The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-12-30

ana then beaehed his boat within .
dozen rods Of the path that came down
from Obadiah's.
It was 10 o'clock Two more hourss
He had tried to suppress his excite
ment. his apprehension. his eagerness.
but now as he went back into the
darkness Of the forest they burst out
anew. What II Marion should not
keep the tryst? He thought Of the
spies whom Nell had said guarded the
girls home-and Of Obadiah. Could
he trust the old councillor? Should
he confide his plot to him and ask his
assistance? AS the minutes passed
and these thoughts required agaiu
and again in his brain he could not
keep the nervousness from growing
within him. He was sure now that
he would have to fight his battle with.
out Neil He saw the necessity OF
GOODNESS. of judgment. and he began
to demand these things of himself,
struggling sternly against those symp-
toms of weakness which had replaced
his confidence of a short time before.
Gradually he fought himself back into
his old faith. He would save Marion
without Neil. without Obadiah. II
Marion did not come to him by mid
| night 1t would be because Of the
| guards against whom Neil had warned
! him, and he would go to her. In
some way he would get her to the
boat, even II he had to fight his way
through Arbor Croche's men.
With this return Of confidence Ma
thaniel's thoughts reverted to his
present greatest need, which was food.
Since early morning he had eaten
nothing and he began to feel the
physical want In craving that was
becoming acutely uncomfortable. II
Obadiah had not returned to his home
he made up his mind that he would
find entrance to the cabin and help
himself. A sudden turn In the path
which he was following. however. re-
vealed one of the councillors windows
aglow with light, and as he pressed
quietly around the end Of the build
ing the sound of low voice came to
him through the open door. Cautiously
he approached and peered In. A large
oil lamp, the light of which he had
seen in the window, was burning on
a table In the big room but the voice
came from the little closet into which
Obadiah had taken him the preceding
night. For several minutes he
chuckling laugh of the old councillor
and then an incoherent raving that
set his blood tingling. There Is a hor.
ror In the sound of madness, . horror
that creeps to the very pit Of ones
soul, that sends shivering dread from
every nerve center, that causes one
who is alone with it to sweat with a
nameless fear. It was the voice OF
madness that came from that little
room. Before 1t Nathaniel quailed as
If a clammy hand had reached out
from the darkness and gripped hin
by the throat. He drew back shiverint
, in every limb, and the voice followed
him. shrieking now in sudden burs
of insane mirth and dying away {
! laugh that seemed to curdle the bloot
In his veins. Mad! Obadiah Price wal
!, mad! Step by step Nathaniel fel
= back from the door. He felt himsel
trembling from head to foot. His hear
, thumped within his breast like tn,
beating of a hammer. For an instan
there was silence-a silence In whicl
strange dread held him breatf,les
while he watched the glow In the doc
and listened. And after that quie
there came suddenly a cry that ende,
in the exultant chattering Of q name
At the sound of that name Ma
thaniel sprang forward again. 1t wa
Marion's name and he strained hi
ears to catch the words that Nigh
| follow It. As he listened. his hea'
| thrust half In at the door. Obadiah
| voice became lower and lower. unit
| Mt last 1t ceased entirely. Not steI
| not a deep breath. not the moyemen
| of a hand disturbed the stiffness @
| the little room. BY inches Nathanie
| drew himself inside the door. Hi
| heavy boot caught In a silver on tn
step but the rending Of wood brough
| no response. It was the quiet q
death that pervaded the cabin. 1t wa
70 strange. growing fear Of death tina
entered Nathaniel as he now hufrie
,r across the room and peered throug
in the narrow aperture. The old coul
a cilor was half stretched upon the t,
ar BILE. his arms reaching out. his lonl
Ia thin fingers gripping its edges. hi
ar face buried under his shoulders.
-
OF ioohea as oe"'h hau 'ome suuuen'
al to him during some terrible convu
II. sion. but after a moment Nathani,
a, saw that he was breathing. He wei
Ia over and placed hand on the ol
,a mans twisted back.
N Hello. Obadiah! Hello-hello!"
al called cheerfully.
=. GRO BE CoNTINUED)