Indiana daily times., 1922-04-18

The doctor had been and was coming
again in the morning. There was moth
ing to be DONE he had said; just watch
her.
Watch her? How long had he been
standing at the foot Of the huge bed
the biggest bed he had ever seen-and
what was there to watch? Sinking, -
the doctor had said. In process here Le-
fore his eyes, but not to be seen by
them, awful and mysterious things. Death
with practiced fingers about his awful
and mysterious surgery of separating the
spirit from the flesh, the soul from the
body the incorTuptible from the corrupt
ible
Perch was killed. 1t was real He was
here. This war!
He felt very cold. Me moved from the
bed and replenlshed the fire and crouched
beside 1t.
There was some strange sound in the
room. He dozed in a chair. Some
strange sound. or had he imagined it ?
He sat up, tenseliy and listened. 1t was
her breathing. harsh and labored
sound. He stepped quickly to the bed
and looked and tnen ran into the pass
ageand called loudly. "Enie, Enie,"
Frightening, terrible, aConizing. He
was kneelng on one side OF the bed,
Effie at the other. The extreme moment
was come to her that lay between them.
She was moaning. He Lowed his face
into his hands. The sound of her moan
ing was terrible to him. That inhap-
liant Of this her body had done its preL 4
aratlons and now stood at the door IN
the darkness, very frightened 1t wanted
to go back II had been very accus-
toned TO being here. II could not go
back. 1t did not want 10 shut the door.
The door was shutting. 1t stood and
shrank and whimpered there
Oh. terrible, Beyond endurance. ago
nizing. 1t was old Mrs. Perch that stood
there whimpering, shrinking. upon the
threshold Of that huge abyss, wide as
space dark as night. It was no spirit.
1t was just that very feeble Mrs Perch
with her fumhling hands and her NOV
ing lips. Look here. Young Perch would
never allow her even to cross a road
without him How in pity was she to
take this frightful step? lie twisted up
all his emotions into an appeal Of tre-
mendous intensity. Young Perch Come
here? Your mother Young Perch. come
hcre!'
Telling It. once, to Mona he said II
don't know what happened. They talk
about self hypnotsm. Perhaps it was
that. l know ] made most frighthful
effort saying Young Perch l had to.
I could see her--that poor terrified ming
Something had to be done Some one
had 10 go TO her. I. said it like In
n nightmare. bursting to get out Of It.
Young Perch. Come here Anyway.
there 1t is, Mona. ! heard them. It was
Imagination, Of course. But I heard
them"
He heard. Now then. Motherl Don't
be frightened. Here I am, Mother Come
on, Mother One step, Mother. Only
one. 7 can't reach you. You must take
just one step. Look, Mother. here's my
hand. Can't you see my hand1"
Now. Mother, I tell you It isn't. Do
Just trust me-. DO just come"
Il daren't. Freddie I can't, Freddie
| can't. can't"
You must. Mother. vou must. Look.
look, here I am. It's /, Freddie. Don't
cry. Mother. Just trust yourself entirely
to me. You know how you always can
trust me Look, here's my hand. Just
one tiny step and you will touch It.
know you feel III, darling Mother. You
won't any. any more, once you touch
my hand But can't come any nearer.
dearest. Yon must. You. All brave.
beloved Mother-now
He heard Efle's voice, "Oh, she's dead
She's dead"
Dead? He stared upon her dead face
Where was gone that mask? whence
had come this glory? That inhabitant
Of this her body. in net Of going had
looked back and its look had done this