The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-05-23

| oSi'y
week?'
named the sum.
81 will give you that, and insure you
. against losing any situation if you will stay
here few weeks. | don't want you t.
work expect to be helpless long while
Will YOU stay here, and when one whom
expect shall come, will you receive him ano
keep him secreted in the house until he Cal
get away?"
hestated The proposition was SC
strange that could not at first say any
Thing. was inclined to refuse and he
: saw it.
''You offered to help the sick old man, y
he said, ironically, but when he proposes
the only way in which you can do so-a
simple innocent wsy-you retreat
'|lf retreat it is because | fear it is not
! innocent exclaimed, Indignantly.
He smiled for the first time, aud in such
q way that knew he did not think less OF
me for that exclamation.
''But swear to you that what | ask OF
you is entirely innocent. he said, with
earnestness Gould ask girl to do what
was not?"
looked at him and felt that he spoke
1.-THE truth-and there vas something III his
request so strange as to be rather attractive
THAT person whom you expect ls not a
criminal asked.
s.Never' he said, with indignant fire
flashing in his eyes.
Then will stay" replied rising to
return to my lodgings
"And you will be silent?" he asked, de-
tanning me with glance. | promised, and
went down stairs, letting myself out alone,
and hurried across the wet street. 1t was
now dark and the street lamps were shin.
ing in at my room. IN. ~
| thought | had done very curious
thing, but [ did not feel that | had done
wrong one put my room to rights, con-
scioas of an exhilerating interest very diff
ferent from the stagnant indifference that
had been mine SO long.
| felt that | was to be surrounded for a
while with slightly mysterious influences,
but no premonitory fate warned me how
completely my destiny was to be chan
ged, how the next few weeks were to write
on my life, characters whose force would be
felt in all my after years.
The servant, Maggie, had Lighted fire
in room for me when | went back. She |
was overjoyed that was to be there, and
seemed throw off her melancholy at once. |
though she was very quiet and subdued.
My duties, after a day or two, were rath-
or iIksorne and fatiguing, though there was
a peculiar interest i'll them.
There was rear entrance to the house
which Maggie was not allowed to penetrate.
1t was reached by narrow passage through
part of the building, and the walk from
the house door was protected by high
board fence, with gate always locked
1t was at this entrance that | should
some day fluid the unknown, aud close was
the watch l was obliged to keep. There
wassa bellwire extending from the outer
gate to Mr.. Geralds' room, but now that he
could not move, it was l who was to an-
sWer that summons
My room was directly over that of the
old man, aud knew the taintest tInkle of
that expected ring would reach my ears. |
used to read to him great deal and | sat I
in my own room and wrote, feeling vague
excitement all the time.
had not been there week, when one
night, as | sat late to finish an article. for
magazine, for once forgetting that for
which waited, the bell below rang family,
but still distinctly.
The pen dropped from my fingers, all idea
of my story lied.
sped down stairs and tapped at Mr.
Geralds' door, and opened it. He raised
his head, white, luminous excitement On
his face.
'.Do not come here" he cried ego down
and let him in! o why cannot mover"
| needed no second bidding. | ran down,
and through the dark passage, opening the
house door, and letting in soft white ra-
dance of moonlight as | did so. | walked
slower toward the gate, for my heart throb
bed very uncomfortaby. gained an ap-
pearauce of composure before undid the
bolt. A tall, heavily cloaked figure await
ed the opening of the door. | had glimpse
of dark hair and beard. lie started some
what as he saw me, and drew back slightly,
invoIuntarily touching his hat as he bowed.
''It is a mistake, | think, will go on, !"
he said, in q voice of melodious respect.
''i do not think it is mistake" | re-
piled. 'srhis is the house of Mr., Geralds,
but he ia i'll and could not come down"
''My father iII2" he exclaimed, stepping
in quickly, his cloak falling as he did 30,
and revealing a swarthy straight featured
face, with eyes of intense darkness.
He looked at me swiftly, and, though l
could not be offended by that glance yet
felt faint blush sweep up and subsde.
81 will conduct you to him" | said turn
ing toward the house.
''He has wanted to gee me?h he said, with |
suppressed eagerness, as we CROPPED through |
the dark passage.
''He has been very impatient" | replied |
''He is not very il-he can't be that?'
His voice had tone of anxious pain that
called forth a response in my own heart
| Whatever this man was, felt sure he was |
good son.
"a kind of paralysis believe said.
We were now at Mr.. Geralds' door,
''This is your fathers room," and l went
up stairs leaving him to enter. For long
/ time lay awake, hearing the murmur of
voices from below, but at last slept and
dreamed constantly of vague, distressful
things.
1t was very early when l awoke, but l
felt that must rise and dress Immediately.
had hardly done so before Mr.. Geralds
bell rang for me- and entered his room to
find him propped up with pillows, his face
radiant, his eyes shining and fixed on his
son who sat in an easy chair close by the
bed The full blaze of the gas was upon
his figure, and, though sustained by some
excitement, saw in that form the languor
of rwhelming fatigue; his eyes dropped
YEARLY, his hands hung listIessly by his
side.
''Take Randolph to the north room, will
your" said the old man; land if you would
be SO kind as to carry him some breakfast
without Maggie knowing anything about
him. You do not consider 1t menial?' he
asked, almost pleadingly.
Certainly not" l replied, with a gaze of
the son upon me, and feeling desire to
avert my face, though could not. There
was something so penetrating, and yet so
J full of soft splendor, in his gaze that had
a nameless power over me; while it was