The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1911-12-21

eyes, wide staring and terribly alight.
"God!" cried Rutton thickly, jerking
forth his pistol.
The shadow vanished.
With a single thought Amber
sprang upon Rutton, snatched the
weapon from his nerveless fingers,
and, leaping to the door, let himself
out.
The snow had ceased; only the
wind raved with untempered force.
Cautiously, and, to be frank, bit
dismayed, Amber made a reconnais-
sance, circling the building, but dis
covered nothing to reward his pains.
Only, before the window. through
which he had seen the peering tur-
baned head, he found the impressions
of two feet, rather deep and definite,
toes pointing toward the house, as
though some one had fingered there,
looking in. The sight of them reas-
sured him ridiculously.
AT least" he reflected, "disembod-
led spirits leave no footprints!"
He found Rutton. precisely as he
had left him, his very attitude an I'M
uttered question.
NO" Amber told him. "he'd made
quick getaway. The marks of his
feet were plain enough, outside the
window, but he was gone, and i.
somehow I wasn't overkeen to fol-
low him up"
Right" said the elder man defect
edly II might have known Chatterji
would not have come alone So my
crime was futile" He spoke without
spirit, as if completely tagged, and
moved slowly to the door.
David, little while ago promised
to ask your aid If ever the time
should come when l might be free to
do SO; I said, That hour will never
strike Yet already it is here; I
need you. Will you help me?"
you know that
Il know. One moments
patience, David" Rutton glanced at
the clock. Thine for my medicine"
he said; that heart trouble l men
toned. :"
He drew from a waistcoat pocket a
small silver tube, or phial. and un-
corking this, measured out a certain
number of drops into a silver spoon.
AS he swallowed the dose the phial
slipped from his fingers and rang
upon the hearthstone. splitting its con-
tents in the ashes. A pungent and
heady odor favored the air.
mo matter" said Rutton indiffer.
emily. II shan't need it again for some
time" He picked up and restored the
phial to his pocket. Nov let me
think a bit" He took a quick turn up
the room and down again.
"A mad Dance" he observed
thoughtfully: this thing we call life.
We meet and whirl asunder-motes in
sunbeam. Tonight Destiny chose to
throw US together for a little space:
tomorrow we shall be irrevocably part
ed. for all time"
Don't say that. Rutton"
1T is SO written, David" The mans
smile was strangely placid. after
this night, we'll never meet In the
morning Doggott will ferry you
over -
"Shan't we go together?"
NO" said Rutton serenely; II must
leave before you"
Without Doggott?"
without Doggott; wish him to
go with you"
"Where?"
ION the errand I am going to ask
you to do for me. You are free to
leave this country for several
months?"
Quite. corrected the final gal
leys of my Analysis of Sanskrit Liter.
ature' Just before I came down. Now
I've nothing on my mind-or hands.
| Go on"
Wait" Rutton went a second time
to the leather trunk, lifted the lid,
and came back with two small par
GELS. The one, which appeared to con-
tain documents of some sort. he cast
negligently on the fire, with the air
of one who destroys that which is no
longer Of value to him. It caught i'm
mediately and began to flame and
smoke and shoulder. The other was
several inches square and flat. wrap
ped in plain paper. without a super
scription, and sealed with several
heavy blobs of red wax.
| Rutton drew a chair close to Amber
and sat down, breaking the seals
methodically.
| you shall go on a long journey.
David" he said slowly-"a long jour-
ney, to far land, where you shall
brave perils that may not warn you
against. It will put your friendship to
the test"
| I'm ready"
The elder man ripped the cover
from the packet, exposing the back
of what seemed to be a photograph.
Holding this to the light. its face in
visible to Amber. he studied it for
several minutes. in silence, a tender
light kindling<in his eyes to soften the
almost ascetic austerity of his express
sion. in the end. II you live, you
shall win rich reward" he said at
length. He placed the photograph
face down upon the table.
"How-a reward?"
oFsho lovo If n uopou uorthy -