The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-03-23

ana then beacned his boat within .
dozen rods OF the path that came dow.
from Obadiahs.
II was 10 o'clock Two moro hoursf
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? lie thought OF the
spies whom Neil had said guarded the
girls home-and of Obadiah. Could
he trust the old councillor? Should
he confide his plot to him and ask hi'
assistance? As the minutes passes
and these thoughts REQUIRED again
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 lie 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 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 At 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.
thaniels 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 a craving that was
becoming acutely uncomfortable. IL
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-
yealed 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 Tn
| ODtu upoi- NeAoNACNeaJ
he approached and pcered in A large
oil lamp, the light Of which he had
seen in the window, was burning on
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
crouched and listened. He heard the
chuckling laugh of the old councillor
and then an incoherent raving that
set his blood tingling. There Is hor-
ror in the sound Of madness. a 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 II to sweat with a
nameless fear II was the voice OF
madness that came from that little
room. Before 1t Nathaniel quailed as
IL clammy hand had reached out
from the darkness and gripped him
by the throat. He drew back shivering
In every limb and the voice followed
him, shrieking now in a sudden burst
moment later In hollow cacklinE
laugh that seemed to curdle the blood
in his veins. Mad, Obadiah Price was
mad! Step by step Nathaniel fell
back from the door. He felt himself
trembling from head to foot His heart
thumped within his breast like the
beating OF a hammer. For an instant
there was sllence-a silence In which
strange dread held him breathless
while he watched the glow In the dool
and listened. And after that quie
there came suddenly a cry that ended
in the exultant chattering of a name
At the sound of that name Ma
thaniel sprang forward again. II wal
Marion's name and he strained hi,
ears to catch the words that nigh
follow II. As he listened. his heaS
thrust half in at the door. Obadiah'I
voice became lower and lower. until
at last II ceased entirely. Not step
not a deep breath, not the moyemen
of hAnd disturbed the stiffness O
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. II was the quiet o
death that pervaded the cabin. 1t wa
a strange. growing fear OF death tina
entered Nathaniel as he now hurrie,
r across the room and peered through
\ the narrow aperture. The old cour
, cilor was half stretched upon the "a
, BILE. his arms reaching out. his Iona
4 thin fingers gripping its edges. hi
= face buried under his shoulders.
q looked as II death had come suddeni
A to him during some terrible convu
!. sion, but after a moment Nathanie
Il saw that he was breathing. He wen
o over and placed hand on the oil
A mans twisted back.
, "Hello, Obadiah! Hello--hello' b
i called cheerfully.
gro pn cONTIEIfEDl