid out from UNI
der bush. The effect was electrical
Instantly Patrick WAS Il raging demon. y
My dear boy" said Soothingly. The
was probably Mortified, just as | should
have been. The very thought of 4
snake, however harmless it may be
gives me the shiverS.'
so it does mo- said the doctor. 81
hate Il snake With all my soul. but
tell you honestly | would rather live
with Il nest OF snakes than with thai
demon Patrick"
"What did he do"
"IIc had the rake in his hand an(
could have cut the snake down with ;
stroke. but ii seemed that would no
have satisfied his iiendish desire. III
dropped the rake and fell upon III
fourS, reaching for the creature witt
his bare hands At first he missed il
but instantly he spranG, as Il toa'
might spring, or more, fancy. rs &c
rillA might do it, and caught tn
squirming thing"
"Wcll. that's nothing" ! intcrposed
II used to know boys who brought liv
garden snakes to school in their peck
cts and frightened the girls out of thei
wits with them"
, stop" said the doctor Stcrnly. "II
no schoolgirl to be frightened out q
my wits by Il harmless little snak,
T. Had YOU seen Patrck's face you woul
) not speak so lightly. | tell YOU it WA
4 simply terrible, diabolcal, When h
, had Snatchcd the snake from the grass
? he settled back upon his Launches Ill,
; one of those hideouS heather god
: carved of stone. Despite my command
Z that he throw the thing down and 1t
me stamp upon il, he sQuattcd ther
$ more reptile than man, and held I'll
writhinG creature close and closer
:. his glittcring eyes. while he Missed sue
Y words MS: so you've come back. Hal
II But you'll not find her. Fool. She
where you'll never be. She's in HEAVIER
II Do YOU hcar-in heaven? Crooked, n
k /: What are YOU? Snake, snak
4 snake" These last words grated wit
Il unimaginahlc hatred malice. loathing
T. did he Kill the snakc?" | asked.
If mo- he would not kill ii. He simp
II gloatrd over having ii in his power. II
Id minutes he held the struggling thing
III close to his eyes that it almost touch'
Y. him. He seemed To be glaring into Il
- very soul of that snake, if it had such
To thing. Then suddenly he burst into
ut demoniacal laugh and jumped TO 1
lis feet. The last saw of him he was .
al ing by leaps and bounds down the all
as with the snake still writhinG in
10 hand"
1t was not physical fear that had p1
ed vented the doctor from following L;
MS rick. 1t was a soul horror of him.
M advanced the theory that Ii
he enough the gardener had some Ii,
oil lost "a Ia, VT ,.tn