The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-11

= written, and threw down the pen in
disgust.
'sWhat Iimpelled me to use word
there that have not used for years?
How long is it since poor Dora Varian
: died? Three years, upon my word.
J How time fiesi 1t seems like last
week, and yet l know it is months since
have thought of her. But what is
that-does Miss Barrows play the
guitar?"
He leaned out of his window, for he
thought he heard low vibration like
musical string rapidly tuned. No, it
seemed in the room beside him. He
shook himself impatiently, murmured
something about taking cold, and then
went down stairs where Miss Barrows
was lounging in a chair in the sunset
glow. She gave him sleepy little
smile as he took the chair beside her;
the heat had silenced her for few mo-
ments. Fielding took the fan from her
hand and slowly piled it back and forth
until her closed eyes and regular
breathing suggested that she might be
entirely oblivious of his presence.
He surveyed her with a feeling of
something like aversion, in spite of her
beauty. There was no intelligence in
the heavenly clearness of her eyes, no
trace of thought on the brow that
seemed almost chiseled; the slip-shod
English that came from her full throat
in voice at times was unearthly sweet,
dismayed his fastidious ear. He slightly
pushed back his chair and thought of
one summer night when he had forgot
| 10 xryha
Varian and he paced down the garden
path, softly talking. Miss Barrows
stirred and Enclosed her eyes when he
| moved.
''Have you missed mep" she said
quietly, and again the guitar vibrated
on the air.
What was the matter with the girl?
Those were her eyes surely that he sat
gazing into aghast, and yet, where had
they caught that look of Dora Varian?
''Well," she said, with Doras own
smile, 81 have waited and watched, and
the time has come at last when can
see you with Lying eyes and talk with a
living voice. Yes, you are right. lam
Dora Varian."
A chill shook Fielding from head to
foot. What horrible hallucination was |
thisP Had his close application to
work crazed him at last, and was this |
the form his madness was to takeP Half |
timidly he touched her hand; it was
warm and soft as ever.
''You need not answer me Just now,"
she said, gently Withdrawing from his
touch. ''Let me explain to you first
how this came to pass. When died
told you should see you again, and
three long years have been beside you
day and night, trying to give you some
sign of my presence. Whenever you
thought of me l knew it, and tried to
tell you so, but all efforts only resulted
in some strange sound. 1 felt that you
heard it, for you always looked around
TO account for it in some natural way.
But oh, Mark, it is six months since 1
have entered your mind"
where is she-where is Miss Bar
rowsP" inquired Fielding, adapting
himself as one does in some grotesque
dream.
Sleeping, and so can be with you.
Shall l come againP"
'Amyr' called the mother from the
house. The girl in the chair, whoever
she might be, closed her lids for mo- t
ment, and when they opened Miss Bur- {
rows made some f1ippant remark about
her nap, with a disregard for grammar !
and vowel sounds that kept Fielding in |
rritated silence. She gave him CO. i
4uettish tap with the fan she snatched a
rom him, and ran into the house.
Fielding slowly followed her and per-
'uaded himself that he had been asleep o
90.
But as he learned her ways better, II
Ind knew that she had habit of Sleep a
ng away most Of her afternoons on the N
title hair-cloth sofa in the cool parlor, Il
lie was obliged to confess to himself h
With a sort of horror that she led two O.
ives, for which he could make no ac- h
AS surely as he found himself p
eside her when she lay sleeping, so W
urely would she wake and look at him IL
With Dora Variants eyes, and talk to p
i'm with Dora Variants tones blending +,
trough the different voice of Amy sc
'arrows. Sometimes they took long al
Talks into the woods beyond the vii al
age, and Fielding began to find the "
Id facination of Dora's conversation W
nd manner intensified into some ell
range, new feeling by the charm of IS
lultless beauty. He lost the uncanny IL
ensatiors she gave him at first, and in n!
is enforced idleness was rapidly learn l
e to look forward to the hours when "a
lie exquisite casket should be occupied pc
7 the fitting gem. ne
When she left it the other occupant
turned to it Supremacy unconscious of
hatever might have taken place dur LII
her absence from herself. ~,
Before many weeks went by, Field wi
g became aware that he was deeply hi hi,
love with the mysterious other part ~.
Amy Barrows' existence. He tried 7 -
first to believe that it was simply the NV NV
feet of her physical loneliness, but me-
as forced to give up that theory, re-,
cause as herself sine was not only I'M Iar
teresting, but was actually becoming of
pulsive, for all her beauty. %
The sunset is like that one when we co,
st met here, said Dora, as they came 30,
ok after one of those walks that Amy no,
ght wake where she fell asleep. orc
II wish it could last foreverl" cried b.;
Gliding, paSsionately. ssDora. don't