Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-26


or The middle-court windows-a landing win
dow. as knew-whlch looked out TINS way:
ana resumed the chase forthwith. But m
successfully. Long before reached the Ian :
Lbg, tne person was In quest or had disap-
peared again; must try the other sratrc ase5
ana In this court there were eight OF them;
WINE was occupied with one, he might be
mounting one OF those which 1 mad explored:
and so on al inHhftu1n!
oWeyer. 1t was clearly my duty to persevere
FIRST. took the remaining seven statrcases IN
numerical order. Then | tried the alternate
numbers. Then 1 started With the corners 90
poSlte TO each other, and worked out a gaonet-
Iical 1gure OF some fntricacy. But all with the
same results; make what speed / would, uo-
stairs or down stairs, cutting Off corners aud
awaiting myself OF bywayS and short cuts the
mysterious visitor still eluded me. Often Il
caught sight OF him, or fancied did 50; but
long before could ascertain the fact, he had
again vanished. Baffied and breathless ar last.
sat down on one OF the bottom stairs, 10 shear
had hardly done so before recouected that,
all this time, the college gate was standing
VIDE open. returned and closed 1t, drawing
OF nothing better to do decld ID on returning TO
my own room. AS passed through the centre
court again | fancied that heard low chuckle
from an open window above me. Nothing
was visible, however, ana as 1 was too faJiguai
Tor any more hlde-and seek work left the en-
envy In possession, and slowly rem 0unted my
own staircase.
AS reached the landing below my room. I
was surprised by seeing broad stream blight
Issuing from the latter. GA quitting it, 6ai
closed the inner door, leaving the oak" or
outer door, open; now, the inner door was open
Also Was the nocturnal intruder there after
all? and. II so. what was his motive? Hepokad
respectable In the monentary glance ha1 oo-
tanned; something OF military air about him.
noticed; but he might be burglar for ali
that-prObably was, and, as likely as not. with
brace OF revolvers In his possession.
am not specially wanting in courage, and,
at all events, l determined to face the az sres"
sor; but, as | climbed the remaining stairs
had sensation very much like an ice-caJaract
down my back l do not know that 1t aoated,
at least, not In the immediate moment, when,
In lieu OF the marauder l had expected to en-.
counter saw standing by my fireplace an ex-
9ulsitely fair girl, very young, but with fea-
tated, embodied, to my concentco. all that
was most lovely and pure In lCuN the most
absolute Innocence, the most delicatoly mould
ness; and, underlying all, and perceptibIa
even through their present trouble, an ire
presslbly mirtnful play OF eye and lio | had
no Idea that there were such creatures In the
world,
Still more to my surprise, If pos siole. the
young lady, on seeing me enter ran hurriedly
forward; almost threw herself into my arms,
comet" N'o
Now am not concelted man, and neyar
was; least OF all should have supposed nv
sell TO have any special attractiveness for the
fair sex: still, to be thus accosted by a visible
ana tangible angel did rather startle me. Not
wholly out OF my propriety, fortunately. Hi
lt been Hopktnson, who was ent1ced out to
nelghDortng market town, and stood there by
the pump for three hours in a drenchne rain.
On the allegation OF the rector's daughter having
fallen In love with him, 1t Is hard to say what
might not have happened. Being myself |
stopped short OF utter insanity; and. In the
next moment, the illusion, such as it was, was
dispelled.
II am so glad some one has come continued
my visitor. My poor father! Oh! do ind him
Tor me! What shall do?"
led her to the sofa, and implored her to
calm herself and tell me how could assist her.
was IL her father whom had seen come into
The college hall an hour barore?"
Yes" she said 81 was too late to prevent
him. It Is such sad story. Our name is
Pakenham. and my father was Captain in the
Indian service; but few years ago he had
brain fever from sun stroke which Obliged
hlm 10 give up the army; and now 1t comes on
again Ii he Is excited"
You think, then" asked "that he Is not
mean, that he Is suffering from one OF these
attacks at present."
,o Oh a,! yess she said; why should he have
strangers here; my poor father has nothing to
support US (ny mother Is deld) except what he
can make by painting; ne is beautiful artist,
the next exhibition. and fancy he must have
been working too hard
Had he seemed uncomfortable before th,s?n
l asked.
Eyes; all this morning 1 fancied there was
something wrong; then at half-past nine he
suddenly took up his hat and said ne was going
qut; ne wanted 10 get some moonlight effects
ran down stairs after him, but he walked too
last for me, and, just as | came to the end OF
this street, saw him go In ar the collece.oatp
followed as quickly as 1 could. but saw moth
Ing OF hio, and there was nobody 10 ask Al.
though heard footsteps upstairs somewhere
"fney were mine," said; Il was standing by
the gate when your father entered, an / followed
him also; did you not see me?"
mo, only heard the steps. came on az
lar as lnlS court, ana then l saw the light in
your windows, and-good heaven, what is
Uhat?" "
AS my companion spoke, the chanel hall
"hlch was an unusually loud and ShrtlI one.
SUDDEN J commenced tolliDg she started from
ner seat: is the bell going for service, or any
NO" said; "there 1s no one In the college
but myself O.
That must be my father them she said; 81
shall easily lind him now" she sprang for
ward, and, before was aware of her purpose
reached the door, which / had closed on en-
terlHg. Va
"Stop, stop" / cried; "take care: the banda
is loose on the other side; it is going to he
mended Tomorrow. Ii 1t comes Off -
But was too late The enameled knob came
on Wlth the nasty wrench she had given Ii,
nearly throwing her backward, while the sptn.
Ole or pin OF the latch, which was alta ,he1 To
the other handle, fell with 1t on the floor out
size. we were fast prisoners!
NotW outstanding her trouble, my comoanIon
burst Into an irrepreSsible 1T of laughter. in
which | Joined with equal heartInesS. But IG
Wasshortr lived; the bell continued tolIlng. an d
reminded us that something must be done. +
had no doubt that her surmlse as to her father
was correct; the bell was rung not from
the chapel itself, but from one of
the sta1rcases which adjoined 1t, and the un-
happy man, In his access of dellrlum, mu SC have
amused himself by pulling it.
"Do not De alarmed, said; "as you saw we
know now where your father Is, and we can
easily calm him down and persuade MIN to
come With u.s. A'--- w
But how are we to get at hlm?p said nv
VISITOR. VINO had been making strenuous hut
inenectual attempts meanwhile to force the
latch. -S' ''i0
And the question was more easily asked than
answered. applied every contrivance that In
tootn. prusn, square pieces OF stick-nothing
would DO; the latch refused to ACCOMMODATE
Itself TO any mechanism but one, and This Law
hopeleSsly on the floor outside. Ihe ONLY rem
edy was 10 force the door ITSELF But hog?
was pondering the means, when startling
change took place in the character of the bell.
mteriude. Tired, apparently, of the measured
sounds ne had been producing, the captain
suddenly qu1ckened his pace, With the result
technically known in college as .ssWearfng:n
"he," I. e. the bell, 'arn't begun to swear vet "
was the traditional reply OF bedmaker to
droWsy undergraduates. Peal after peal now
rang out like fire alarm, reVerberating
through Inc whole college, and doubtless for
miles round 1t. Nor was this all. Stimulated
by his success. and probably finding the per
forinance still too monOtOnous, the ringer I'M.
ported into 1t some elements OF tune The note
could not be varied, but the time and move.
ment could and the national anthem, with