The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-08-07

il the words were forced out OF her, her
big eyes wide open, and looking as if a
light had suddenly gone out behind them
as she stared into my face.
APRIL II.
The more l see OF her, the more she
perplexes me, and the more / think of
her Indeed, / keep thinking of very lit
tie else these times, and try to clear my
head by writing as much down as l can.
There is little salon in this hotel where
no one ever sits, though it is supposed TO
be for the use of pensionnaires. told
her was very lonely by myself all the
long evenings, and ] asked her would she
come there after dinner and talk to me.
| asked her that the second day after |
spoke to her in the street, and she said she
would come.
1t is dark little hole of a room, with
nothing in it but a table and hard little
red veivet-covered sofa and two or three
chairs; and all the garcon would do for
me to make it more cheerful was to light
a couple of feeble flares of gas in the
chandelier thing overhead.
II think | might as well say here that
the day l met her was the last on which L
went to the doctors. | was tired of it.
had lost faith somehow-if ever had
any-when they said that had come too
late. do not believe there is thing
that ails me- 1t was as likely Shaun's
teeth that tore me as the other dogs.
Anyhow, will leave that fact to be found
out by the practical test of time.)
had been waiting in the little salon,
and was thinking of her all the time,
but did not hear her enter the room.
She came lightly in, and the first l knew
was another face reflected beside my own
-. -. -,
where I was standing. Il was a bad glass
that gave everything a blue-green tone.
It looked like drowned woman that saw
in it.
She had on long curous-looking white
gown, with black and gold and red en-
bordering on it, She saw me look at 1t
as turned round and spoke to her.
"That is our Slavish embroidery" she
said, without taking any notice of what L
said to her; you seem to me, monsieur,
a very injurious person. This is now the
third or fourth time that we have spoken
to each other, and yet you have asked me
neither my name nor my nation; but [
will tell them to you. MY name is Zdenka
Vorschak and my country is Hungary. /
am Slav." She sat down as she spoke,
on the sofa by the wall; what light there
vas was full on her face. "And you p
she said.
had known her name we'll enough
but had waited for her to tell it to me
herself. Now / answered the latter half
of what she had said.
Il am Irish, mademoiselle, and my
name is Pierce Cormac."
"You speak French very well. Have
you been long in Parish"
al have been here before, but not for
I 70 fhfz hofal a
week ago"
"You have only been here, chez Pas
teur, for a week? Then, when did il hap
penn"
did not at first understand her.
"Happen?" l repeated stupidity, and !
looked at her face for explanation.
Her eyes were fixed on my right hand,
where the marks of the dogs teeth were
still plain enough, for he had given me
an ugly cash. Then it flashed on me what
she was driving at. and / began to tell her
how had been bitten. AS l spoke, my
story became fuller and fuller. / told of
my life up to the day on which its current
had been so unexpectedly changed.
told her everything that l have written
here, and more, being held to speaking,
and compelled TO say all that was in my
heart-yes, and more than had thought
was thereby the stress Of her strange
eyes. l felt almost giddy, as if l were
looking into changing water, and it was
not until l had finished speaking that l
could take my gaze on; OF hers.
Then | saw how much paler she was
than she had been when first she came
into the room.
81 have tired you, mademoiselle," I
said anxiously; my story has been too
long and tedious"
She did not mind what said.
''There is something still that you have
not told me-" she said eagerly; "what was
the day on which this happened? ?"
81 thought had told you the 18th of
March, in the afternoon. | have always
been quite sure of the date, as it CHANGED
to be my birthday"
She looked at me as il she scarcely be-
lieved what | said.
"Mon Dieul this story becomes very
amusing" she said, with q little laugh
'that DAY with the unlucky number is
also my birthday. / wonder if there are
any other points of resemblance. What
was he like, par exemple, this dog who
attacked yours? The dog who" She
stopped without ending her sentence.
''He was big gray brute" ] answered,
''brindled, with bluish-white eyes that had
black centers TO them no larger than an
oat."
Her whole expression changed while
was speaking; there was nothing but fear
in her face now.
"Holy Jesu!" she said, in low voice,
as if she had forgotten / was there. at
was the same; that was what he was like
the creature who attacked me. | saw
him running" she went on in the same
frightened whisper. running, a little
speck on our broad. white road; and then
he was close to me. could hear his gasp
ings; l could see his eyes like pale flames !;
it was the same, tell you" she cried
wildly: she was a devil; on the same dav
he destroyed us both; We shall both
die -"
She was standing up now, shaking from
head to foot, and moving her hands in a
way that somehow helped me to picture
what she was describing. / took them
both in mine, meaningto lead her back TO
the little sofa where she had been sitting.
They closed on nv hands with nervous
pressure that sent thrill through me.
'DO you feel III" she whispered, cit is
burning as If there were teeth of fire in it.
You can not see it, your hand covers it.
IL was my right hand also that he tore /;
but you can feel it, you can feel it in your
own"
Her voice broke off with a little sigh,
and felt her hold of my hands slacken.
had never seen woman faint before,
having had but little to say to them one
way or the other, and did not know what