The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-03-25
CHApTER xn.
FLoRINE TO THE RESCUE.

6hrOud OF consuming terror now
possessed me. I crouched in the dark
corner clutching my sword, listening,
vainly listening, for some sound out Of
which to conjure up an assassin. A rat
ran across my foot. Screaming I
bounded erect and beat about me with
blind desperation. One hand touched
the other and shrank from Its mate.
They were as ice.
oh, God, the horrid silence! How
weighttly 1t bore upon me, stripping me
OF voice, OF courage and of hope. How
many. many times I braced myself
against h wall, cold with fear at the
apprehension OF an attack by some
demon of the night. How many, many
times 1 sank again into the same
dumb misery when no enemy appeared
to do me hurt.
So long 1t had been since the tones
OF human speech blessed my ears, I
almost hoped the marshal's men might
come, that I might hear his stern COM
mand. Hang him to yonder window
ledge" "A rasptng thirst roasted my
throat until my tongue gritted and
ground as a rusted clapper in a bell. I
touched 1t with my hand. It was as
dry as Broussard's.
Broussard! A CULVER in THE musty
air set me all a shudder; in every
rustic I felt again the last commissions
Of the dead. Dull lights gathered when
I closed my eyes, and rested upon his
swollen features, their white eyes fol-
lowing me in hate.
Coolly and logically as II it con-
scerned some one else, the reason IF 1t
all crept into my morbid brain. I was
mad; mad from hunger, thirst and
terror. Yes, mad, and felt not one
whit sorry Of 1T; nay, rejoiced rather,
for 1t meant a freedom OF the spirit.
So ~insidiously this knowledge forced
itself upon me, 1t brought no shock, I
even dimly wondered that any other
condition ever existed. Verify, men
are happier for a gentle frenzy. Then,
indeed, are all things leveled, all bar
riers removed. Gone were all my pig
my troubles. vanished into nothingness.
Engulfed in a common ruin lay all
fragments of desire; the search for
reward, the dread OF punishment-aH
petty Pigments Of the imagination were
powerful now no more. The fall Of
Isl crushed every human hope and
dulled the edge of every human fear.
What cared I now for food, for water;
for honor or for shame? My MIND,
imperial and free from artificial re-
straints, plunged riotously into forbid
den realms. I reveled in the exaltation
of chainless thought, and drank from
the deepest wells OF rebellion delicious
0AoA5AASo "a oSSkS Sill Iut1lAlllS, yea
thanking. this sweet madness which
gave a glorious independence.
What repugnance had I now for yon
piece of foul and rotting carrion, What
mattered 1t but lately a breathing man
it had strangled in my grip. BY the
gods, a knightly feat and most brave
ly done! And I laughed at my former
fear, not loud, but such as laughed the
fends Of hell when Lucifer rose
against his prince. Low l chuckled,
then shivered at my own unnatural
voice.
Dead now to every sense of physical
loathing ] advanced steadfastly
towards where he lay. Shorn Of hui
man companions my Indebtedness
sought q lonely comradeship with the
piece Of mortal clay. Turning now and
again to beat back some skinny hand
which snatched my garments, to slap
In the face some evil sprite which
thrust Its sneer upon me, I walked in
resolution across the floor. I fancied
again l heard the tread Of men in the
passage. Pleased at the babble Of
the children Of my own imagination.
I stood to listen. Yes, by the wit Of
a fool, I'll indulge the Jest, a Joyous
jibe and a merry.
The low shuttle Of cautious feet came
again. The latch clanked ever SO soft
ly as II some hand without lifted it
gently. oh SO gently raised 1t. "Ha!
there you are. seeking to brighten me
again. but I know YOU well. No. no,
you'll scare me no more; I'll play a
merry game with YOU" So / hid my
self in h dark. and thought to play q