doubled. At times, when
reason seemed trembling in the balance, he fancied himself hovering over
the battlefield where he had lain for hours suffering indescribable
agony; and looking at the ghastly faces of dead men in the moonlight! He
could see their white teeth showing in mocking grin and their glazed
eyes staring at him! Here and there were parts of bodies: a head in one
place, an arm and hand in another! Then he could see himself sitting
upon the ground amid thick bushes, and resting in his lap was a boy's
face, the eyes looking up into his in piteous appeal! How well he could
recall every moment of that half-hour of dumb anguish and the last fight
for life that dying boy had made! He could see the blood gush from his
lips at every breath drawn in desperate effort, and feel the tight clasp
of his hands and oh! the awful dread of coming death in his eyes! Then
the last earthly effort when the poor boy had, in gratitude at sight of
a pitying face, kissed the hand that killed him!

To Manson's keen imagination it seemed as if Fate had led him to this
horrible spot to go mad and die alone, tortured by remorse and despair.

As he sat by his one companion, the little fire, all that long night,
trying to fight back the imaginary horrors that menaced him, one
constant thought weighed heaviest upon his feelings, and that was that
some uncomprehended motive force was shaping his every action and
asserting itself more and more. What evil was in store for him, or what
fate was to come, was a greater burden than all the rest. How long that
night was no pen can describe, and when the first faint tinge of morning
light came, he felt that nothing in life was quite so blessed as
daylight. The fog was still thick, but the hideous darkness, with all
its terrors, was passed, and with the light came a bit of returning
courage. He had sipped from the cup of rum at times through the night,
but had felt no effect, and now he was faint from need of food. He
hunted the shore, where clams could be found, and securing a few roasted
and ate them. Then once more came the uncanny fascination of that cave!
He dreaded to go near it, and yet could not keep away. It was like a
voice calling to him that must be answered. But how to enter without a
light! Once more he thought of that keg, and going to the pile of
wreckage, found pieces of rope, and moistening one end of a bit in the
rum that was left in his cup, set it on fire. It burned slowly but