Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-18

at On upper WINDOW Wendtpg stocking u
the Light Of candle st on the sill The
flame hardly moved In the heavy air; It
lighted UP her fresh Young face, her yellow
braids Of hair and busy banda SO she had
sat many night before, so she would SIT for
many night to come; but I-tae thought
passed through my rainA-should have no
consciousness Of her. For between her and
me it would Be always night
l fingered remember, en- the bridge; it
was one Of these hours becoming rarer with
every day OF travel, that hold in them sonne
realization ct fresh and strange Impressions
The town clocks were striking 10 as l made
my way back to the inn l had left book
in the room where had dined, and I went
to fetch it before going up stairs to bed The
Young EnglisAmsn WIGS stu there, seated In
the chair where / had left hum. Had he
never novedf could not tell, but he was
not now aloua A young girl stood opposite
to him leaning against o wooden press, her
head thrown back, kcr arms folded under q
long colored apron that she wore over dark
blue gown knew the girl by sight; once
she had waited on me at table, once or twice
had seen her gathering fruit In the garden;
she seemed 10 have 20 fixed service in the
house, but to make herself useful as occa-
sion required Without much beauty, some
thing singular IN her appearance drew at
tention- She was brown faced girl, with
masses of sun faded brown hair, and sleepy
blue eyes that had trick Of opening sud-
denly 70 accompany sudden smile which
revealed two rows OF small white teeth;
otherwise her expression WIS sullen and
rather scornful So much l had noticed,
paying little heed to her, however, as she
came and went about her work Her pres
ence In the room now surprised me. She
was speaking as came in, but ended or broke
off abruptly on my entrance, and stood as I
have described her, leaning against tho
wooden door of tho press. She shot q glance
at me from her half closed eyes as 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.
II tell you he said, facing her and speak
ing with a certain vehemence, 'tyou have
nothing to do in the understanding. Keep
out Of il"
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 1t was
no affair of mine. l took my book and
quilted the room, leaving her standing there
with her folded arms. At the foot OF the
stairs | met my acquaintance, the waiter.
''Who is that girl" said, describing her.
81 have seen her several times about the
house"
"You mean Lottea" said the old man
"Have nothing to do with her, young sir;
she is bad one. The master took her in out
of charity, but tomorrow she leaves. There
lie cha El-aS hatta m, cato tba
young men who come here to quarrel about
her. There have been two duels fought al
ready in the twelvemonth she has been in
the house. No great harm done, to be sure;
but the master won't have It, and 90 to-raor-
row she goes. He has found her placs
where there will be no young 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 ono Of
them to take her part. When the mischief is
done she rubs her hands Oh, I've seen her
at it, 1 know her ways. No, no, she'll come
TO no good wherever she is"
A bell rang and he left me. I made my
way up stairs to my own apartment on the
second floor. At an open window in the pas
sage, L saw the young Epslishn1an standing
and gazing out into the darkness. He started
at my approach and preceding me rapidly
along the corridor, opened the door and dis
appeared within the bed room next my own.
l heard a bolt drawn as passed and match
struck, and saw him no moro.
was tired, and although the night was
oppressive, fell almost at once into uneasy
slunbers. l woke again restless with the
heat. The room was perfectly dark; struck
my repeater; it was nearly o'clock in the
morning My window stood open, and
could hear the even, temperate sound Of
heavy summer rain; the lowering cloud was
descending in a steady downpour. / got up
and CROPPED my way to the window, hardly
visible as a square OF fainter black open
ing from the blackness within. A church
clock struck the single stroke of the hour; it
was answered by another and another; then
far OF like an echo, chime from some hid
den village in the hills. Moist odors rose
through the darkness from earth and herbs
and leaves III the garden below; the damp
and odorous GOODNESS, the steady sound Of the
rain refreshed and Gained me. I was re-
turning to bed with better prospect Of
Sleep than before when my attention was ar
rested by . noise in the adjoining apartment.
a door communicating between the two
rooms made it easy for sound to psss from
one to another; it was a sob heard now
yet less SOB than kind Of shivering moan,
as from some creature trapped and held by
mortal anguish. It came again and again;
listened until listening became impossible
The room was occupied, as l knew, BY my
young compatriot; recalled his pale and
desperate looks sople few hours before, and
lighting a candle, dressed hastily and went
out into the empty corridor. A streak of
Light shone below the door Of the neishbor-
ing apartment knocked quietly and
waited.
My knock was quiet, ss befttsd the silent
hour; but that it was audible to the occupant
of the room was Immediately apparent. I
heard chair pushed back. with o movemeut
as of some one suddenly stringing 70 his feet;
then silence. knocked cggn- This time q
footstep crossed the floor, the bolt
was withdrawn. the door was opened an inch,
then thrown back entirely; the young Eng
lish1nan stood before me.
He was dressed as had seen him the pre-
vious evening, except that be had removed
his necktie end exchanged bis boots for
slippers In bis baud he held q candle that
feebly lighted mp the sporely furnished room,
the bed standing in dusky corner, tho
painted wardrobe aud half dozen chairs the
small table set near the window. It ulu-
mined his white face also, aud hair hanging
loose and damp over his forehead There
Was something disheveled and miserable In
his whole appearance, and q scared look In
his eyes as they met mine that made mo
hastan to explain my appearance there.
~ beg your pardon" l said, "for IN
truding at this hour. but feared you might
be i'll wanted to know If l could be Of