The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-04-28
CHAPTER xXxl-Continued.


shaping the strangest, twisted smile
1t was indeed twisted smile, for II
was on the left side only, the facial
muscles of the right side moving not
at ALL
That was the last play OF the Wolf"
he said. 81 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 had that much
left in me-"
But how can you account for II p"
| asked. Where is the seat of your
trouble?"
The BRAIN" he said at once. 1T
was those cursed headaches brough:
II on"
symptoms" | said.
He nodded his head There Is no
accounting for it. | was never sick
in my life. Something's gone wrong
with my brain. cancer tumor.
or something of that nature-a thing
that devours and destroys. It's attack
ing my nerve centers, eating them up.
bit by bit, cell by cell-from the
pain"
The motor centers. too" sug-
gested.
$50 1t would seem. and the curse
OF 1t is that must lie here conscious.
mentally unimpaired, knowing that
the lines are going down, breaking bit
by DIT communication with the world.
cannot see. hearing and feeling are
ieaving me, at this rate | shall soon
cease TO speak; yet all the time shall
be here, 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 nv brain
the higher psychical centers are I'M
touched. can remember, can think
and reason. When that goes. go.
am not. The soul?"
He broke out in hooking laughter,
then turned his left ear to the pillow
as a sign that he wished no further
conversation.
Maud and l went about our work
oppressed by the fearful fate which
had overtaken him-how fearful we
were yet fully to realize. There was
the awfulness of retribution about II
Our thoughts were deep and solemn.
and we spoke to each other scarcely
above whispers.
You might remove the handcuffs."
he said that night as we stood in con.
sultation over him. Its dead safe.
I'm a paralytic now. The next thing
to 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
that she must attend him, and wished
to save her as much as possible.
Then | shall smile no more" he
said calmly. Il thought something
was wrong. My right cheek has been
numb all day. Yes. and I've had warn.
ings of this for the last three davs:
by spells, my right side seemed going
to sleep. sometimes arm or hand
sometimes leg or foot"
SO my smile is crooked?" he quer.
led a short while after. well con.
slider henceforth that | smile inter
nally. with my soul, If you please. nv
now"
And for the space OF several min.
utes he lay there, quiet, indulging his
grotesque fancy.
The man of him was not changed.
IL was the old, indomitable, terrible
Wolf Larsen, imprisoned somewhere
within that flesh which had once been
so invincible and splendid. Now II
bound him with insentient letters.
walling his soul In darkness and 81.
lence, blocking It from the world
which to him had been a riot OF ac-
ton. No more would he conjugate the
verb ito do" in every mood and tense.
ITO be" was all that remained to him
to be, as he had defied death, with
out movement; to will, but not to ex-
ecute; TO think and reason and in the
spirit OF him to be az alive as ever,
but in the flesh to be dead. quite dead.
And yet. though | even removed the
handouts. we could not ADJUST our
selves to his condition. Our minds
revolted To us he was full of poten-
TALLY. We knew not what to expect
OF him next. what fearful thing. rising
above the flesh, he might break out
and do. Our experience warranted
this state Of mind. and we went about
our work with anxiety always upon
us.
had solved the problem which had
arisen through the shortness OF the
shears. II was the morning OF the
third day that ! swung the foremost
from the deck and proceeded to square
it's butt to fit the step. Here I was
especially awkward. sawed and
chopped and chiseled the weathered
wood till 1t had the appearance of hav-
ing been gnawed by some gigantic