Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-01-29
CHAPTER Xv.--(c Continued

look. which was Of singular vitality,
that this man, who had never feared
death. still chung to life. 1t was in
stinct.
~ replied that certainly he might,
and I even said that he would surely
ecover. but-with what g~rievous re-
~pugnance did approach the subject
asked hin IL, experiencing the general
feeling Of cas- and comfort which per-
yaded his being, he would not be even
more comfortable and happy If he
thought OF what he ought TO do for that
child of whom he had spoken and for
whose future he wished 10 provide.
And since thou art feeling better,
my dear Revere, Ii is perhaps the OPP
p%drtunity TO put everything In order in
that life which thou art about TO re-
cover, and which will be a new life.
HE looked fixedly at me with his
beautiful eyes. Ii was a profund re-
gard, and | saw that he OWNED my
thought.
Thou art right he said firmly.
No weakness
Then, gathering all his forces, he
arose, stood upright, refusing sven the
arm which 1 held out TO him, and in
his dressing gown, which hung about
bim. he seemed TO me taller, thinner.
even handsomer. He tool two or three
steps, at first a little unsteady; then,
81 0AH IA up ~ StahF 49, -
his safe. turned the letters and opened
il, after having smiled II said:
- had forgotten the w~ord-four
letters. 1t is, however, a little thing.
Ny head is empty
Then, safe opened, ne took out pa
pcrs-of value, without doubt-papers
which he took pack 70 his lounge,
spread out on "a table near at hand,
and said:
LET us see. This which | am going
70 give thee is for her. A will-yes, l
could make a will, but II would create
talk, il would be asked what l u
done, il would be searched out, dug
cut OF the past, 1t would open a tomb.
/ cannot. What / nave shall be hers.
Thou wilt give Ii to he~r-thou'-
And his large, haggard eyes search
ed through the papers.
All. here he said-'here are some
bonds-Egyptian-of a certain value to
tho holder. at 3 per cent. / hid that.
Where did J put it?'
He picked up the papers, turned
them over and over. became alarmed,
turned pale.
But, | said TO him. is it not
among those papers?'
tile shrugged his shoulders and dis
played with an ironical smile the en-
graved papers.
Some certificates OF decorations
the bricabrac Of a consular life
Then with renewed energy he again
went 10 the safe. opened the till, pulled
1t odt and searched again and again.
overcome with fright, he ex-
claimed, 1T Is not therel'
Why is II not there?'
And he gay me another look-hag-
gard. terrible. His face was fearfully
contracted. He clasped his head with
both hands and stammered as Ii com
Ing out Of a dream.
:" 1t is true, / remember hay hid
den it, Yes, | hid II l do not know
wherein some book. In which one?'
lilo looked around him with wild
eyes, The cerebral anaemia which had
made him fear robbery again seized
him, and poor Revere, my old friend,
plainly showed that he was enduring
the agony OF a man who is drowning
and Who does not know where TO cling
in order TO save himself.
lie was still standing, but as he
turned around he staggered.
lie repeated In a hoarse, frightened
voice. Where, where have / hidden
that? Fool! The safe did not seem
70 me secure enough. Where. where
lit was then, monsieur-~yes, at that
mcment-thnt the concierge entered
and saw as standing face TO face be-
fore those papers of which she has
spoken. must have looked greatly
embarrassed. very pale, showing the
violent emotion which seized me by
the throat. Revere said to her rather
roughly. What are you here for and
sent her ava with a gesture. Nine.
Moniche had had time to see the open
safe and the papers spread out, which
she supposed were valuable. | under
stand how she deceived herself, and
when I think Of 1t | accuse myself.
There was something tragic taking
place between Revere and me. This
Woman could not know what IL was,
but she felt IL.
And what was more terrible, a hum
dred times more terrible. when she had
disappeared. There seemed 10 be a
battle raging In Rovere's brain, as be-
tween his will and hts weakness. stand
ing upright. striving not TO give way,
struggling TO concentrate all his brain
power IN his effort to remember, to find
some trace OF the hidden place where
he had fOolishly put this fortune be-
tween the leaves OF some huge book.
Revere called violently, ardently, to his
aid his last emnant OF strength to
combot against his anaemia which
took away the memoir of what he had
done. He rolled his eyes desperately,
found nothing, remembered nothing.
sit was awful, this combat against
mn which had disappeared, fed
this aspect of q painting beast. a hunted
boar, which seemed to seize this man,
and I shivered when, with a rage l
shall never forget, the dying man
rushed in two steps to the table. bent
over the papers. snatched them up
with his hin hands. crumpled them up.
tore them In two and threw them under
his feet, with an almost maniacal
laugh, saying In strident tones:
All Decorations. Brevets, Bau-
bles: Childish foolishness. What good
are they7 Would they give her a liv~
lng7s
And he kept on laughing. He excit-
ed himself over the papers. which he
stamped under his feet uuti he had
corapietely exhausted himself. He
gasped. i stifie.' and he half fell over
the lounge. upon which / laid him. i
fully believed that he was dying. II
experienced q horrible sensation. which
was agonizing. He revived. however.
But how, after that swoon n tha
CRISIS. could / speak TO him again OF his
daughter. OF that which he wished to
leave her, 10 give in trust for meg He
became preoccupied with childish
things. returning to the eam OF a
xich man. He spoke Of going out the
next day. We would go together In the
Bois. We would dine at the pavilion,
He would like to travel, Aud thus he
rambied on.
II said 10 n,ysejf. WALT. f.ot Ms