Evening star., 1924-03-02

Ing Of going out further into the
He turned to her abstraetsdly. yet
endeavoFing 70 be courteous
"A wonderful country, Madann!" said
he; and so he fell again into his moody
staring out beyond the door.
After a time tho hostess OF the
a bed for him. but he lnotioned to
her to dexiSt.
F "It IL not necessary" said he. 81
have slept 50 much In the open that
It's rarely I used a bed at all sec
and is in the yard yonder. Ten sana
to bring my robes and blankets and
spread them hero on the floor, as l
always have them. That will answer
quite we'll enough. thank you"
found his way to tho cabin along the
"Come, mani" said Lewis Make
down my bed for mel am Ill. And
tell me, where is my powder? Where
are the bullets sy for my Pstos7 .os xa nfd I'd
be moro careful about these things?
And where is my rife POWDER The
canister Is here. but tits empty. Come,
come; must have better service than
Hut even as he chided the reniss-
ness Of his servant, he seemed to for
get tho matter in his mind. Presently
ne WAS again pacing apart, stopping
now and then to start out over the
II must have a place to write" said
he at length. 'T shall be awake for
a time tonight, occupied with business
matters Of Importance. Where L. MAJ
Nicely? Where are the other men? Why
have they not come up3 49,. .
these questions. but sullenly went about
the business OF making his master as
comfortable as he might, and then de-
parted to his own quarters, down the
hill in another building. The old
the other apartment, beyond the open
space OF the double cabin.
The soft, velvet darkness of night
in the forest now came on apace-a
night Of silence. There vas not even
tho whipperwiiI was stilled at that
season Of the year. II there We're
human beings awake, alert. at tnat
time, they made no sound. Merwether
Lewis was alone-alone in tho wilder
ness again. Its silence, It's mysteries,
drew about him.
But now he stood, not enjoying in his
usual fashion the familiar feeling OF
the night in the forest. the calm, the
He stood looking intently, as Il 10 ex-
pected some one-nay, indeed, as II
he saw some one.as If he saw a face
What face was II?
At last he made his way across the
room to tho heavy saddle case which
had been placed there. He flung the
lid open. and felt among the contents.
1t seemed to him there vas not 80
much within the case as there should
have been. He missed certain papers,
and resolved to ask Peria about them.
He could not find the little bags Of
coin which he expected: but he found
the watch, lying covered In corner
Of the case. He drew II out and, step
ping toward the Pickering candle,
opened 1t, gazing hxedly at the little
silhouette, cut round to fit in tho back
Of the case
It was a face that he hsd seen be-
fore-a hundred times he had gazed
thus at 1t on the fer western trails.
He bought the little portrait close
lips. No, he did not kiss the face OF
the woman who once had written to
him:
You must not kiss my picture, be-
cause I am in your power.
Nieriwether Lewis had won his long
fight, He had mastered the human
emotions of his soul at last. The
battle had been such that he sat here
now, weak and spent He sat looking
to him all these years.
There came into his mind some rsool-
lection Of words that she had written
to him once-something about the
listened. Yes, there was q sound com
ing family through the night-the
trickie Of a little brook in the raVine
below the window.
Always. he recalled, she had spoken
Of the sound Of water, saying that
az. - ,,,o,,IS t,1ot o,,t yoAp,nry-Aay.
ing that water would wash out Sec
rets, would wash out sins. What was
1t she had said? What was IL she
had written to him long ago! what
did 1t mean-about the water?
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 light
ed by its fare as he stood there, lean
ing out, listening.
It was then that his doom came to
him.
There came the sound Of a shot; 4
second: and yet another.
The woman in the cabin nearby heard
shsm clearly There Was no shs sound nHi' sro
tho other cabins. The servants paid
no attention to the shots. II they heard
them-and why should they not have
heard them? No one called out, no
one came running.
after time stepped timtdly 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.
as she approached the door. She saw
his face. white and hasgard and
stained. From a wound In the fore
head broad band Of something dark
fell across his cheek. From his throat
sSmssh.ns dark ssa WI was If, wealss; hr.ssana hs
his fingers were dark.
He was bleeding from three wounds;
bat still he stood and spoke to her.
"In Gods name, Madam" said he,
bring me water! am killed.
She ran away; she knew not where,
calling to the others TO como; but
they did not come. She was alone
Once more. forgetful Of her eerand.
incapable Of rendering aid. she went
back to the door.
the door and peered into the room. The
candle was standing, broken and gut
tering, on the floor. She could see
the scattered belongings Of the travel;
ing cases, empty now. Tho occupant
Of the room was Eone! In terror me
and covered In her bed.
Staggering, Eroping, his hands
strained 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 resolu-
ton OF his soul was bent upon one
purpose. He staggered. but still
stumbled onward.
It seemed to him that he had heard
the sound Of water. and blindiy. un-
consciously, he headed that way. He
antered 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