The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-05-26
HOW A GOLDEN KEY UNLOCKED
A DOOR,

HOW A GOLDEN KEY UNLOCKED
A DOOR.
Having my dismissal and reprieve I
was remanded to the custody OF that
young Lieutenant Tybee whom you
have met and known as Falconnets
second in the duel. Interpreting his or
ders literally, he suffered me to keep
my W room for the night. I had ex-
pected manacles and a roommate
guard at the least, but my gentlemanly
Taller spared me both. When he had
me safe above stairs. he barred the
door upon me, set a sentry pacing pack
and forth in the corridor without, and
another to keep an eye upon the WIN
dow from below. and 50 left me.
There was no great need for either
sentry, or for bolts and bars. What
with the nights adventures and my
scarce-healed wound, I was far sped on
that road which ends against the blind
wall Of exhaustion, as you may well
suppose. For while a man may borrow
strength Of wine or rage or passion.
these lenders are but p%itiless usurers
and will demand their pound OF flesh;
ave. and have it, too, when all the prin-
cipal is spent.
SO, when Tybee barred the door and
left me with q single candle to my
lighting, l was fain to fall upon the
bed in utter WEAKNESS, thinking that
the respite bought by my sweet lady's
humbllng was more dearly bought thar
ever, and that the truest m-ecy wou!d
have been the rope and tree without
this interval Of waiting.
To me In this grim Doubling Castle
of despair the priest came. He was g
good man and a true, this loW-VolceC
missioner to the savages, and he woulc
be a curster man than I who failed te
give him his due need of praise anc
love. For in this dismal interval OF
waiting, with death so sure neal
that all the air was growing chill anc
lifeless at its presence, he was a read!
help in time of need. If l were her.
etic" to him. l swear l knew 1t not fol
aught he said or did; and though
trusted hat when my time was com
1 should stand forth with some small
simple-hearted show Of courage, We
when he went away l felt l was tn
stronger for his coming. And this
mark you. though l was still unshriven
and he had never named the church,.
rite to me.
When he was gone I fell to wearing
out the time afooL: and. lest o thinl
me harder than l was. 1T may be sal,
thai while I did not make confession t
the kindly priest. l hope tried to max
my peace with God in some such sim
pier fashion as our forbears did. 'Twa
none so great a matter, for one VIII
lives a soldiers life must needs be rip
for plucking hastily.
But In the final casting Of account
there was an Item written down l
red, and one in black, and these woul
not be scored across for all the trava
Of q soul departing. The n in blac
was bitter sorrow for the fate fror
which l might not live to save m
loved one; the one in red was this
that I should die and carry hence til
knowledge tina might else nip the In
dian onfall in the bud.
No sooner was the priest ava Ina
I began to upbraid myself because
had not told him of this British India
thought twas clear hat it had bee
but a poor shifting of the burden
weaker shoulders; and %thankless. to
for Tarleton would be sure to put hi
on the question-rack to max him te
of all that passed between us.
AS I had let him go, he would ha,
naught to tell, and so was safe, whel
otherwise he might be hanged or burie
in the hulks for knowing what l kne,
No, 1t were best he knew it not: b,
/, how was I to rid me of this burden?.
of this and Of that other laid Upon n
for my love?
! The question asked itself many
\ time, and was as often answerless, b
l. fore there came a stir without al
voices In the corridor. 1t was II
changing of the guard, I guessed. al
{ SC 1t proved. since presently I heard Il
clanking of the officers sword, a,
4, double footballs minishing Into silent
The sentry newly come paced ba,
and forth to a low-hummed quickest
of his own. bestirring himself as o,
Ia who. reused but now from sleep, wou
wake himself and be alert. He ma
e more noise than did the other, and tn
Il. is why I marked 1t when the footfa
q ceased abruptly. a moment afterwa
the bar was lifted cautiously from
socket, the latch clicked gently and I
Z door swung open, / looked. and m,