The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-03-25
upon the evil Thing. Held my

prank upon the evil Thing. Held my
breath.
Elated to find I owned SO wondrously
FERTILE a brain I saw the door open
little by little without a creak. A cur
rent of liberated air brushed by my
cheek. So real 1t was, I smiled. The
door swung wider and wider yet, In the
dark 1 saw 1t. Verify the sight of a
mailman is sharp. The wind blew more
chill n strong. I saw a CLEAN peep
ing beneath a cloak as from a hid
den l%anthorn; I bethought me I would
catch h tiny wanderer from the
floor and hold 1t In my hand. 1t came
crawling and crawling. on and on.
wavering to my feet. So man, times
that night had I manned myself vail
antly to fight a shadow. I only laughed
in silence and contempt at this.
Behold the folly Of a madman's
thought. Yet the creation OF 1t all
gave me exquisite pleasure, as a child
might find delight in some strange toy
from which 1t could call weird shapes
at Will. On 1t moved with q noiseless.
gliding motion; now inside the door.
now coming. coming, coming-nearly
to me. Now 1t let fall a timorous blade
OF light along the floor. 1t reached
Bro~ussard's body. It's foot struck him.
It stopped. threw the light full upon
him. Open fell the concealing mantle,
showing the barren stones. the corpse,
the chastity upturned face Of the
strangled man.
The woman-for 1t was a woman
dropped to her knees beside him. called
him. felt OF his clammy head, and SUI
rered but a single scream OF swift at
fright to leave her lips. From the un-
hooded lanthorn burst out a spreading
yellow glow. Her scream awoke me
to a consciousness OF reality. From
NV 0"n 11n1NN1a1 $N1,~,,1 &-----
came its answer. 1 Joined my voice to
hers. def1ed the hush Of slumbering
centuries and filled that quaking room
with q perfect deluge of reverberating
shrieks. Many Others men, with
cloaks, some having lights. some none
rushed In behind the mi From
that time I knew nothing.
I awakened from a dreamy languor;
a subtle essence of perfume foated
through my senses. A gentle touch of
some kindly hand was bathing my
temples. Fearful lest his sweet illu-
sion vanish with the others, i kept my
eyes firmly closed. and soon abandoned
myself wholly to the subduing inf1u-
ences of natural slumber.
Has he stirred, Florine?"
No, monsieur, but his head is cooler
now-he sleeps. hush! Perhaps an
other day he will be better. How he
raved through the night. Poor, young
gentleman. he quite exhausted him
self"
"Ah. well. Florine. he is young, and
with such nurses as thou and Nam
nette he Will OF a surety
I turned my head and smiled a feeble
recognition OF Jerome and Florine. The
other woman I had never seen: she
was much older than Florine and had
a kind. motherly face.
What day is it?"
The morning Of Sunday"
1t was Wednesday night when Jer>
ONE and I went to the ball.
I looked about me. The LODGINGS
were those I had taken at the Austrian
Arms, yet much changed in little
things. The vase Of flowers there In
the window. the neat-swept hearth.
the cheerful fire. and that indef1nable
something which gives a touch of
to a room. Florine, per-
haps.
"Ughl I am so glad to be here" and
I shuddered at the remembrance OF my
prison and suffering.
Poor dear" said the older woman in
q voice full OF sympathy, don't worry;
you are in comfort now, and will soon
be strong again."
Am ! wounded in any wiser" I in
CURED. for I knew not the manner Of
my coming there.
No. no. my lad" broke in Jerome's
hearty reinsurance. not a bit, Just worn
and starved out Truly, boy, you had
q rough adventure. BY DDS blood,
ID hate to hav9 the likel Has he ta-
ken any food Florine?
Nothing but the Wine. and a sup or
two Of broth. Here Is something for
him now" and she brought me a most
tempting array OF soup, hot viands and
yictuals OF which I feared to eat as I
Though Florine and Jerome would
not permit me to disturb myself with
vain conversation. yet by dint Of guess
tons and listening when they talked
apart. thinking 1 slept. ! found how It
all came about. It seems Florine saw
n recognized me when I returned to
the gaming room. having left Madame
la Prlncesse. She knew too, in some
way which l did not learn, that neither
Broussard nor / had left Bertrand.s
that night. This. though the provost's
men had been searching the city for us
both. She kept her knowledge to her
self. When the turbulence Gained
down somewhat and sentries were i.
placed to guard the house, she occupied
herself in slipping about looking for
my hiding place. 1t toe but q little
while for her, familiar as she was with
the house, to find the room where
Broussard and I had taken refuge.
Listening at the door she heard our
angry voices n the scufne within,
This may have been when I was chok-
ing ! Horrible! horrible!
Continued Next Weekly