The Huttig news., 1910-05-07
1 he Trap By H. FORREST.


T hate 10 do 1t, said Ayl0H, 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. It was huge thing that clicked together like hands locked with the fingers
 Over the hedge a rim of moon shone. It was slipping quickly and pallidly down, as though aghast In the last faint light the trap yawned -expectantly-Aylo thought. It seeh.ed foolish mouth split in a laugh
 Ayloff was going to start on a long trip that night His wife who was so pretty and so distractingly silly, would weep and entreat him to hurry back. It was nice to have some one care for him that way Everything was nice. Even the trap would be kind. Silent it 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 a bird, disturbed at his step; the voice of Faustine, calling from the door; 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 blackest shadows were plotted out; after Faustine had locked the doors and said good night to the serv. ant and Marta had gone toiling up the dark stairs with 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 a Mhirl! Pishi What else caused the little, scared look in Faustine'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 sound of his voice, and laughed when she should have wept, and wept when she should have laughed Oh, WIdt q i6I-ld1b late. Was UtfS.
 He had guessed her childish love for himself long before she discovered it; but love is a 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 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 pretty. shamed 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 thing would hesitate. then leap for ward
 click: A scream-a moan-and silencei
 Ayioff 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 stalking through the garden. He had 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 Ayloff did not know. In the thick gray of the half-night, he stumbled awkward Iy 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, a faint wlite 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 si- lenee!
 Tn the house, Faustine slumbered peacefully. Ayloff's picture was under her pillow, and she dreamed of lit tie child, whose soul would be as love ly as the stars.
 Later, the gardener found AyloH caught in the trap-his ankle crushed by the iron teeth.