The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-11-30
CHAPTER xxxi-Continued.

shaping the strangest. twisted smile.
II was indeed a twisted smile, for II
was on the left side only, the facial
muscles OF the right side moving not
at all.
THAT was tho last play Of the Wolf"
no said. Il am paralyzed. ] shall
never walk again. oh, only on the
other side" he added. as though divin.
ing the suspicious glance ! flung at
his left leg. the knee of which had just
then drawn up and elevated the blank.
cts.
IT'S unfortunate" he continued.
I'D liked to have done for you first.
Hump. And ! thought I had that much
left in me-"
But how can you recount for ~"
j asked. where liz the seat OF your
srouble!"
THE BRAIN" he said at once. 1T
was those cursed headaches brough;
Il on"
symptoms" I said.
He nodded his head. There is no
accounting for II. I wal never sick
In my life. Something's gone wrong
with my brain. A cancer. a tumor.
or something OF that nature--a thing
chat devours and destroys. It's attack.
ing my nerve centers. eating them up.
DIT by bit. cell by cell-from the
pain"
The motor centers. too" I sug.
seBted.
so It would seem. and tho curse
OF II is that I must lie here, conscious,
mentally u~nimpaired. knowing that
the lines are going down, breaking bit
oy bit communication with the world.
cannot soc, hearing and feeling are
leaving me, at this rate | shall soon
cease TO speak; yet all the time | shall
De mere. alive, active and powerless."
When you say you are here, I'd
suggest the likelihood OF the SOUL" |
said.
"Bosh!" was his retort. 1T simply
means that In the attack on my brain
the higher psychical centers are un.
touched. ! can remember, | can think
and reason. When that goes. l 60. |
am not. The soul?"
He broke out In hooking laughter.
then turned his left ear to the pillow
as q sign that he wished no further
conversation.
Maud and I went about our work
oppressed by the fearful fate which
had overtaken him-how fearful we
were yet fully to realize. There was
the awtulness OF retribution about Il
Our thoughts were deep and solemn.
and we spoke to each other scarcely
above whispers.
You might remove the handouts"
ne said that night, as we stood In con.
sultation over him. IT'S dead safe.
N a paralytic now. The next thing
20 watch out for is bed sores"
He smiled his twisted smile and
Maud. her eyes wide with horror. was
compelled to turn away her head.
DO you know that your smile Is
crooked" | asked him; for | knew
chat she must attend him, and | wished
20 save her az much as possible.
Then ] shall smile no more" he
said calmly. Il thought something
was wrong. My right cheek has beer
numb all day. Yes, and I've had warn.
ings OF this for the last three DAYS:
by spells, my right side seemed going
to sleep. sometimes arm or hand,
sometimes leg or foot"
80 my smile Ia crooked" he ouer
fed a short while after. well. con.
sider henceforth that I smile inter
nally, with my soul. II you please, my
soul. Consider that I am smiling
now"
And for the space Of several min
utes he lay there. quiet. indulging his
grotesque fancy.
The man OF him was not changed
II was the old. indomitable. terrible
Wolf Larsen. imprisoned somewhere
within that flesh which had once beer
so invincible and splendid. Now II
bound him with i~nsentient letters
wailins his soul In darkness and 81
ience. blocking Il from the world
which to him had been q riot OF &C
ton. No more would he ~conjugate the
verb ito do" in every mood and tense
ITO be" was all that remained TO hin
to be. as he had dened death. with
out movement; to will. but not to OK
eoute; to think and reason and In tn,
spirit OF him to be as alive as eveT
but In the flesh 10 be dead. quite dead
And yet. though I even removed tn,
h~andcuns. we could not adjust our
selves TO his condition. Our minds
revolted. To US he was full Of poten
tiality, We knew not what to expec
OF him next. what fearful thing. risinI
above the flesh, he might break gu
and do. Our experience warrante,
this state OF mind. and we went abou
our work with anxiety always upol
Us.
had solved the problem which ha,
arisen through the shortness OF tn,
shears. II was the morning OF tn,
third day that ! swung the foremas
from the deck and proceeded to squar,
its butt to At the step. Here I wa
especially awkward sawed an,
chopped and chiseled the weathere,
wood till II had the appearance OF hav
ing been gnswed by some giganti
mouse. But Il fitted.
1T will work. I know n win work.