Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-06-07
Prisoners and CdpfiYes
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By III. s. MERRiMAN

but presently turned away with con-
vulsive movement of lips and throat, as il
he were swallowing with an effort. Then
be raised his voice and, addressing his
companions generally. he said, with the
assurance of a man placed in position
TO exact obedience:
will you all go on? Keep the same
direction, north-by-west according to the
compass. l shall catch you mp before
evening"
He stood quite still, ike a man hewn
out of stone-upright, emotionless an!
quite misunderstanding the fulfill
ment of his commands. All around him
his companions waited. 1t almost seem
ed as if they expected the Almighty to
interfere. Even to those who have tasted
the bitterest cup that life has ever brew
ed, this seemed too cruel to be true-too
horrid And the wind blew all around
them, tearing, raging on.
At last one man had the courage to do
it. 1t was he who had spoken to Paw
loski, the man whom they called doctor.
He went toward one of the sledges and
proceeded to disentangle the traces thrown
carelessly down when q halt had been
called. The men stepped silently forward
and drew the cords across their shoulders.
The women moved away first, stepping
softly on the silent snow, and Ike phan-
toms vanishing in the mist and windy tur-
MOL. The men followed, dragging their
ndseless sledges. The doctor stayed be-
hind for a moment. When the others
were out of earshot he went toward Paw
loski and laid his mittened hand upon his
arm.
''Sergius," he said, with painful hest
tation, ''let me do it am a doctor-it
will be easier"
Pavloski turned and looked at the
| speaker in a stupid, bewildered way, as
| if the language used were unknown to
him. Then he smiled suddenly, in a sick
ening way; it was like a cynical smile
upon the face of the dead.
Co." he said, pointing to windward,
where their companions had disappeared
go with them. Let each one of US do
his duty. 1t will be consolation, what
ever the end may be-
The doctor was bound in honor to obey
this man in all and through all. He
obeyed now, and left Sergius Pavloski
alone with his mad wife and his helpless
babe. AS he moved away he heard the
woman prattling of the sun and the birds
and the flowers.
He turned his face resolutely north
ward and pressed forward into the icy
wind, but a muffled, gurgling shrek broke
down his strong resolution. Without
stopping, he glanced back over his Shout
der with gasp of horror. Sergius Paw
loski was kneeling with his back to the
north; but he was not kneeing on the
snow, for the doctor saw two fur-clad
arms waving convulsively, and between
the soles of Pavloski's great snow boots
he caught sight of two other feet drawn
up in agony.
'Oh, God % exclaimed the man, aloud,
forgive him !"
And with bloodshot eyes and haggard
| lips he stumbled on, not needing where
he set his feet. He Sell, and rose again,
scarce knowing what he did. Despite the
freezing wind, the perspiration ran down
his face, binding him. 1t froze and hung
there in little icicles on his mustache and
beard.
And in the agony of his strong mind
his brain lost all power of concentration.
His lips continued to frame those four
words over and over again until they be-
came bereft of all meaning and lapsed
into a mere rhythmic refrain, keeping
time with the swing of his sturdy legs.
ITO he continued)