Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-03-11

NAMED chuckling in his chair.
l dare say Jasper will sharpen
them for you, papa, he is very kind,
said Barbara, ashamed of her dissim-
ulation. So 1t came about that the old
half-crazy squire was left in the gath
ering gloom entirely alone and IN
guarded. Nothing could do him more
good than a refreshing sleep, Barbara
argued, and went away to her own
room, where she lit candle, drew
down her blind, and set herself to
needlework.
She had done what she could. The
pantry adjoined the room of her IA
Their. Jane would hear If he knocked
or called. She did not know that
Jane was gone.
Ignatius Jordan sat in his arm
chair, biting at his stick, or beating
in the air with it at the blots which
troubled his vision. These black
spots took various shapes; some
times they were bats, sometimes fall
ing leaves. Then it appeared to him
as If fluid that was black was run
ming and dripped from ledge to ledge
invisible lodges they were-in the
air before him. He put his stick out
to touch the stream, and then it ran
along the stick and flowed on his
hand and he uttered a cry because it
burned him. He held his hand up open
before him, and thought the palm was
black, but with glowing red veins in
terSecting the blackness, and he
touched the lines with the finger Of
his left hand.
The line of Venus he said, Strong
at the source, fiery and broken by
that cross cut-the line Of lifelong.
thin, twisted, tortured, nowhere
smooth, and here-What is this?-
the end
Then he looked at the index finger
on his left hand, the finger that had
traced the lines, and it seemed to be
alight or smouldering with red fire.
He heard a strange sound at the
window a sound shrill and unearthly,
close as in his ear, and yet certainly
not in the room. He held his breath
and looked round. He could see no.
thing through the glass but the grey
evening sky, no face looking in and
crying at the window. What was it?
AS he looked it was repeated. In his
excited condition Of mind he did not
seek for 2 natural explanation. It
was a spirit call urging him On. It
was silent. Then again repeated. Had
he lighted the candle and examined
the glass he would have seen a large
snail crawling UP the pane, creating
the sound by the vibration of the
glass as it drew itself along.
Then Mr.. Jordan rose out of his
chair, and looking cautiously from
side to side and timorously at the
window whence the shrill sound con
tinued, he unlocked a cupboard in
the panelltng and drew from it
powder and shot.
Barbara had taken away his razors.
She feared lest he should do himself
an injury; but though he was weary
Of life, he had no thought of hasten
ing his departure from it. His mind
was set with deadly resolution of
hate on Martin-Martin, that man
who had robbed him, who escaped
from him as often as he was taken.
Everyone was in league in favor of
Martin. No one was to be trusted to
punish him. He must make sure that
the man did not escape this time.
This time he would rely on no one
but himself. He crossed the room
with soft step, opened the door. and
entered the hail. There he stood
looking about him. He could hear a
distant noise Of servants talking in
the kitchen, but no one was near, no
eye observed him. Barbara, true to
her promise was upstairs, believing
him asleep. The hall was dark, but
not so dark that he could not dis
ttnguish what he sought. Some one
passed with a light outside, a maid
going to the wash-house. The light
struck through the transomed win
dow of the hall, painting a black cross
against the wall opposite, a black
cross that travelled quickly and fell
on the old man, creeping along to the
fire place. holding the wall. He re-
membered the Midsummer Day seven
teen years ago when he had stood
there against that wall with arms ex-
tended in the blaze of the setting sun
as a cruciffed figure against the black
shadow of the cross. His life had been
one long crucif1xion ever since, and
his cross a shadow. Then he stood on
a hall chair and took down from it's
crooks an old gun.
Seventeen years ago. he muttered.
My God! it failed me then, may it not
fail me now!'
CHAPTER L.
BY the Fire.
Martin was weary of the woodman's
hut, as he was before weary of the
mine. Watt had hard work to pacify
him. His rheumatism was better.
Neither Jasper nor Walter could de-
eide how far the attack was real and
how far simulated. Probably he really
suffered, and exaggerated his suffer
ings to provoke sympathy.
Whilst the weather was summary
he endured his captivity, for he could
lie in the sun on hot rock and
smoke or whistle, with his hands in
his pockets, and Martin loved TO
lounge and be idle; but when the
weather changed. he became FESTIVE.
Il-humored and dissatisfied. What ag-
gravated his discomfort was visit