The daily tribune., 1909-04-07
The-Trap
BY H, FORREST.
lCopyright, by Daily slory Pub. COB


Il hate to do it," said Ayloff, chain
ing the trap to the tree. "My better
nature rebels against such an act''
He put the trap in the center of the
narrow garden path. II was huge
thing that clicked together like hands
locked with the fingers
Over the hedge rim of moon
shone. 1t was slipping quickly and
pallidly down. as though aghast In
the last faint light the trap yawned
expectantly-AylofY thought II
seemed foolish mouth split in a
laugh.
Ayloff was going to start on long
trip that night. His wife. who was so
pretty and so distractingly silly. would
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 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 aoor; that was what he
would carry away with him.
After he was gone: after the dark
ness had come over the land. SO even
the blacklist shadows were blotted
out; after Faustine had locked the
doors and said goodnight to the serv-
ant and Marta had gone toillng 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 man? How did he know
he lived; how did he know his heart
was burnt from his breast, his soul
dead, his brain In whirll Pishl
What else caused the little, scared
look in Faustlne's eyes and the sud.
den paling and flushing when her
glance met his? Her songs, that were
low and tremulous. began with a
laugh, and ended almost as soon as
they began. with a sob. She started
at the sound of his voice, and laughed
when she should have wept and wept
when she should have laughed oh,
what tell-tale face was hers
He had guessed her childish love for
himself long before she discovered It;
but love Is a vagrant thing. He knew
he knew. Psbawl 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 talking to
the stars to make her soul lovely.
He knew she lied Her lips were
red and warm as though others had
crushed them. He knew
Ayloff was going away Later that
unknown some one would come
stealthily down the path eyes burning
for a pretty, sbamed face Quietly
some one would slip through the shad.
ows. pausing and tip-toeing and paus-
ing, staring at the lone 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 clckl 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
aI ha arIa ha
come back 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 AyloN
cid not know. In the thick gray Of
the half.night, he stumbled awkward
ly on. He whistled a 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 wlite
streak was showing. He felt SO good
he wanted TO shout. 1mpatienlly
throwing aside his luggage. he sprang
forward.
A .clickl A scream--a moan-and ST.
lence!-
In the house, Faustine slumbered
peacefully. Ayloff's picture was under
her pillow, and she dreamed OF 1T
tie child. whose soul would be as love
ly as the stars.
Later. the gardener found Aylon
caught In the trap-his ankle crushed
by the iron teeth.
Seek to Prevent Burial Alive.