The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-11-03

by the fafe lights reflected 6n lie
black surface. A belated barge camt
Swinging heavily down stream; its
lantern sending long yellow gleams
across the parting water; it passed
and was lost in darkness beyond.
Lights shone from the clustered
gables ef the darkling town, Gloss
at hand; on the river bank; q girl
sat at din upper window tnendiig q
stocking by the light Of d candle SET
On the sill: The flame hardly MOVED
In the heavy air; it lighted up hei
fresh young face, her yellow braids
of hair and busy hands, 50 she had
sat many a hight before; 90 she
would sit for fhany a night to come
but 1.-the thought passed through
my mind should have no t6nscience
of her. For between her and me 1t
would be always night.
l fingered, | remember, on the
bridge; it was one of those hours be
Coming raref With every day III tfa+s1
that hold In them s8me realization d
fresh and strange Impressions; The
town clocks were striking 10 as ]
made my way back to the inn: I haa
left a book in the room where l haC
dined, and l went to fetch it before
going upstairs to bed. The young
Englishman was still there, seated ir
the chair where had left him. Had
he he never moved? I could not tell
but he Was not how alone: A young
girl stood opposite to HIM, leaning
against d wooden press, her head
thrown back, her arms folded under d
long colored apron that she wore
over dark blue gown. | knew tht
girl by sightj once she had waited OH
me at table, Once Or twice had seefi
her gathering fruit In the garden
she seemed to have no fixed service
in the house, but to make herself use.
full as occasion required. Without
much beauty something singular ii,
her appearance drew attention. She
was brown-taced girl, with masses
of stn-faded brown hair and sleepy
blue eyes that had d trick of opening
suddenly to accompany d sudden
smile which revealed two rows o.,
small white teeth; otherwise her Ell:
preston was sullen and rather seorii.
full: So much 1 had noticed, paying
little heed to her, however, as she
came and went about her work. Hell
presence in the room now surprised
me. She was speaking as l came in,
but ended or broke off. abruptly on
my entrance, and stood as l have
described her. leaning against the
wooden door ofthe press. She shot
a glance at me from her half-closed
eyes as 1 took my book from the
table where had left it, but did not
change her position. The young
Englishman, on the other hand,
sprang to his feet.
81 tell YOU" he said, facing her and
speaking with q certain vehemence,
''you have nothing to do in the mat
ter-nothing. Keep out of II"
He thrust his hands deeper into his
pockets and swung out of the room.
The girl looked after him; l did not
like her look, but it was no affair OF
mine. took my book and quilted
the room, leaving her standing there
with her folded arms. At the foot OF
the stairs l met my acquaintance,
the waiter.
"Who is that girl?" / said, describ-
ing her, 81 haveseen her several times
about the house"
"You mean Lottel" said the old
man. "Have nothing to do with
her, young sir; she is a bad one. The
master took her in out of charity,
but tomorrow she leaves. There is
nothing she likes better than to set
on the young men who come here to
quarrel about her. There have been
two duels fought already in the
twelvemonth she has been in the
house. No great harm done, to be
sure; but the master won't have it,
and so tomorrow she leaves. He has
found her place where there will be
noyoung men to set by the ears. Oh,
/ know her ways; I've seen her at it..
She treats them like dogs till they
turn and insult her, and then she
gets one of them to take her part.
When the mischief is done, she rubs
her hands. Oh, I've seen her at it, l
know her ways. No, no, she'll come
to no good wherever she is"
A bell rang and he.left me. l made
my way up stairs to my own apart
ments on the second floor. At an
open window in thepassage Isaw the
young Englishman standing and
gazing out into the darkness. He
started at my approach, and preced-
ing me rapidly along the corridor
opened the door and disappeared
within the bed room next my own.
l heard bolt drawn as / passed and
a match struck, and saw him no
more.
Twas tired and, although the night
was oppressive, ! fell almost at once
into uneasy slumbers. Invoke again,
restless with the heat. The room
was perfectly dark; l struck my re-
peater, it was nearly 1 in the morn
ing. My window stood open, and |
could hear the even, temperate sound
of heavy summer rain; the lowering
cloud was descending in a steady
downpour. l got up and CROPPED my
way to the window, hardly visible as
a square of fainter black opening
from the blackness within. A church
clock struck the single stroke of the
hour; it was answered by another
and another; then far off, like an
echo, a chime from some hidden vii
lage in the hills. Moist odors rose
through the darkness from earth and
herbs and leaves in the garden be-
low; the damp and odorous GOODNESS,
the steady sound of the rain refreshed
and claimed me. l was returning to
bed with a better prospect OF sleep
than before when my attention was
arrested bya noise in the adjoining
apartment. A door communicating
between the two rooms made it easy
for sound to pass from one to an
other; it was sob / heard now-yet
less q sob than a kind of shivering
moan, as from some creature trapped
and held by mortal anguish. 1t
came again and again; / listened
until listening became impossible.
The room was occupied, as | knew,