The wageworker., 1910-04-29
psychological: ! !:
Wonder !
Or Was 1t Matter Of Contagious ]
Diseasep !
BY GEORGE L. BYINGTON !.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press i.
Association
BY GEORGE L. BYINGTON
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

I arrived at N. late at night on a
visit to my uncle and on arising the
next morning. as was natural, went to
the window to have a look at my sur
roundings. There was a hill not far
distant, on the top of which was a
house built in the form of a hexagon.
There were other things to see, but
somehow the hexagonal house drew
my attention from all Of them. 1t
stood out alone. saw no one moving
In or about 1t, but in some of the win
dows there were evidences that it was
inhabited.
The first thing said to my uncle at
breakfast was, "Who lives in the hex
agonal house on the hill?"
"What made you ask that?" said my
uncle.
IL don't know" replied.
"There's just one thing I wish to
warn you about while you are here
Let that house alone"
After breakfast l walked up to the
hexagonal house and rang the bell.
1T have to stay in town for a few
days." l said to the man who opened
the door. land am looking for a place
to sleep nights"
1t took me an hour and cost half q
dozen lies to induce him to rent me a
room for just one night. He said no
one lived in the house except himself
and wife in the rear basement as care
takers. That evening at dinner l told
vn10 bot To-, for
and intended to take the night train
for home. Instead of going to the sta
ton, went to the hexagonal house,
was admitted and shown to my room,
the second story front, east.
"You won't feel creepy sleeping all
alone up here, will you?" asked the
caretaker before withdrawing.
mo. Why do you ask that? Any
thing peculiar about the room:"
'Oh, no; nothing especial. Least
aways"-
'well?
'rll tell you in the morning" And
he went down the stairs, his footsteps
echoing loudly through the house.
l had been slumbering for perhaps
an hour when l awoke with q start.
For a moment l could not locate my
self. Then l remembered l was Napo-
leon the Great. l was. at st. Helena.
I was lying in my bedroom in the
house at Longwood. l was very un-
comfortable. l was ill. My stomach
was on fire. All, l remembered, l had
been Ill for some time, and that infer
nal English doctor was poisoning me.
All these points came to me in quick
succession. Why did get myself into
this trap? Why did l surrender to
perfidious Albion? 1 should have
known that they would risk no second
escape. as from Elba. All, if l had
had at Waterloo my old guard that 1
had at Jena, Wagram, Austerlitz! But
they had starved or frozen in Russia.
opposed Wellington with troops Off
cered by men they did not trust, and
the officers no longer had faith in me.
My star had set. Besides, l was ill.
This internal trouble or something like
1t was on me then.
Why am 1 left alone by my attend
ants? Where is my valet? Where is
Montholon, Las Casas? Where are
they all? l would call the doctor to
relieve me Of this internal pain If l
did not know he would give me more
Of his poison. l wish had now some
real poison that would let me out OF
this-the bag l gave Constant to keep
for me, fresh as when l first received
1t from the chemist. I found it on
that dreadful night at Fontainebleu.
Had 1t been its original strength I
would have been spared that humiliat-
Ing abdication.
Some one is coming. 1t is man.
I can hear his footsteps in the corri-
dor. The door is opening slowly; oh,
so slowly! What suspense!
What. you, D'Enghien! Go back to
your grave! Go, go, l say! 1t was not
my fault. They carried out an order
that 1 would have countermanded had
/ known in time. They were always
In hurry to obey me when 1 wished
them to be slow. Go back, l say, or
II you must haunt your slayer turn to
him who blundered. / hate him, as
you do. In shooting you he concen
trated Europe and cost me my throne
1t put me here on this desolate island
to die a lingering death.
Gone? l can't stand this. I must
end it. How? My razor? My valet
has it. A rope? l have none. Will
a penknife l can open a vein. The
knife l have. Shall l get it? Twice
! tried when about to fall from the tor
Of my self built pyramid, and twice ]
failed. Fate has never deceived me
Fate has worked in my case on con
verging lines. Fate will not let m,
take my own life. Nevertheless 1 car
try.
Constant will get the knife for me
Constant!
No one answered.
l lay deliberating whether I should
end 1t all or let my disease finish m,
till fell asleep.
Then dreamed that it was all over
was in Il casket perched upon an i'm