Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-01-02
CHAPTER XII.
The Breaking OF the Chrysalis.


The strain | underwent as midnight
drew on and on and a. the lines came
closer. ever closer still, can never be
forgotten Till the last hour OF my life.
With an intensity of eaeerneSs that
burned. a living flame. in my blood |
listened for some sound Of BrOdeur's
return. | strained my ears to catch
the noise of hOofS upon the driveway,
the creak of the harness, the sound OF
voices steps upon the porch, the open
Ing or closing Of the door, FOOTBALLS in
the hallway.
Nothing rewarded me. Save for the
storm.drye. the hum of the ray-ap-
paratus and the maddening tick OF the
clock on the shelf in the ward | caught
70 sound.
Thus midnigh, wore itself along and
came ard passed; and o'i from my
body and soul, from my strength my
nerves and my energy, | knew some
virtue had departed, never to return.
Certain strains and tressos, passing
The "limit of safety take from us a
vitality that nothing can put back.
All at once Alexandra began writing
again.
! Something strange is coming upon
me now change as OF compile
ton. Can this be the crisis"
did not answer, but merely pressed
her hand | could not trust myself to
speak, | glanced at the strip. The
lines were now close close 10 con
sergins | fell an anguish such as
before or since | could not have
thought possible.
knew must conceal my emotion
from Alexandra Any sign of fear on
my part might work most detrimental
results on 49, At all hazards | must
remain seemingly cool and imperson-
al.
Even though did not speak, she
with that uncanny sort OF claifvoy'
ance that had marked Ler durins The
latter part of her blind Imprisonment
seemed To know the truth
Answer me- she wrote
knew | must obey To leave hcG
IN the dark, CROPPING. 1uestioninp.
dumb. fevered with impotence wouiu
work deep harm Alexandra must
have Il reply
bent TO the audiphone and said
"Alexandra | do NOT know The
time may be at hand. Il may come
la3er When it comes You and viii
meet il braVely'
Yes" she wrote; but Andre
What of him? Where is he. II is
past midnight, | am sure He should
he here now. | need HIM
ANDRE has not returned"
Quiet = moment. then three words
"Heaver telp us
"Truf me- assured her.
"Wh do the records say?' she
wrote unS,cadily.
They point to certain impcndin.
change"
"To the completion of the pro.
cess?"
at may be"
"It Is, know II is" she wrote.
My liberation | tctI 1t in my soul
Freedom light beauty JOY
perfection at last
"Do not excite yourself, my dear
Alexandra. 80 Cntreated. Remain
calm DO not leopard the process b.
increasing your nerve.tension, your
blood.pressue, your lovered emotions.
Relax Lie quiet
There may YET be time for Andre
TO arrive Wait for him still Il little
time. BE quiet
This seemed 10 quiet her. though il
was very far from reassuriug ne.
For time she lay quite still again.
watched The crawling lines that issued
from the little slot of the glass box
Fateiuly they approached each othcl
in parabolic curves that now could nor
possibly avoid crossing al point
within a very few minutes al the out
vide
II had now become a kind OF diabol
ical race between those lines which
spelled the final refrigeration, and the
arrival OF Andre Brodeur who alon,
could be trusted to remove the ban
daGes and institute treatment 10 rem
der the results permanent. The ten
sion ON my nerves now had strained
them 10 he breaking point felt a
contraction oil the throat My mou'i
was hot and dry. my lips parched III,
heat within me hammered Sickenine
~,
And | could do nothing, absolutely
nothing now, save slt there helpless
watching The clock that Jagged viii
such maddening delheraton. obscrV
ing those lines that seemed to noel
my futilIty. listening all in vain fol
sounds that came not and for he'll
that in he hour Of need had failed us
both
Desperate. hali.maddened by IN,
blue-white glare of tho rays and by
he droning hum Of tho apparatus.
once more rang Nital Ergazy's room
Perhaps at last be might have awak
I ened from his druglidden stumble