Henderson daily dispatch., 1938-01-06

facing death, and what did all the
things matter which had meant
so much to me a little while ago :?
Nothing really mattered now but
Mimi and my father, and the men,
ory of my mother. And what
would my death do to Mimi, if it
came? She would be free-free
to marry Andy.
That was my first despicable
thought of her-and then, thank
God, saw her by my hearthstone,
steadfast in the midst of the chaos
which had threatened us. With a
clairvoyance which comes, perhaps,
at such moments, 1 believed in her
love for me, as I had not believed
since the day that Andy had
learned the truth; and we had said
those unforgettable things to each
other. The barrier had been of
my own making, not of hers. I
had erected it by my unbelief-
and she, wise as women are, had
known.
I would live to tell her. Death
should not claim me until had
told her. Desperately, I raised
myself on my elbow and shouted.
MY voice returned to me, hooking
l. y. nv lo@ now was numb, the
blood seemed to be slowly CONCEAL
ing in my veins. IF I lost con-
seriousness my last chance would
be gone.
Again looked at my watch. It
was after six. Mimi would at last
be wondering if had returned to
the farm. She might, at this very
moment, be telephoning to the
men. They would be starting out.
A fire would guide them.
With sudden energy, I tore up
great handfuls of the dried and
brittle grasses, put a match to
them, and flung them down on the
two trees. There was a hiss as
the snow melted, sharp crackle
as the branches caught, then a
bright banner waved against the
blackness of the night. I felt it's
eat-stretched out my hands.
The light cut wide circle in the
shadows. Under it the snow was
pink, a great rock was bathed in
gold, the trunks of the trees were
like pillars of ebony.
Thus, was our Christmas tree
again illumined. Not with the
holiday glitter of silver balls and
tinsel chains, but as a flaming
beacon!
For a moment my mind was
free from all distress, the warmth
was comforting, hope was in my
heart, high up on the hills that
banner would be seen and help
would come.
I think after that I fell into
sort of stupor. I fancied I sat by
my own hearth, and warmth came
from it; that Mimi and I talked
together, and told her all that
had been in my mind.
I opened my eyes, at last, to find
the fire had died down to steady
glow, which lighted the aisles be-
tween the ebony pillars, so that
the whole scene was like the set
ting of play. Then, against that
background, showed, suddenly, a
sinister shape. It swept silently
towards me, revealing, on near ap-
proach, a bushy tail, pointed nose,
eyes that were mere Sits of liquid
green.
The fire halted the creature for
a moment, but it skirted the fire.
tried to rise, but fell back. I
shouted, but the sounds I made
seemed faint and hollow. I reached
for my knife, and could not get
at my pocket. I shielded my face
with my arm, as I felt, finally, the
impact of the great body.
I thought then that the end had
come. What chance had against
this painting brute and the others
which would follow? Again, 1
tried to get at my knife, and,
thank God, I could not. for at that
moment there rang in my ears a
glad bark which was never BORN