Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-05-17
CHAPTER xx1n.-(continued).

from him.
Sim not going to run away"
he said, with quiet, unnatural
calmness. 81 shall tell you the
truth. l shall tell Senator Mallon
everybody here-and, through
them, the world"
He spoke in a low, tense voice,
and managed to convey the i'm
preston that he pitied Mary
Leslie.
II don't know you, and yet you
may have known me. There may
have been a time when / was all
the world to you. But | do not
know. | cannot say"
He passed the back of his right
hand across his brow slowly.
II don t even know who / am
from where / came - my own
name. My memory is only five
years old" He punctuated that
with q smile infinitely sad. $50
you see, | couldn't possibly, un-
der any circumstances, know you
now. You say you knew me six
years ago? Five years ago / lost
my memory. Whisky destroyed
utterly. ALI tie life I had lived
all the places / had seen, my whole
personal history, all the thoughts
of my brain-everything was
wiped from my consciousness alb
solutely and entirely. I say, all
the thoughts. There was one that
left its shadow, a ghost, a COM
pelling terror, on my mind: That
was the knowledge that whisky
had dealt me this terrific blow
He spread out his hands and
smiled lightly. "That is why | do
not like whisky" He spoke very
gently. II do not believe I ever
knew you-ever knew you very
well. / don't think / ever did. But
u cannot say"
On the end Of that there was
only Edith's shuddering cry as
she sank into the chair beside her.
Mrs. Kane bent over her, shielding
her from the view Of the others.
Edith's grief had a great and
immediate effect on Smith. He
wheeled upon Mallon, and, as he
moved, there was in his figure and
in his face all his customary bril-
liancy, all his alertness, all his ar
dent strength.
What / do believe" he said in
ringing tones, lis that the other
side instigated this whole scene
to discredit me in the eyes of con
gress and the country. They think
they can defeat the movement for
which | stand by branding me as
9 man with a criminal past. How
foolishly they have planned Even
if they could prove me guilty Of
the most revolving, the most de-
graded, conduct, they would in
sure merely their own downfall. /
am only one, q unit, an infinitesi-
NAL fraction, in the great sum OF
public opinion against which they
fight in vain
Mallon put up a hand to inter
rupt him. He disregarded him.
aYOu will hear me now! Look
ut me as / ana miserable man, &
makeshift, one who does not know
his own identity! Back Of me
there is hung, from the heavens t.
my heels, q wall Of darkness from
behind which nameless horrors
may spring upon me In the twin.
klinge Of an eye. Instead Of mem,
cries to soothe my soul, / have
the sword Of suspense to torture
my mind. Instead Of the lesson.
Of experience to light my way, ]
entertain weird creatures Of self
suspicion that drag me back. Lool
at me as / aml-this miserable
man, unknowing and unknown.
Think of it!!
He paused and stood q moment
his arms 0utspread, 3 statue d
woe, 8 man upon whose head til,
bolts of the worlds anguish hae
fallen. Waller laid his hand on hi
shoulder, but heshook it of. Hi
spirit was aflame, brave, in rebel
lion. He was fighting against til,
other aide. He was possessed Will
1th0s ea4 lei desire to throw upon til,