The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-03-18
CHAPTER XII.
THE DAWN AND THE DUSK.

LIE DAWN AND ii DUSK.
Gradually, so gradually the change
could hardly be observed, the inner
grating of the window became visible;
the chinks between the edges of the
stones assumed distinctness. A ghost
ly blotch grew into a fact upon the
floor. A leaden hue, less black than the
pulsing sea of ink about it, spread and
spread, lighter and lighter. until 1t in
vaded the dim recesses where I stood.
My hand became once more a tangible
possession. unreal and grim. yet all my
own. The opposite wall loomed up, my
utmost frontier of the domain of GER
tainty. DINNER. darker, more obscure,
the door,. a vast unexplored avern
gathered to itself the hobgoblins of evil
and gave them shelter. AS still as the
creeping on OF day we two men stood,
glaring at each other and watched 1t
come.
Exactly when I began to see him I
could not say. Every impulse and vital
force OF nature conferred in my eyes,
and they fastened themselves upon
that one Irregular shadow in the OPP
such agontzing slowness-assumed the
outlirfes of a man. My fascinated gaze
wandered not nor wearied. When in
the moist light of the morning I clear
ly saw Broussard. haggard, pale and
submerged. watching me thirty feet
away IL seemed mat i 0a0 seen him
all the night.
No detail of his dress or name but
observed. There was a scar across
his forehead. fresh and bleeding a bit.
A confusion rather. He a probably
struck the door-facing as he rushed In.
Yes. 1t bled. A few drops had trickled
down his nose; there hung one, quite
dry, from his brow. Precisely beneath
this there were some dozen or SO upon
the floor. All could nave been COW
cred by my hand. Like myself Brous-
sard had not moved throughout that
awful night. God, how I pitied him.
With such a weight of treason on his
soul. And yet, looking back, the night
vas less awful than the coming day,
far more merciful than the hideous
night which followed 1t. With the sun
Broussard heartened up. and first
broke the silence.
Who are o comrade, and what do
you here?"
I was at a loss for reply. I had no
might serve to get me out.
II am trapped like yourself, and
feared you all the night. God in heaven
what a long night 1t was"
Broussard had no words, his con-
vulsiye shudder expressed more than
mine.
DO you know how to get out of
here?" I asked.
mot I. except by the door, or the
window" looking at that.
III try the door," he continued,
smiling the ~treacherous smile of the
tiger. I remembered so we'll the first
day he showed his teeth aboard ship.
The man well knew I recognized him.
he had heard me speak his name, and
I feared II he found the door open he
would shut me up again, and escape.
TN test the door softly and see what
Is outside" and he moved as IL to put
his thought in action.
Hold on, not yet; methinks I'll try
that door myself" I could see he had
the same idea which had occurred to
me, for he demurred.
NO, my fine sir; why you and
not II"
Because 1 know you. sir. ind fear to
trust YOU"
Verify, you have honorable inten-
tons yourself to suspect me so read
fly" He was bent on engaging me in
Conversation, so he might perhaps
recognize me from my voice. The
mask still hid my features, ard the
entire difference in my mode of dress
made recognition almost impossible.
The puzzled expression Of a half recol-
lection still rested on his face as 1 con-
tinued:
II do not merely suspect you. 7 know
you for a traitor-nay do not clap your
hand upon you sword Until I have
finished. You have now in your pos
session certain t%raitorous dispatches
which were given you by one Carne
Ward in exchange for others which
you brought over with you in a vessel
called lie Dauphin. All. you begin to
pale and shrink. and well you may
You lie!" he shrieked, convincing
me I had made a home thrust.
Softly, softly, a q care. lest you
call the marshals bloodhounds down
upon us. The dispatches with the
purple seals, which you brought with
such care from Biloxi. have been taken