Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-03-24
CHAPTER MI.
FLORINE TO THE RESCUE.

a SHTOuQ Oh consuming terror noW
possessed me. 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 out
bounded erect and beat about me with
blind desperation. One hand touched
the other and shrank from it's mate.
They We're as ice.
OH. God, the llorrd silence, How
weghtily it bore upon me, stripping me
of voice, of courage and of hope. How
many. many times l braced nlysa,f
Against the Wall. cold with fear at the
apprehension of an attack by some
demon of the night. How many, many
times | sank again into the same
dumb misery when no enemy appeared
to do me hurt.
So long ii had been since the tones
of human speech blessed my ears, |
come. that might hear his stern com
mand, Hang him to yonder window
ledge. rasping thirst roasted my
throat until my tongue gritted and
ground as a rusted clapper in bell.
touched it with my hand. 1t was as
dry as ISroussards.
Broussand A CULVER in the musty
air set me all a shudder; in every
rustic felt again the last commissions
of the dead. Dull lights gathered when
closed my eyes, and rested upon his
swollen features. their white eyes fol-
lowing me in hate.
Coolly and logically as il it con-
cerned some one else. the reason of it
all crcpt into my morbid brain. | was
mad: mad from hunger thirst and
terror Yes, mad, and felt not one
whit sorry of it, nay. rejoiced rather,
for il meant a freedom of the spirit.
So insidiously this knowledge forced
itself upon me. it brought no shock, |
even dimly wondered that any other
condition ever existed. Verify, men
are happier for II gentle frenzy. Then,
indeed, are all things leveled, all bar
riers removed. Gone We're all my pig
my troubles, vanished into nothingness.
IIngulfed i'm a common ruin lay all
fragments of desire; the search for
reward, the dread of punishment-all
petty Pigments of the imagination were
powerful now no more. The fall of
reason crushed every human hope and
dulled the edge of every human fear.
What cared 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. | reveled in the exaltation
of chainless thought. and drank from
the deepest wells of rebellion delicious
draughts of secret sin, thanking. yea
thanking. this sweet madness which
gave Il glorious independence.
What repugnancc had now for yon
piece of foul and rotting carrion. What
mattercd it but lately breathing man
1t had strangled in my grip. BY the
gods. a knightly feat and most brave
ly done. And | laughed at my former
fear, not loud, but such as laughed the
fiends of hell when Lucifer rose
against his prince. Low / chucltled,
then shivered at my own unnatural
voice.
Dead now TO every sense of physical
loathing l advanced steadfastly
towards whore he lay. Shorn of HUI
man companions my wretchedness
sought 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, l walked In
resolution across the floor. l fancied
again l heard the tread of men I'm the
passage. Pleased at the babble of
the children of my own Imagination,
stood to listen Yes, by the wit of
a fool, I'll indulge the jest, joyous
jibe and a merry.
The low shuttle of cautious feet came
again. The latch clanked ever so soft
~ as If some hand without lifted it
SSii.ls, VII 81 SeHtlS raised III. Ha!
there you are, seeking to brighten me
again, but know you Well. No, no,
you'll scare me no more; I'll play a
merry game With YOU" So I hid my
self in the dark, and thought to play a
prank upon the evil Thing. Held my
breath.
Elated to find owned SO wondrously
fertile brain l saw the door open
little by little without creak A cur
ta6 ali hr1 Nod \,
cheek. So real 1t was. smiled. The
door swung wider and wider yet, in the
dark l saw 1t. Verify the sight of "a
mailman is sharp. The wind blew more
chill and strong. l saw a CLEAN peep
ing beneath Il cloak as from hid
den lanthorn: l bethought me l would
catch the tiny wanderer from the
floor and hold it in my hand. 1t came
crawling and crawling, on and on,
wavering to my feet So many times
that night had 1 manned myself vail
antly TO fight a shadow, only laughed
In silence and contempt at this.
Behold the folly of II madmans
thought. Yet the creation of it all
gave me exquisite pleasure. as u child
might find delight in some strange toy
from which it could call weird shapes
at will. On 1T moved with noiseless,
gliding motion; now inside the door,
now coming. coming. coming-nearly
to me. Now it let fall timorous blade
Of light along the floor. 1t reached
Broussard's body. Its foot struck him.
1t 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 it was woman
dropped to her knees beside him. called
him, felt of his clamnay head and auf.