The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-26

for blue acanthus leaves covered it,
and the stars shone like dewdrops on
them, and in the center the sun was
the golden heart of an azure flower.
1t had required full dose, and no
quarter or half measure, to bring him
there, but he was there now. One thing
only troubled him little, and that not
much, it was only like an echo, not an
authentic voice, and that was the mem
DRY of the words with which he had
so comforted his sister. He could not
remember exactly what they were, but
they, were very solemn. Well that
could not be helped now, but he wished
he could get rid of the feeling they
gave him. He could not abandon him
self absolutely and utterly to the bliss
OF his vision. They came between him
and it like, little. film Of gray.
AS a rule, he slept WELL especially
when, soon after he had eaten a little
dinner which his valet brought him, he
undressed and went to bed, he felt not
exactly staring wide awake, but duly
stupidity awake. It was now about II.
and since the effects of the opium usu-
ally wore off after six or seven hours
leaving him, as the vividness of sensa-
ton began to fade, very sleepy and Ian
guild, he could not account for his in
gan to take more definite FORM He felt
as if somebody, Maud, was in his cabin
looking at him with that bright face of
thankfulness which she had turned Oh
him at the end of their interview on
the deck. This conviction became so
vivid that he spoke to her, calling her
by name. She did not answer, and he
turned on his light to convince himself
that she was not there.
So he pui it out and lay down again.
but no sooner had he closed his eyes
and tried to compose himself to sleep
when the same feeling of her presence
more definite than ever, again visited
him. She was quite close to him, and
words what filed her brain. It was all
again and again, "You are feeling bet.
ter; God is making you better, dear
Thurso. You are coming straight to
him, and no sin or evil or sickness can
exist in his presence And together
with this, the memory of his words to
her, which had so comforted her, came
back with added vividness. He remem-
used the strongest and most solemn
words he could, so that he could 20 at
once to his cabin and-do what he had
DONE
This lying here grew intolerable, he
was getting more acutely awake every
moment, and as he grew more awake
the more he was aware of Maud s pres
ence: Was it perhaps some warning
did 1t mean that she was in danger of
any kind, and that, as st the hour Of
death, her soul sought his so vehement-
ly that it produced the hallucination of
her presence? The next moment he
had jumped out of his berth and put on
a few hasty clothes, in order to 90 to
her cabin and see if she was all right.
Yet at the door he hesitated He
could not face her; he would betray
himself; his eyes and mouth would be-
tray him, and she would see what he
had been doing: But anxiety for her
overmastered him, and he went and
tapped at her door.
She answered at once and he went
in. She was still fully dressed, and
seated on a chair by the bed, her face
radiant in happiness.
"Not in bed yet?' he said.
No, l was too happy to go to bed.''
Then as she looked at him she
paused.
What is the matter. Thurso9 What
have you come to me for?'
He could not meet her eye, but looked
away
cOuldn I. sleep, ne SAID. kept
thinking you were in the room. I came
to see if you were all right
She gave long sigh.
"You have been taking laudanum
again. she said. "Anyhow, you came
to tell me that
He looked back fercely at her.
haven IT, he said. "What do
you mean? II
And then his voice failed him; his
lips suffered over few words more,
but no sound came. She entirely dis
regarded his denial; she did not seem
even to have heard it.
was in your cabin,' she said.
NAll my soul was there. Oh, Thurso,
don It despair
Then something seemed to break
within him. He could not go on telling
lies to her; for the moment, perhaps,
because he was SO tired, he could not