Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-07-19
stole subtly.

stole subtly.
Her ears, preternaturally sharpened,
caught every echo without-the distant
roar Of the sea against the low, red
cliffs, the sleepy chirp of bird in its
nest, the tinhle Of sheep bell in tar
meadow. Then, suddenly, an unwonted
sound made her start up with thrill of
something very like terror, though her
nerves were of iron.
A step, slow and stealthy, in the gar
den on the gravel; the noise Of the gate
latch being softly raised
She jumped out Of bed and ran to the
window. raising the blind cautiously and
peeping out at the side. What she ex-
pected to see she could hardly have told,
but what she did see almost stunned her
with surprise and bewilder1nent
A tail figure, apparently muffied in
long, black cloak, had just stolen out Of
the gate, and by the outline sharply de
fined against the moonlight Olive knew
1t to be Harold Darlington.
The light was too uncertain to see the
wig and beard; could she have done So
she would have been still more mystifed.
Her brain whirled as she strained her
sight to watch his movements What
could be his motive for thus leaving the
house stealthily in the dead of night?
With bare feet she stole quietly down
stairs and listened at the door Of Harold's
room. All was silent. Had he been in
it and asleep she could have heard his
breathing, FOR the head of his bed was
close to where she stood.
With heart beating to suffocation
she opened the door gently and looked
in. A flood of white moon rays lit up the
room and shone on the bed. One glance
told her it had not been slept IN The
chamber was empty.
A candle and match box stood on the
table. She struck light and made
sharp inspection. There was nothing to
repay her curiosity, for Harold had
locked up and put away the rouge and
other things after using them.
II must make haste up stairs again, for
If were to be caught it would be too
dreadful, Olive muttered, moving away
her dusky cheek crimsoning.
As she turned to go her eye fell on
crumpled ball Of paper In the fender,
and she picked it up quickly, attracted
by the writing she saw on it,
Part of letter-and in a woman's
handr' she said to herself, and she de-
iberately unfoided it, but, looking round
with shiver, decided to return to her
own room before reading it. There she
Strengthened the bits of paper and soon
mastered their contents.
"Au has blown over" What could be
the secret of such strange words? And
Beatrice" who was shea sister No
Olive was certain Of that, though she
knew nothing Of Harol DIS family his.
tory. A sweetheart? Hardly; there was
something in the tone of the letter in
consistent with that theory. Only a
mans vito would write to him in such
a vein-faniliar half affectionate, yet
censorious. The red blood rushed toher
brow.
How he has lied to us! But he shall
be punished. hold one strand of the
clew in my hands now; it shall be hard
if do not track the thread to its end"
Noting the address stamped ON the pa
per, fashionable street in Kensingtou,
she carefully locked up the letter in her
desk. Then putting on her dressing
gown, she seated herself at the window
and watched for Harold return with the
patience of a tigress crouching for
spring.
Hours passed. The morning dawrled
gray and cold. and the fresh chilly breeze
made her SILVER, but she did not relax
her vigilance.
At last it was rewarded Harold Car
ringtor-pale, haggard, with the drag
ging steps of a man much fatigued-came
slowly in sight, and treading softly over
the dewy grass, got in at his bedroom
window, and closed it after him.
But at every step the mystery seemed
to deepen When he went out he had |
been enveloped in thick dark ulster:
now he wore only the white linen suit he
had gone out in on the previous day, and
Though Olive did not know this wig and /
beard were gone. and all traces Of his
disguise removed from his face.
He little thought, rs he flung himself,
half stupeGed with WEAKNESS and sorrow,
on his bed Of the wakeful eyes that had
spied upon his secret movements.
TO BE CONTINUED.