The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1906-07-31

my last, but | kept on-runnlng, run
ming, running-till my legs felt like two
brittle sticks likely to snap under the
weight of my weary body. ! tried u
throttle, with my hand, the sharp pam
in my side and wondered, half-coh-
sciously, how long my heart could stahd
the fearful strain.
1t was not my crime that sent me
stumbling, breathelessly, along lha'
stony road at two o'clock in the morn
ing, with a crowd of angry farmers lol-
lowing a quarter mile behind. / was
not guilty, but might as well nave
been.
Thank Heaven. had good start
but of what good is start when man
is almost dead from fatigue? II coulu
find a way out, trick to deceive them
My brain worked madly as | plunsea
ahead, with my lips wide apart ana
painful breath kissing between my set
teeth. AS | rounded curve IN the
road, saw dark shadow ahead, ana
knew it was the little Wayside sta
train. looked up and down the track
for some friendly headlight, but all was
darkness.
Automatically | looked for hiding
place. long, narrow pine box on the
platform caught my eye and | shud-
dered, thinking that tomorrow perhaps
that box might enclose corpse. sud
denly an idea flashed across my mind,
made light by fear.
] touched the handscrews on the
covsr; they turned very easily. |
pulled off the top and looked in. Heav-
ems! 1t already held coffin. Slid the
lid from the black coffin and stood,
shuddering at sight of still, white face,
| drew back hastily. Up the road saw
the lanterns of my pursuers and desper-
alton scattered all computations, all re-
spect FOR the dead
Dazedly, scarcely knowing what did,
| reached down and pulled that cold,
shrOuded form from its coffin. He was
heavy, that dead man, and | was tired
and weak, but a false strength seemed
come to me- With a tremendous effort,
| dragged him across the track and
threw him into the lake.
The lanterns were bobbing up and
down, nearer and nearer; but | smiled
as | moved the box cover half way up
that | might manipulate it from the in
side. | crawled into the coffin, drew up
the cover and lay on my back my clasp
knife in my hand. Some insane in
stinCt caused me to draw the coffin I'D
over me. | even laughed defiriously as
| cut a hole in the side of the coffin and
through the outside box. Then | wait
ed feverishly for the coming of the
furious men.
had not long to wait heard them,
jumping, one by one, onto the platform
One of them cursed; one came to the
box, and he must have held lantern
up, for | heard him read the label:
Henry Donnelly, Jackson City, Iowa"
Here's that Donnelly's corpse, wait
in for the three o'clock" he said and
them tainted.
A dim, indefinable sense of rumbling
noises, like the regular roll of machin-
cry seemed to sing to me. 1t lulled me
gently while a swaying, rising motion
seemed to carry me higher and higher
till | began to wonder if should fall.
Was it the air that made breathing so
hard? What was that dark spreading
gloom that appeared suddenly and
seemed to be racing with me? |
strained every muscle-and then-a
nameless horror awoke every sense.
That black mass was a coffin top, the
whirling wings were wheels, and |
was on board a train, alone in a car
a supposed corpse-Henry Donnelly,
of Jackson City, Ia.-bound for
grave. Oh, God! Why did you not
let me dream?
Again tried to shove the lid away,
but my hands were held down.
sought for the knife had held in my
hand but it was gone, pressed my
mouth to the hole I had cut in the
side and drew in my breath. Why
was it could not get more air? At
last guessed 1t: the satin lining was
keeping the air out. | tried to raise
my hands to the place but the lid held
them down. In determination |
gnowed the lining with my teeth and
then | cried out with all my strength.
No answer My voice seemed almost
inaudibe to myself.
Again | attacked the lining with my
teeth, and | thought little more air
came in. but it was such a little.
was growing weak and faint again.
The thought that if it overwhelmed
me, | might not awake, till it was too
late-til earth covered me six feet
deep-made me fight against that
faintness with all my might. | set
my teeth and clenched my fist, fight
ing off the fatal fight of sense |