The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-12-09

of which write"
Stranger, that last line pretty near got me. as
the saying goes. When l read that the professor,
after hearing the laugh once, foresaw possibility
his own succumbing to it's demoniac power, and
when remembered the pitiable wreck of a man,
contorted in an attitude of fear even in his sleep.
hat ha in the Gold Hill Jail the night be-
fore, l was about ready to leave that laugh alone.
But one thing kept me from going away from
there right then. That was what the professor had
written about the laugh coming not from the Gulch
but from somewhere above on the great square rock
just as had figured it out for myself. And my ex-
perience mining engineer had taught me few
things about rocks SO that was beginning TO form
pretty clear picture of just what made that laugh
There was only one thing lacking to make my sur
mise a certainty, to my own mind, anyway, and
decided to stay till proved the existence Of that
one thing, or found way to the top of the Gulch
By the time finished reading Prof, Pierce's
diary dusk setting in Devils Guch, and as night
comes quickly in the mountains, built FIRE with
some of the sticks gathered and left by the profes-
sor and ate my supper of timed beans and crackers
But when Ihad rolled myself up in my blanket
with the professors for pillow couldn't get to
Sleep but lay there, thinking of what he had written
about his experience this spot. All the lit
tie noises of the night seemed magni6ed hundred
tod the slightest sound gave me the jumps and I
could almost feel my nerves Tightening along my
bones in fear of and hope for the expected outbreak
of laughter. 1t must have been from sheer nervous
exhaustion that at last fell asleep.
The sound of thunder woke me, at first quite
distant, but rapidly coming closer. A vivid light
ming flash lighted the Gulcb, passing like sardonc
smile acrost the smooth face of the bluff towering
above me. 1t had sinister appearance in the lurid
glare of the electric storm. Another flash cracked
acrost the gulcb close that seemed like could
feel the heat of it my face the thunder following
with incredible rapidity. like the flash and concus-
sion of dynamite blast but few feet away. 1
leaped to my feet with the idea of getting out of
what seemed to be the very heart of the Storm but
before could take step every fibre in my body
stiffened at sound that broke into the roar of
the thunder. From the perpendicular wall of the
Gulch directly above where stood came hoarse,
rumbng chuckle that rolled out into the thunder's
roaring and crashing, enveloping it, smot herring it,
and completely swallowing it up by sheer weight
and volume of sound l stood as if rooted to the
spot as the chuckle deepened to huge guffaw then
rose to deafening. unearthly, screaming laughter
VI ".
Peal after peal, in ever rising crescendo, rolled
from the smooth face of the rock filling the Gulch
and echoing back from the surrounding hills in helm
Gus mockery, while stood there in the sudden down.
pour of rain that follows these mountain storms un-
able to move, gripping with all my puny stock of
courage. An unreasoning impulse to beat and claw
at the smooth stone of the bluff to give back mock
ing laugh for hooking laugh, to fight back the un-
clean sound that was gripping very vitas seized
me; had even raised my clenched fists, preparing
to throw myself against the rock when the laughter
changed to a sound more horrible, and the hot
blood turned to ice in my veins AS if by the pres
the laughing ghoul screaming peal Was cut off
short in horrible nauseating gurgle, spluttering
checking bubber that smote upon my brain like a
blow, and staggered against the wall of the Gulch
1t is said that drowning man thinks of his
entire past life in the brief moment that he is
struggling with the overwhelming element II
doubt it. As [ staggered against the base of the
rock that seemed to be slowly being choked to
DEATH was perfectly conscious of the fact that
my reason was going from me- / could even feel
it tearing, batterngat the inside of my skull .And
what thought of was that in the Gold Hill lock-
up the cots were equipped with blankets of dull
gray with broad black bands at each end and 1
wondered il. could retain enough conference of
speech to ask the jailor to get me blankets of
more cheerful hue. had about come to the con-
clusion that | would not-about twenty seconds
after the laughing had been cut off short by
those gripping fingers, and while the choking
sputters still continued-when was struck by a