Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-07-11

coming family through the night-the
trickle Of little brook in the ravine
below the window.
Always, he recalled, she had spoken
Of the sound of water, saying that
that music would blot out memory
saying that water would wash out Sc
crets, would wash out sins. What was
1t she had said? What was it she had
written to him long ago?
The sound Of the little brook came
to his ears again In some shift Of the
wind. He rose and stumbled toward
the window, carrying the candle in his
hand. His haggard face was lighted
by its fare as he stood there, leaning
out, listening.
1t was then that his doom came to
him.
There came the sound of a shot, a
second and vet another.
The woman in the cabin near by
heard them clearly enough. She rose
and listened. There was no sound
from the other cabins. The servants
paid no attention to the shots, if they
had heard them, and why should they
not have heard them? No one called
out, no one came running.
Frightened, the woman rose and aft
er time stepped timidly across the
covered space between the two rooms
toward the light which she saw shin
Ing family through the cracks Of the
door. She heard groans within.
A tall and CHASTITY figure met her as
she approached the door. She saw his
face, white and haggard and stained
From wound in the forehead broad
band of something dark fell across his
cheek. From his throat something
dark was yelling. He clutched a hand
on his breast, and his fingers We're
dark.
He was bleeding from three wounds,
but still he stood and spoke to her.
I'm Gods name, madam said he,
"bring me water! Il am killed!'
She ran away, she knew not where,
calling to the others to come. But they
did not come. She was alone. Once
more, forgetful of her errand, incapa-
bic Of rendering aid. she went back to
the door.
She heard no sound. She flung open
the door and peered into the room.
The candle was standing, broken and
guttering, on the floor. She could see
the scattered belongings Of the travel
Ing cases, empty now. The occupant
OF the room was gone. In terror she
fed once more back to her own room
and covered in her bed.
Staggering, cropping, his hands strain
ed to him to hold in the life that was
passing, Meriwether Lewis had left the
room where he had received his wounds
and had stepped out into the air, into
the night. All the resolution of his
soul was bent upon one purpose. He
but still stumbled onward.
1t seemed to him that he heard the
sound Of water, and blindly, uncon-
sciously, he headed that way. He en-
tered the shadow Of the woods and
passed down the little slope Of the hill.
He fell rather than seated himself at
The side of the brook whose voice he
had heard In the night. He was alone.
The wilderness was all about him, the
which had always called to
him and which now was to claim him.
He sat, gasping, almost blind, feeling
1T his pockets. At last he found it, one
Of the sulpher matches made for him
BY good old DR.. Saugrain. Trembling
y he essayed to light it, and at last he
saw the fare. ..
With skill of custom, though now al
most unconsciously, his fingers felt for
Try bits of bark and leaves, little twigs.
Yes the match served its purpose. A
:iny flame tlickered between his feet as
he sat.
Did any eye see Meriwether Lewis as
he sat there in the dark at his last
Did any guilty eye look on
lin making his last fight?
He sat alone by the little fire. His
land. dropping sometimes, responsive
only to the supreme effort of his will.
in the bosom Of his old coat.
There were some papers there-some
'hlngs which no other eyes than his
must ever see! Here was secret-it |
must always be a secret-her secret
md his! He would hide forever from
he world what had been theirs in com.
non.
The tiny flame rose up more strong
y, twice. thrice, five times-six times
n all. One by one he had placed them
III the f1ames-these letters that he had
carried on his heart for years-the six
etters that she had written him when
ne was far away in the unknown. He
held the last one long. trying to see
he words. He groaned. He was al
most blind.
Now they were gone. No one could
,ver see them. No one could know
low he had treasured them all these
7ears. She was safe
Before his soul. in the time of his
great accounting; there rose the pass.
ng picture Of the years. Free from
now, absolved. resigned, he
vas boy once more, and all the world |