Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1905-02-03
gloom and silence settled upon ttn

lIOWu tIty TAU Will ia thht iuol INV
ment of consciousness. Coating the
entire body and spreading like a film
on the floor, was something undefin-
able; was 1t liquid, or vapor, or flame?
gliding, family glowing, smearing
like oil. shimmcring in the darkness
with iridescent tints.
Early the following morning, Scott,
the janitor, came in. The young pro-
fessor had always been kind to him,
and the old mar went sadly to work,
clearing up the wreckage. Reused by
the sound. Warwick spoke: Help
me up Scott" he. whispered family,
but the old man continued his work
without, apparently. noticing him
Scott" he gasped again. The jan
itor stopped and looked about him
with a face as white as death.
ooh, Scott" Warwick repeated in
an agonized whisper, don't you see
me?" With an awful cry, the old
man leaped through the window and
ran for his life.
One or 1--we students on their way 20
breakfast, some time later, leaned
through the window. "IIe certainly
played the dickens" one remarked.
Il wonder If IL could have been sui
cidc?"
Hope he wouldn't be such n fool"
said the other, land what would he do
1t for? He was the luckiest fellow"
The refectory bell began ringing and
they moved off. Warwick sat up,
closed his eyes and sank back, Chen,
rallying all his forces, struggled to
his feet and leaned against ahe win
dow frame. His pulses were beating
deafeningly and his feet tingled as if
full If needles. He would have fallen
had he not caught hold Of the window
sill.
Evans and Martin, two members of
the football team, looked In.
Somebody started a cock and bull
story about this place being haunted"
Evans said, leaning forward to get a
better view. AS he did SO, he laid his
hand upon Warwick's and reeled back,
his face livid. Martin began pounding
him on the back; two OF three passers,
running up, laid him on the grass and
tore open his collar; others, swelling
the crowd, stood or tiptoe to catch
sight of him, and hazarded the infor-
nation that he was "in a fit from over
training" Presently he sat up. made
some explanations to the inner circle,
and, having been helped to his feet,
went off in a shame-faced way with
the crowd.
Sick in body and mind, Warwick
crawled feebly through the window
and followed them. Hoping for some
opportunity of explanation, he went to
chapel, where DR.. Austin, the presi-
dent, motioning toward the place
where Warwick was sitting, spoke
touchingly of that vacan chair" then
announced the suspension of all col
lcRc work for the remainder of the
week, and the selection Of Friday for
the memorial services.
On the appointed day, the P~resbyte-
rinn church, the largest building in
town, was packed to suffocation. War
wick had taken the %precaution of going
early m sitting on the edge of the
platform where he was sure M one
would jostle against him. At half past
three the faculty marched slowly in,
to the strains of Chopin's funeral
march, and seated themselves on the
platform; after them came the trus-
tees, then the seniors in cap and gown,
followed by the lower classmen, then
the mayor and city council, and, final
ly, a great wave of fcmininity, in d.
aphanous lawns and with hats like a
parterrc OF flowers. The aisles were
filed with chairs until there was no
more standing room, and through the
open windows he could see a crowd
Of people who could not get in. He
scanned the sea of faces in search OF
one lie hoped was there, and, by fol-
lowing the glances Of Amber and a
dozen others, he finally discovered II In
the front row Of the gallery. White al
her dress, and with dark shadows IN
der her blue eyes, Isabel famed her
self and listened absently to the whis-
pered remarks Of her %neighbors.
Suddenly Warwick became conscious
that the preliminary exercises we're
over. and that DR.. Austin was speak
Ing. People we're shedding tears as he
told of the struggles OF the young nan
to get through college, Of his wonder
ful success In his chosen profession,
radium, and OF his conviction that one
might go a step farther and render
Opaque bodies perfectly transparent,
II only one could find the right CON-
binations.