The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-05-14

Of desperation. ! went 10 my room and
dressed myself. leaving not the slight
est trace u my presence there. Assur-
Ing myself that not q card or a slip Of
paper was left ~ a clcw 70 my identity.
took my boots In my hand and crept
noiselessly down the stairway.
''Whcn | reached the door beyond
the court | shrank back In dismay. I
had forgotten IL would be locked and
barred. ! entered the apartment where
had been entertained the night before.
hoping to find a window unbolted.
TO my surprise ! heard voices and per-
ceiyed a light emanating from the
room adjoining. Tho door between
was slightly ajar. walked breath
lessly across the room and peeped
through the creyice.
Horrors Of horrors. What did see
therep The fine. courtly old gentle
man Of the night before seated nj q
faro table, surrounded BY q motley
crowd. and my fine Young lady. the
brilliant. sweet-yoiced enchantrcss Of
the dinner table, dealing out faro
blanks opposite!
1T was enough. / turned away,
realizing that | was in New Orleans l
had gotten into one Of the worst dens
Of the French city, and the beautifu,
creole was probably one Of the motor
ious characters | had so often read of.
mo wonder my blood ran cold.
What If could not escape? These
were desperate characters. with whom
! could not cope. The outlook was
terrifying.
II tried each window cautiously.
They all resisted my efforts to raise
them; all but the last-that yielded a
little. struggled nightly. with the
strength Of despair. In doing so my
hand touched a spring which I had not
perceived before. In an instant the
window was pushed up noisclessly and
with a stealthy bound l leaped
through, landing unhurt on the ground
a few feet below.
s'But what to do next? There was
that wall. surrounded by its rows of
sharp nails. 1t would have been mad
ness 70 have attempted To scale it. The
gate was barred and fastened with q
heavy chain. / could not cry out for
assistance; that would have meant GER
tain death from those desperate, dark
browcd men ut the faro table. What
should do, Again the cold drops OF
moisture dampened my temple. Twas
frantic. What should | do?'
John stopped in his narrative and lit
the cigarette Eugene had handed him a
little while before.
What did you do?" Eugene was
impatient Of the delay. He leaned for
ward anxiously. His own cigarette
had gone out. He had forgotten it in
his absorbing interest.
Eyes, what did you do?" Nell re-
pcatcd the question with a terrible
anxiety in her brown eyes. Her Ken
sington lay UNDECIDED on the floor. her
elbows rested on her knees. one hand
supporting her dimpled. eager face.
Her breath came short and fast. She
awaited the sequel with svmpathizing,
anxious eyes.
''Why"-John gave an energetic
puff at his Cigarette auoke."
Eugene sank back in his chair and
Nell collapsed physically and mentally.
up her work with q Disguised
air.
sold. by Jove!'' exclaimed Eugene.
after a pause, looking admiringly at
his friend. 1T is the best sell Of the
season."
''Oh. you horrible wretch cried
Nell. when she recovered her breath;
and so 1t was all a drcam?"
Yes answered John, coldly. II
awoke in room los, at the st. Charles.
Smith asking me if | mistook him
for a brick wall OF a lamppost. that l
pounding him so vigorously
Nell did not seem to care much fol
the sell so long as the beautiful creole
had proved a myth. The story had
awakened her consciousness a little,
and she seemed a little shyer Of John
for several days afterwards. But | am
happy to say that she was a sensible
girl. and when John asked her II she
loved him for '.Eugene's sake"
she answered. candidly NO" Thus
same the sequel 10 Johns Story
Orleans Times Democrat.