Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-14
The
Miracle
Man
FRANK L.
PACKARD
copyriuht, 1915,
by Frank L. Packard.

Copyright, 1916, II
BY Frank L. Packard. II
Anger ragged upon him and died in
fear; anger for the instant maddening
him that he should lose Helena; rage
IN ungovernable fury that the game,
his plans, the hoard accumulated, was
bursting like q bubble before his eyes.
No, mol He had not meant to laugh
or mock. No. mo; not that! What was
this loosed titanic power that had done
these things-that had brought this
change In Helena, that had brought a
change in the Hopper, Transforming
the miserable, pitiful, whining thief
into 4 man reaching out for decent
things; that had wrought at least q
physical mefamorphosis in Pale Face
Harry-that had transngured those
three who in their ugly, abandoned
natures, had hung like vultures on bis
words in the Roost that night7 What
was this power that he was tridlng
/. with that brought him now this cold,
. dead fear before which he quailed?
What was this something that In his
|temerity he had dared invoke; that rose
now, engulfng him, puny maggot;
that snatched him up and flung him
headlong, shackled, before this nebu-
lous, terrifying tribunal, where out of
nothingness, out Of void. the calm,
EnaJestic features Of the Patriarch took
E6rm and changed and kept changing
and grew implacable, set with tho
stamp Of doom?
And SO he went on, following the
little path that bordered the woods on
one hand and tho fields on the other
went on until he neared the village,
and then he stopped suddenly and
turned about. Some one had called
his name.
From the field man climbed over
the fence and came toward him. The
mans face was tanned and rugged,
his form erect, and the sleeves rolled
back above the elbows displayed
Drowned and muscular forearms.
Madison stared at the man apathet-
ically.
This was the old farm, Of course,
where Pale Face Harry boarded. and
this was Pale Face Harry, but
''Doc," said Harry, and he shufded
his feet and looked down-"Doc, got
something I've been wanting to say to
you for week.
Madison still gazed at him apathet-
I ically. Pale Face Harry raised his
eyes, lowered them, kicked at siod
of earth with the toe Of his boot and
raised his eyes again TO those Of Madi-
SON.
"Say," he blurted out, "I'm through,
], Doc Tm-lm going to quit 81
Into Madison's stumbling brain leap
ed but one idea, and he jumped for
ward, reaching savagely for Pale Face
Harry's throat
You'd throw me, would you? You'd
throw the game, would you" he snarl-
ed as his fingers locked. -.
Pale Face Harry, twisting, wriggled
free and retreated step.
mo" he gasped; II amt throwing
nothing. just want to quit myself.
keeps my mouth shut. See?
don't want none Of the share what's
coming. Say. I've got more'n hun
dred times that out Of 1t. Look at me,
Doc! Say, I'm like horse. That's
the Patriarch and living honest. Say,
IN all me life I never knew what 1t
was before till we comes here. II
took the dough what's coming I'd 60
back to the old hell, and I'd 90 down
and out again. Say, it amt worth 1t.
There's nothing in 1t. I amt throw
ing you, Doc. I just blows out of
hero with me trap closed. ssy, lcek ct
me, Doc! Don't you get what I mean r
At that Madison burst into peal Of
wild, strange laughter and, as though
no man stood before him, started on
along the path. And Pale Face Harry
sided out of his way and stared after
him.
"For-for Gods sake, Doc" he called
ont. stammering, whats the matter?
But Madison made no answer. The
path swerved. Madison went on,
blindly, mechanically, as though, once
set In motion, he must go on. Some
CHASTITY, unnatural thing was clogging
his brain, not only in mental way,
but clogging it until there was phys
ical hurt and pain, an awful tightness
something he could only reach It
with his fingers and claw 1t away.
There was black madness here and
pain insufferable that sent his brain
swirling sick.
He halted. His lips were working,
tho muscles Of his face twitched, and
suddenly, snatching his hat from his
head, he flung himself on the ground
and plunged face and head feverishly,
tigerfshly, into the little brook that ran
beside the path. Again and again he
buried his face In the cold. clear, re-
efrCshing water, and then, still on hands
and knees, he raised his head to listen.
Softly. full of a great peace, a strange
3sweetness that knew no discord, no
strife, the notes of the chapel bell
nOated across the fields. Evening had
come: the days work was done: It
was benediction time. 1t was the call
of the faithful-the angelus of those
who believed.
The revulsion came to Madison in a
ehoked sob, and he stood up. The
ave xx,orE xvas dnuo--horo Hora fhoy