The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-04-23
CRATER XXIv.

CHAPTER NXIv.
II was the morning after the inqucst.
and iioafke Treaham had awakened 20
consciousness az last.
A most remarkable case. Dr. Meredith
said. lie could only F~ecoliert one other
snei in ali the course Of hjs practice. and
that bad excited great attention al the
time.
1T was an unusual CASE, Dr. Eeee ac
kn1v leigri-his voice was hurried and 4
iit3le nervous. but the old physician al
not detect ithr was afraid Mr.. frpn
ham would he SONS time before he recos
erred from the effect of SUCH a fall.
When AthoI rp-rntered Trc..ham's room
after his conversation with Mr.. Mere
dith. intense WIS his surprise To and
i.ourke half dressed.
What IL this he cried. '.Rourke.
dear fellow. what do you mean by this
by what" asked Trenham, without
turning, an he fumbled awkwardly with
one Of bis Sleeve links. "By getting up
AT noon, do YOU mean when | ought TO
have been up nj sunrise. Is that old eX-
aminc goneF"
"Dr. Meredith
Yes. Want does he want here? WHY
did yon le; him into ms room
Athol answered from lis place uIoa
the rug. locking steadily the while INFO
I,ourke's %unquiet facc-vcry steadily.
"Dr. Meredith has been attending YOU
itr, Meredith and l. even Ihorne was
called in at tirst. for YOU had a terrible
fall, and the consequences might have
been fatal fatal"
Fatal r repeated Rourke. "Iiow do
you meanT-that II might have killed NO.
Or"
u mean interpoSea DR.. We're. tuinin.
his eyes from the young mans face. which
was stirred even IN it's pallor by the old
tempest of emotion, that many men WAC
persist in riding az you ride 10 mcct
their death ia the darkness as you Nigh,
have me, yours"
I'm the darkncss-pooh Ii was light
enough. bid | want more lightf Did |
need more light upon his craven face? !
saw il plainly enough. / heard every
word of his dastardly. cawardly insult.
IL held back at first. but he stood tlere.
defying me. We're, | held back at first"
II have only two minutes to stay.
I~,ourke.' put in Athol, in a tone which
was new to his companion. who had not
seen the change which had grown ia him
during these terrible days. will YOU
90 to bed AT once, or sit down here for
five minutes and chat with me-
Il will at here. 1t is verF-ctnlly.
isn't it, Why should | 20 to bed? Why
should you 60 away"
Il must" returned Athol. pursuing TIE
plan which he had felt would be the wis
est. sit down there. then. for the few
minutes during which | can stay"
lie put ont his arm. and l;ourde ae-
ceptei it's support unconseiously. Even
then his step was feeble and uncertain.
and he was glad to throw himself into
the great easy chair to which Athol had
led him.
Mice state of affairs" be said. a fore
ed smile upon his lips. while his eyes
were filed with a restless bewilderment
Il don't ever remember feeling SO be-
fore. We're. What is il; Does insanity
take this form sometimes, and act upon
the limbs and pulses?"
Probably So" returned Athol. coolly,
Nitu inSdiiita as iuAAS III sOu, d1dI ISi-
low
What did they do with him after
that, Nere:" asked Trenham. raising him
self in his seat and again fixing his eyes
upon his companion with Il sign of that
hot lights in their depths which Athel
could never forget having once seen. Tell
me about it. ! forget il ali, only | saw
your face and his-yours a living face.
and his a dead one. There could be no
mistaking that his was the dead face
| was looking ut Hooking closely nj il
when you woke me to-day-you and the
old man stared ~ me SO hard. lie knows
all about it. of course"
Yes said Athol. steadily meeting the
uneasy gaze. he knows YOU were thrown.
and that Eestris trampled Newley To
death afterward."
"Afterward, What does he mean?''
..He knows YOU have been troubled with
terrible and unnatural dreams. dear fel.
low. as many men are who have been
thrown upon the head but beyond that
he knows-as everyone knows-ehe facts
of the case. That you were thrown-do
you understand. Trenham. do YOU quite
understand. old fellow an that Vestris
galloped on. and trampled Newley to--to
death this was all explained. and prov
ed upon rhe inquest yesterday"
Inquest :" echoed Rourke. in a breath
less whisper. Proved upon the inquest .
How? ?"
Proved by the evidence" Atbol an
swer~d, quietly. Il need not tell you all
about 1t. Ii was like other inquests, of
course. ! have 20 many to attend, l get
tired of them"
We're said Rourke. looking earnestly
and Questioninsly into his friends face,
'conld you be tempted to lie-even for q
friend TO whom you've alw@ss been so
goodg"
The medical evidence-for Meredith
and Thorne were both ON the spot before
you were moved-was quite sufficient"
said .Athol. with a quiet effort at indiffer-
eacc. The facts were. as every one ac-
knowiedged. incontroyertihle."
Then l have been dreaming. q veil
as mad!'
dreaming, certainly. whether mad or
not" replied Athol. readily. because he
knew there was truth in his words. I'VE
medical men understand what dreams
generally attend"