The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-06-05

arrived there exactly at the appointed
hour.
1t had been thoroughly wet day, ,and
the rain had ceased so recently that the
pavements were still shining, therefore
there were very few people about.
ThurstoR lit cigarette, mentally decided
not to waste more than five minutes,
and then began to look leisurely about
him. H.N
As he did so, he became conscious of
the figure of a woman standing close
against the railings, watching him in
tently. She advanced straight up to
him as his glance met hers, and accosted
HIM.
Are you Jack?" she inquired, alb
ruptly.
eyes," replied Thurston, recklessly.
They were standing beneath a street
lamp,th light from which fell full upon
his face, while hers was in shadow. He
could see, however, that she was a
young lady, quietly and decently dressed.
She scrutinized him for few minutes
in silence, during which Thurston, un-
able to control his habit of of blushing,
turned uncomfortably red.
"Maggie?" he murmured interrogat-
lively, instinctively guessing that he was
some other person.
maggie can not come" said the
young woman shortly. 81 am her sister
Helen. Follow me-"
Thurston, completely taken aback by
this peremptory request, and hardly
realizing what had happened, followed
his companion without word. He was
naturally disconnected by this unexpect-
ed turn of events. lie had never de-
signed to personate "Jack;'his response
to the girls question had come almost
involuntarily to his lips. But having
once done, so, he resolved to wait and
see what would happen, impelled by an
adventurous spirit and the desire of
having a good story to relate at the club.
The girl silently led the way along the
Edgware road. She walked quickly,
with her head bent; but the brilliantly
lighted shops revealed that she was
deadly pale. After walking several
minutes without a word, Thurston began
to feel embarrassed, and he attempted
to utter some phrase of boyish galantry.
At the first word, however, the girl
stopped him.
Don't speak to me-" she said, in
voice trembling with suppressed emo
tion.
Young Thurston was so disconnected
that he had serious thoughts of disap-
pearing down side street. One thing
only was quite clear 10 him, aad that
was that the adventure he had embarked
upon was very different from ANYTHING
he had vaguely anticipated. The girls
appearance and manner precluded all
suspicion of lightness of character. Her
demeanor, indeed, impressed him with
feeling of solemnity He could not
for the life of him bring himself to ex-
plain that he was not the person he
had pretended. Youthful arkwardness
and sense of shame kept him silent.
At length his guide turned aside into
a mean narrow street, and stopped be-
fore one of the poorest houses. Thurs
ton, unfamiliar with the habitations of
The poor, forgot his embarrassment in
uncomfortable wonder and distrust.
At the top of the highest nght-the
highest story, in fact-the girl laid her
hand upon the handle of a doorway and
then paused. She lifted tn. candle
which she carried, and gazed scrutiniz-
ingly at Thulston.
summon up your courage" she
said, sternly, yet with a mocklng note
in her voice. 'Do not be afraid"
The girl conducted him into small,
miserably furnished;room, with a slop-
ing roof. One end of it was partitioned
off with a curtain. Thurston. staring
abou, him curiously, had barely time TO
notice these details before his compan-
ion, advancing to the curtain drew il
aside.
Look hcrer she said.
1hurston started, and then, with an
involuntary exclamation, took step
backward; for there, upon narrow
bed, lay what he first imagined to lie
waxen figure. 1t was the dead body of
a young girl. A child, almost, with
delicate features and masses of golden
hair, which streamed upon the pillow
and over her shoulders. The poor
creatures remains had evidently been
arranged with a view to picturesque
effect. The thin, waxen hands were
folded upon her breast, which bore
cross of flowers. The tableau--a trile
morbid and theatrical, perhaps-was
nevertheless strikinGly beautiful and
touching.
Poor young Thurston was appalled,
and Mortified. He was but lad, and
had never yet seen dead person. The
sublime serenity of death-sleep was
never more impressively manifest than
in the motionless face of this dead girl. |
He gazed with a sort of terrified fascin-
alton, and the spectacle, combined with
the painful shock of surprise, made him
turn white and faint.
His companion-the girl Helen
meanwhile stood gazing at him with an
expression Of relentless severity The
veins in her hand, which clutched to
the curtain, stood out, blue and livid,
and her eyes glared speechless indigna-
tiOn.
That is why Maggie could not
come" she said at length, slowly. |
''She is dead, as you see. It was by
her wish that / brought Won here She