St. Landry democrat., 1884-06-21

occupation but to await the coming uE
: of the water, and they were strangers
who had never so much as beheld each
other face by full daylight. The wind
and the water went sweeping by outside,
and in the house were ghostly sounds Of
doors and windows stealthily tried and
shaken.
"Had we not better go up to the at
tic while we can?" asked the man, by
and by.
She assented, and they went inward
to the dark core OF the house The inky
solitude below was full of creakings
and rustlings; above shone a square of
yellow light, revealing steep ladder.
/ A lighted lantern had been left for them
in the attic. together with food and
warm wrappings.
Il will fetch the 1antern,n said he
and swung himself quickly upward.
| She stood below, holding fast to the
side of the ladder His quick step
sounded above her head, the light shift
ed and frightened, she saw his face in
q quick illumination; then the light
whirled toward and beyond her, down,
down into the darkness and flashed
upon the stairs, Her breath stood still;
she had a sickening feeling of being
left alone. Assurance of her compan-
ions safety reached her. however, in
the form of an imprecation, checked,
indeed. but hearty. uttered about two
feet above her.
The handle of the lantern was loose, y
said he, as he came to her level. "T1
gozdown and fetch it up. = ss
'sNo, don't! it is too dark. Please
don't! let US go up"
She had found his arm in the dark
ness and held him back. In the dark
ness, which was much the blacker for
that brief interposition of light, they
made their way into the attic, and
crossing it carefully, afraid of the low
roof, afraid of unseen stumbling blocks,
afraid of returning upon the yawnino
aperture, made their way to the gray
square OF the window. Here they found |
a large box, upon which they sat down.
They spoke but little;, there were so few
things left worth utterance in. such an
hour as this. By and by, as their eyes
grew accustomed to the dimness. they
discerned the general character of their
surroundings. There was table
near them with food; there were boxes :
and bundles and a couple of old pict-
ures, brought up hither apparently i
when the tide began to rise. In the
middle lay the black square through
which they had made entrance; at the 4
TAR end rough heap of straw was dimly 4
and from this came rest
less cravings, scrapings and rustlings. f
causing the woman to shrink and shud-
der.
II suppose they are rats, she said
once, when the sounds grew louder. B
4 suppose so; do you mind very I
mo, if we could only see Them
Again for while they were silent,
learing the little sounds within and the b
'yer-increasing sounds without.
at last the man stood up, and pass !
ng his hand across his face, said: s'Oh, /
his is very cold-blooded! They used {
0 torture witches so, fixed to a stake, {
When the tide was coming up /
He moved to and fro impatiently and I
TODD still by che table. t
"gould you not eat something's" il
mo, thank you
de broke himself piece of bread, e
nd returning to the window, ate q few +
nouthfuls. He pushed open the lattice b
nd leaned out. In
The water was rising rapidly. and j.
'as already washing on the window of
le room below. He turned back to- a
ard her face ofdismay; hers as she
at within the room was not clearly G
lslble, but her attitude was calm and b
ndisturbed. He sighed, and came
ack quickly to sit beside her. But his
uletness was of short duration. He n
'kedt after "a few minutes: ''Would
gu not like to go out upon the roof? Il
le shall have to do il sooner or later.
adj | don't think we should feel quite II
} much imprisoned. in
oorP'' : ~ ~ ~
II don't think there is. Hooked lust W
wv; But can get up through the tn
the roof IS close aboye1and le
en- can help YOU &c
lie set his foot on the window-sill, Iw
I'd thrust his head and shoulders II
rough the narrow opening. stOh til
8, it is quite easy. But how it blows! til
9 had better have some of those
avis oh
She brought them and handed them W:
T, watched him draw himself up, and
en- mounted in her turn from box to he
knowledge, and, reaching her hands
ward, found herself lifted safely to liB
e summit.
The surge of wind and water was mt
'ritici her hat was blown away at
&c and she was blinded by her hair. bic
hen she had freed her face and drawn
her shawl over her head she was SD.
le to perceive that the roof was yo
med Of two long parallel gables, and to