The daily tribune., 1909-05-05
By H. Fo,--..,,.

Copyright, BY Daily ssory i'so. So.t
Il hate to do it." said Aylor. chain.
Ing the trap to the tree, My better
nature rebels asains; such an act"
He put the trap III the center of the
narrow garden path. 1t was huge
thing. that clicked together like hands
locked with the fingers
Over the hedge a rim of moon
shone. 1t was slipping quickly and
pallidly down, as though aghast In
the last faint light the trap yawned
wide-expectantly-Ayloff thought 1t
seemed foolish mouth split in
laugh.
Ayloff was going to start on long
trip that night. His wife. who was so
pretty and 80 distractingly silly, would
weep and entreat him to hurry back.
1t was nice to have some one care for
him that way. Everything was nice,
Even the trap would be kind Silent
1t lay-waiting He walked toward the
house. In an hour he would be gone.
The garden that now lay In a mist of
silver would be but a memory. The
last sigh of the little moist breeze; the
sudden twitter of bird, disturbed at
his step; the voice of Faustine, calling
from the door; that was what be
would carry away with him.
After he was gone; after the darR
ness had come over the land, so even
the blackest shadows were blotted
out; after Faustlne had locked the
doors and said goodnight to the serv.
ant and Marta had gone toiling up the
dark stairs with a candle-then that
other man would come, whom he did
not know How did he know there
was another man2 How did he know
he lived; how did he know his heart
was burnt from his breast, his soul
dead. his brain in vhirl' Pishl
What else caused the little. scared
look in Fanstine's eyes and the sud
den paling and flushing when her
glance met his? Her songs, that were
low and tremulous, began with
laugh, and ended almost as soon as
they began, with a sob. She started
at the eound of his voice. and laughed
when she should have Wept, and wept
when she should have laughed. Oh.
He had guessed her childish love for
himself long before she discovered it;
but love Is n vagrant thing. He knew
he knew. Pshaw! Why should he
deceive himself? Last night, as many
nights before, she had come from the
garden, her hair asparkle with dew.
her cheeks glowing. and her eyes
God what a light in her eyesl
She said she had been talltng to
the stars to make her soul lovely.
He knew she lied. Her lips were
red and warm, as though othera had
crushed them. He knew.
Ayloff was going away Later that
unknown some one would come
stealthily down the path. eyes bIrailg
for a pretty, shamed face. Quietly
some one would slip through the shad-
ows, pausing and tip-toeing and paus-
ing, staring at the lore lighted window
Breathlessly. step by step, that dark
form would move. Another twist In
the path, few yards-and the stairs
Under the black of the trees. that
thing would hesitate, then leap for.
ward.
A click!- A scream-a moan-and
silence.
Aylon licked his lips.
Early the next day, some one would
be found and set free-a cripple.
About three o'clock In the morn
ing, Ayloff, suitcase in hand, came
IL, hnI
come lack to look for something. A
strange desire to return had filled him.
He wanted to see the horror in her
eyes, the agony in his, whom Ayloff
did not know. In the thick gray OF
the balfnight, he stumbled awkward
ly on. He whistled merry tune as
he hurried down the path. Jolly fine
morning At the next turn he would
find something huddled across the
path. He lifted his face to the fra.
grant mist. To the east, faint white
streak was showing. He felt Sc good
he wanted to shout. Impatiently
throwing aside his luggage, he sprang
forward.
A click! A scream-a moan-and 81.
lence.
In the house, Faustlne slumbered
peacefully. Ayloff's picture was under
her pillow, and she dreamed OF a lit
tie child, whose soul would be as love
ly as the stars.
Later, the gardener found Aylof
caught In the trap-his ankle crushed
by the iron teeth