The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1908-11-18


%N ments in the hurtling
snowstorm, abstractedly
gazing toward Longacre
~ square. The chill in his
marrow was not from
the blizzard that swept down upon
him. The gaunt gray look In his face
was not that Of hunger or want. There
was fever in his brain and chill in his
heart. He had forgotten James trivial
tragedy. His one overwhelming thought
was Of James Bansemer.
The heavy ulster was unbuttoned. and
the snowflakes pelted in against his
neglected shirt front. A doorman call
ed his attention to the oversight. He
came to himself, drew the coat close
about his long frame and hurried of
down Fifth avenue. The storm was SO
vicious that he boarded crosstown
car at Forty-second street A man ell
bowed him in the narrow vestibule. He
looked up and gasped aloud in sudden
terror An instant later he laughed at
his fears The man was not James
Bansemer. A cold perspiration started
out over his body, however. Through
his brain there went racing the ever
revolving cry:
Hell come straight to me-straight
to me.'
The hour was not late. but the biz
card had driven the crowds from the
streets. Eighth avenue sidewalks were
deserted except for the people who
were obliged to brave the storm. AS
broom hurried south to his lodgings he
became possessed Of racking belief
that some one was following close upon
his heels-some one who was rushing
up to deal him a murderous blow in the
back. The old man actually broke into
a frantic run in covering the last half
block.
1t was not until he was In his rooms.
with the door bolted, that he could rid
himself of the dread. The fire had
gone out. and the light was low. His
teeth chartered and his hand shook as
he raised the wick in the lamp. The
palsy of inexplicable fear was upon
him. Kneeling before the stove. he be.
gan to rebuild the fire. His back was
toward the door, and he turned an
anxious face in that direction from
time to time. Footsteps on the stair
way sent chill through his gaunt
frame. They passed on up the next
flight, but he waited breathlessly until
he heard the door of the apartment
above slam noisily.
For half an hour he sat huddled In
front Of the stove without removing
his hat and ulster.
"Curse the luckw he was saying over
and over again to himself. sometimes
aloud. why should he have a par.
don? What are the laws for? Curse
that meddling old fool Clegg! They'll
set him free. and he'll hunt me out;
know he will. He won't forgive me
for that days work. He may be free
now. 1t may have been he who fol.
lowed me- But, no! That's a silly
thing to think. 1t takes weeks and
months to get pardon. Maybe-may-
be they won't get 1t. after ALL"
He tried to throw of his desperate
feeling Of apprehension. chattering all
sorts of comforting reasons and ex.
cuses to himself as he scurried about
the rooms with aimless haste. Try as
he would, however, when the time
came he could not read-not even of his
courage inspiring Napoleon. The howl
Of the wind annoyed and aInalled him.
He caught himself listeI rnS ntently
for sounds above and not ., ~ storm.
A nervous. intermittent laugh broke
from his lips as he went on cursing
himself for fool to bs so disturbed
by Graydon's report
"What have l to fear from him?
Why should l let that look of his un.
nerve me so? Why can't forget It? 1t
it didn't mean anything I'm a fool
to think Of 1t. Nearly two years ago.
that was. Why. he may be- new
thought chased the old one out before
1t was formed. His eyes caught sight
OF one of his completed models stand
ing in the corner 1t was the model
for the guillotine.
For LONG time he sat staring at
the thing, hundred impressions form
ing and reforming In his brain.
II wonder II I'll really die before he
is liberated" he was saying dumbly to
himself, 81 wonder II ! will. There's
no sign Of 1t now. I'm strong and
well enough to live for years. Sup
pose he is freed inside of month or
two, What then? BY heaven. I'd be
losing the dearest hope of my whole
life. My last sight of him-that beau.
tiful vision behind the bars-would
be spoiled, undone, wiped out. He'd
be as free as l. ! won't die inside OF
a month, I'm sure. He'd come here
and laugh at me, and he'd kill me in
the end. God! know he would. He'd
have the Joy of seeing my pain and
terror and defeat-he'd sec me last.
I'd be bloody and crushed and
He checked himself In the midst &C
these dire forebodings to rise suddenly
and cross to the CHASTITY looking frame
with the cords, the hinges and the
great broadax that lay harmlessly In
the grooves at the top. For many