The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1925-07-23
THE BURGLAR
FROM
HEAVEN
By JENNIE M. CHENERY
70 by Short Story Pub. Coz

AASoo wac oo ihtShoSb oo piChSAh6S bhos
he felt like one who. in horrid night
mare, Is hurled suddenly over the
brink Of precipice and. by fash Of
blasting thought, knows himself to be
face to face with doom.
1t was not only that the darkness Of
night had yelled the earth for time
from mortal view-far blacker were
the grim shadows that enveloped Da-
vid's soul, shutting him of forever
from love and happiness. For he was
blind.
At first he would not believe the
dread verdict Of the great specialist.
He had listened, as In dream, to a
learned discourse about brain fever,
paralysis of the optic nerve, and other
technical phrases, but hope had died
hard, and not until today had he &C
cepted his fate as final. BY miracle,
only, could his sight be restored.
The news had, in measure. stunned
him. To be sure, he vaguely compre-
hended that he would be obliged to ad-
just all his life-methanism to this
strange and terrible condition of at
fairs. But tonight he was not think
ing of the ordinary details Of existence
which he must now learn to master In
the slow, helpless way Of the blind. 1t
was the deep agony Of blasted love,
of dying hope, with which he wrestled
as with a mortal foe, praying and
struggling alone in his despair, calling
upon his Maker for strength to COM
plete the last great act Of renuncia-
ton.
Constance, Constance he groaned.
"why are you so faithful? 1t would be
easier-far easier-if you would scorn
me now, worthless creature that am"
and yet, in his inmost heart, there
was a CLEAN Of comfort in the knowl-
edge that Of her own free will the
woman he loved would never give him
up.
For him love had bloomed with such
rare and matchless beauty that all the
earth had been bright with its daz-
zling glory. Before Constance came
into his life he had never cared much
for women, and now, in this hour Of
crushing tragedy, his frantic, over
wrought mind sought vainly for solu-
tion Of the great mystery Of love-
Why should the world be transformed
into a paradise because Of woman's
smile, and as suddenly changed to
dreary purgatory when the hand of
fate drops the black curtain of sepa-
ration, forever severing two faithful
hearts!
The fearful chaos which reigned IN
his mind obliterated, for the time bN
ing, all sense of his surroundings.
Time had no value. A distant bell SOL
EMMY counted the hour Of ten; he
heard, but needed not. Moments came
when he was almost mastered by the
temptation to accept the sacrifice SO
freely offered, to clasp in his the ten
der hand that would lead him with
loving patience over the rayless fields
Of life. Then again he despised him
self for harboring such thought.
Never-never would he be guilty of
such selfishness-and, even as he pom
dered, again the lingering notes Of the
bell tolled off another hour that had
passed into eternity.
One by one the moments glided by,
but with their passing there came a
change in David's mental condition.
Gradually a wondrous sense Of exulta-
ton crept over his troubled mind, as
If the overruling power had whis-
pered words Of peace and strength.
The mantle Of doubt and hesitation
fell away from him, and he was
clothed in the shining robe Of right
eous resolution. It would be drinking
to the dregs the bitterest draught Of
life, but he was ready now to drain the
cup-alone.
AS he rose from his chair-a con-
querer-the deep-voiced guardian Of
the night proclaimed, in stately meas
ure, the mystic hour Of twelve.
For the first time David was con-
scious of the deathlike silence that
reigned about him. The servants
rooms were in another part Of the
house and, even If any Of them were
still moving about, the noise could not
penetrate to the study. His mother
and sister had retired to their rooms
hours before. They had begged to sit
with him, thinking in the depths Of
their loving hearts, that they might be
Of some comfort to their boy" on this
terrible evening when he walked with
despair, but in the extremity OF his
anguish he had longed for solitude, to
fight his battle out to the bitter end
with no eye to witness his sufferings.
He had even dismissed his own at
tendant, Logan. saying that he would
waken him If necessary. The faith
full fellow had gone away, reluctantly,
tn his bedroom, small apartment
which opened into David's dressing
room, and peace had reigned supreme,
except in that one troubled heart, fac
Ing the bitterness Of death.
Now, az the deep notes of the great
bell swung through the silent night,
great longing fell upon him for the
he