Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-05-18
CHAPTER Xxiu.-(Conunued).

III hot gong IO run away,
he said, with quiet, unnatural
calmness. II shall tell you the
truth. / 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
PRECISION that he piticd Mary
Leslie.
81 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 L do not
Know. ! cannot say"
He passed the back of his right
hand across his brow slowly.
81 don't even know who | am
from where | came my own
name. My memory is only five
years old" He punctuatcd that
with a 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 I lost
my memory. Whisky destroyed
it-nttcrly. All the life had lived
all the places had seen, my whole
personal history, all the thoughts
of my brain-cvcrything was
wiped from my consciousness alb
solutely and entirely. | say, all
the thoughts. There was one that
left it's 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" lie spoke very
gently. ~ do not believe l ever
knew yon-ever kncw you very
well. l don't think ! rve.' did. But
l cannot say
On the end of that there was
only Edith's shuddcring cry as
she sank into the chair beside her.
Mrs. Kane bent over her, shielding
her from the view of the others.
Edith grief had a great and
immediate effect OF Smith. lie
wheeled upon Mallon, and. as he
moved. there was in his igure 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 instigatcd this whole scene
to discredlt me in the eyes Of CON
gress and the country. They think
they can defeat the movement for
which ! stand by branding me as
a man with a criminal past. How
foolishly they have planned Even
if they could prove mc guilty Of
the most revolving. the most de
graded, conduct, they would in
sure merely their WI downfall. /
am only one, a unit, an infnitesi-
NAL fraction, in the great sun of
public opinion against which they
fight in vain"
Mallon put up a hand to inter
rnpt him. He disregarded him.
"You will hear me now Look
at me as l ana miserable man, a
makeshift. one who does not know
his own identity! Back of me
there is hung, from the heavens to
my heels, a wall Of darkness from
behind which namcless horrors
may spring upon me in the twin
klinge Of an eye. Instead of men,
ores to soothe my soul, / have
the sword of suspense to torture
my mind. Instead Of the lessons
Of experience to light my way, /
entertain weird creatures Of self
suspicion that drag me back. Look
1t me as l I'm this miserable
man, unknowing and unknown!
Think Of it!''
He paused and stood 4 moment.
his arms outspread, a statue OF
woe, 9 man upon whose head the
bolts Of the worlds anguish had
fallen. Waller laid hisshand on his
shoulder, but he shook il on. His
spirit Was a6ame, brave, in rebel
bon he was fighting against the
DeIer Gdc. He WIS., possessed with
Useeeaeer dGsire to throw upon the
Wu1d1 konscis~sAes ~ exact
e1Ure a. what ke Md M4
Ek4rR IL notkin&l 66t0t ~ 60