The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-04-01

he began. III wa. lying on little bench
before a staring black idol the ohering
IL some faithful worshipper. lie paused
and moisiened his lips, 1T nearly cosi me
nv life, was followed clear TO the coasi
by sayages and Tough, them most Of the
way. IT, terrible weapon in a hand-to
hand tight"
The blue smoke curlcd upward and
spread ont like palm tree. The voice
81 the yagabond was low and dreamy and
the scholar listened with fascinated IN
icrcst.
The stranger had been talking for an
hour. when he abruptly checked the story
OF his wnndcrings. ~,
"The storm has ceased" he said II
have talked enough
The scholar drew out some money
What do you needt' he asked
The wanderer took a single coin
This il quite enough" he answered.
and will leave the knife a. security
| You NAV need IT, Who can tell
4 moment later he had gone The
scholar came back TO the table and stared
at the weapon.
"A strange caller" he murmured. Per.
haps faker Yet interesting, very inter.
esting." He looked at his watch, Only
10 o'clock. \ remarkable evening he
sleepily added. Il shan't forget 1t, And
now for bed
lie put out the lights and went up the
stairway
How long he slept he did not know, He
awoke with strange feeling OF dread
Some mysterious influence seemed to call
him 10 arise
He Quickly left the bed, then paused and
| listened inten,ly. Somebody was moving
about on the floor below.
| The scholar was not a coward. lie
started for the stairway. As he descended
Il he felt a sudden draught lie reasoned
| that the library window was open. lie
auckened his descent.
The library was dark He paused in the
doorway and stared around. lie had no
weapon. lie was at the mercy Of the rob
bers. IL robbers were there Again he
listened intently.
suddenly slender stream OF hight
crossed the room He knew II must be
from dark lantern.
4 hot wave OF rage filled him. The out
rage of this intrusion stirred his anger 20
white heat. lie looked about HIM IN
desperation 4 phosphoreseent CLEAN IN
the darkness caught his eye.
In a flash he realized its nature IL came
from the knife -, ~
In two bounds he had reached the table
and caught up the knife. -,
The shaft Of light from the lantern TEL
IN him. a hoarse voice cried, Hands up!
pistol cracked and then he leaped for
ward. a.,
He swung the knife as he made his rush
and a quick groan answered its descent
Again and again and again he struck OUT
wildly in the darkness, and oaths and
muffied cries followed each swing OF the
knife. Then there was nothing before
him. and he was at the open window, ana
wildly shuffling feet retreated along the
pravcled walk.
The scholar. his GOODNESS coming back
IN him. pulled down the window and las
tened il and staggered back to the star
way and sank down on the lower step
Presently he arose and confusedly went up
stairs - -.
He slept soundly, although at times his
breathing was hurried and he clutehed
wildly at the bed clothing.
He awoke with shrill cry and threw
startled glance around.
Then he laughed aloud.
THAT was fine nightmare; ne crieu.
What time is it? There's the sunlish.
streaming through the blinds. 1t must be
yerv late He found his watch. mine
O'Clock. Well, well,'
He dressed leisurely, talking aloud as he
proceeded.
''Was there ever stranger dream!
know what I'll do. I'll write 1t all down
and read it to Florence. Perhaps II show
II 10 Meredith. He's strong on subcon-
scious phenomena. He'll tell me Just what
oaused that queer train OF events,
wonder il it could have come from any
thing | ate at the cafe? 1t doesn't seem
possible. Here, let me go over 1t again
while the events are still fresh, | remem-
her falling asleep over Hemphilrs Egua-
tions with my head on the table. What
next How did the dream begin. An, yes,
the sound of the storm, and then the
coming of the strange vagabond. Yes,
yes, the vagabond with the queer
knife and the sleepy pipe what could
a man eat that would make HIM conJure
up a vagabond like that? Then ne weht
away, leaving the knife-the knife OF the
black dol-on the table. Ana IN my
dream I went to bed-that's strange. linen
something awakened me and I came down
and fought with two burglars9and drove
them away That was fine hight, even
for dream. Florence will never believe
this mart of it. She'll think me brag-
gart-the self-admitted hero of my own
nightmare. Ha, ha, ha. I'll write it all
ont inst the same. l can't remember how
cot to bed after the fght--but, OF
course the truth must be that | hadn't
left f. Yes, I'll put it all down before !
forget it. I know what Meredith VIII
sav@he'u tell me that the whole thing
didn't actually take three seconds; It's a
cafe puess-I can't contradict him. !!
fancy I've been studying bit too hard
since Florence went away l must let up
a little. I can't afford to fight burglars
every night. And now to scribble down
the nightmare before it grows any dim
mer. After that I'll get breakfast
He went down the stairs smiling and
stared around.
"All as usual" he said. "Here is Hemp
b;ll's hook. lust as | laid it down. There |
Is where the phantom knife rested.
He gave little start and looked around.
aTbat's a strange odor," he whispered.
Br-r-r-r-r!
The electric bell was ringing.
He got I'D slowly and crossed to the yes
t;hnIed door. Then he threw open the
outer door and found himself staring at
the vagabond.
"Youp
Eyes, master. What is wrong?'
The scholar passed his hand across his
eyes.
I'll thought you were a dream" he
,tammered
The man looked at him curiously.
mo, master, I'm not a dream; I've
,ome back as l said I would, for my knife.