The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-07-07

Harrell sat alone in the long, high
ceiled library of his city house. About
him were books, heavy furniture, deep
draperies. A narrow window or SO let
out upon the street, but no sound came
through the shrouding and softening
curtains, nor did rustic or whisper
reach the ear through the silken COW
cred doors which made toward the in
terror of the house. This was the sane
tuary of the master. For the last three
months he had been more and more in
the habit of TesOTting to it. Here he
could have silence, silence, and again
silence. OF late he had seemed 10
crave it.
Time was when HarreII looked upon
these rich surroundings with pride of
ownership. They fiattered him. In his
twenty years of business life in this
city, he had reached sUccess-an Amer
lean success. Folk pointed him out in
awe, in a vast American envy. They
felt a certain reverence for this august
residence. tall, severe. seclusive. Har-
rell himself Joined them in this feel
ing. He was proud of his own success
For twenty years, with the fierce JOY
of conflict he had kept the business
pace, more than kept it-had made it,
forced it. Others had lagged and fallen
but not he.
Now he asked himself how it was
Stree these things We're true, he could
feel anything like WEAKNESS or IA
tigue, why it was that more and more
often he came to this sanctuary to find
solitude and silence. Yet, as to that
whose affair was it but his own?
1t was Sunday afternoon. About
Harren's cushioned chair lay COM
ponent parts of two Sunday newspa-
pers. He had been trying to read
them through, in the performance OF
one of his weekly duties. Church? He
had not been inside a church for fifteen
years. He remembered vaguely this
afternoon that his father had been q
deacon; and when he himself was a
child his mother had been wont or
Sunday morning 70 pin about his neck
a broad white collar and send him out
To Sunday school All that was g
thousand years ago. They had beer
poor. As for himself, he had succeed
ed. He had had no mother for very
many years. He had had the city. He
had succeeded-yes, there was no doubt
of that. That proof lay all about him
AS he gazed at the printed page be
fore him. Harrell frovned; his broad
jaw frightened in indignation. He had
read this column head several times
and he had forgotten it. Why should
danger of too much preOccupation
Perhaps he would do better if he took
up the magazines. He did so. He
found himself reading the same page
over and over again. He forgot the
full page picture, and turned back
again. Now he began TO wonder in a
vague way, and as he did so he sat uT
listening.
What was that annoying noise? Was
anyone talking. whispering, disturbing
him against his orders, breaking the
silence which he coveted, which he
needed? He frOwned sternly and
turned again to the page, which be-
gan to blur. His mind was unstable
it's detail not clean cut in line, its per-
Torrance like that Of an Unlicensed
lens. 1t once again came to his ears
that sound. 1t was not whispering; it
was not distant talking. It was moan
ing low, distant moaning, as Of some
creature suffering.
HarrelI sprang upright His face had
horror on il. 1t was his own voice that
ne heard,
God have mercy he murmured to
himself. Il didn't know I was ILL.,
Nonsense, nonsense" He repeated il
over and over again, looking about
him. He stepped TO the tall glass and
eazed at the reflection which he saw.
He seemed full figured. a bit florid. ap-
paTently strong and healthy Perhaps
his gaze was a trifle tired, but then
might not man become tired now and
again? The forehead was still smooth
the eyes clear enough. A faint shade
of Something lay upon his face But
nothing-nO. there was nothing in the
face he saw which could suggest that
back of it was hell.
"Am I going insane?" HarrelI asked
himself, seating himself and undertake
ing to argue the matter impartially.
HAS anything gone wrong without
my knowing ito" He paused. thinking.
Again that sound came to his ear-the
low mOaning-his own VOicel He shud-
dered, the sweat coming out upon his
face.
NONSENSE" he exclaimed again. 1T
is physical. purely. A brisk walk, a
little exercise" His glance fell upon
a pair Of dumbbells in front of the
mirror. He picked them up and began
going through a series of exercises. He
had been an athlete in his day. II was
OF no use. His arms fell at his sides
nerveless. A cold terror seized him. He
sprang to the door, found his hat and
coat in the hall, and FASTENED TO the
street.
The air and sunlight steadied him a
trifie. 1T is all right" he assured
himself. 1T might become serious, but
I'll attend TO il in time. I suppose
must see doctor" He recalled that
of late he had seen his wife look at him
queerly,l and had heard her Sigh. At
least she was not there to bother him
today. 1t was three months since she
had left for Old Point with her friends.
He was proud Of his wife She carried
off things we'll And if one cared to