Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1890-10-19

made fresh and even fiercer onslaught
on the door. There was sound of
splintering wood and of bursting screws
and in another moment the door flew
open inward, and Charles was precipi-
tated headforemost into the room, his
evening pumps flourishing wildly in the
air. In an instant he was on his feet
again, gasping hard, and had seized the
lamp out of Evelyn's hand. Before !
had time TO demonstrate on the liberty
that he was taking we were all three in
the room.
1t was empty!
In one corner stood a box half packed,
with various articles Of clothing lying
by it. On the dressing table was a
whole medley of little feminine knick-
knacks, with a candlestick in the midst,
the dead wick still smoking in the
socket and accounting for the disappear
ance of the light few minutes before
The fire had gone out, but on chair by
it was laid a little black lace evening
gown, evidently put out TO be worn,
while over the fender dainty pair Of
silk stockings had been hung, and two
dimnutive black satin shoes were wait
ing on the hearthrug. The whole aspect
of the room spoke of sudden and pre-
cipitate flight.
''Bolted" said Charles, when he had
recovered his breath. "And so the myS-
terry is out at last. / might have known
there was woman at the bottom of it,.
unprecedented, though" he continued,
| looking around. "She meant to have
gone tomorrow, but your recognition of
that paper frightened her, though she
turned it off well TO gain time. No fool
that. She only had an hour, and she
made the most of it, and got off, no
doubt, while we were at dinner by the
SOP London train, which is the last to-
night, and after the telegraph Office was
closed, too. She knew nothing could
be done till tomorrow. She has more
wit than | gave her credit for"
81 distrusted her before, though |
had no reason for it, but never thought
she was gone" said Evelyn trembling
violently, and still looking round the
room.
Il knew it," said Charles, ''from the
moment | saw the light through the
keyhole A keyhole with key in it
would not have shown half the amount
of light through it: and locked door
without a key in it is safe to have been
locked from the outside. Had she a
maid with hero"
mo" replied Evelyn, 'she used TO
come to me, next door, when she want
ed help-but not often-because think
she knew did not like her, though l
tried not to show it,"
"Well, we have seen the last of her,
or am much Mistaken" said Charles.
And nOw," he added, COMPRISING his
lips, 81 suppose | must go and tell
Ralph"
"Oh, Ralph, Ralph" gasped Evelyn.
with a sudden sob. "And he was so
fond of her.
"And so you distruSted her before,
Evelyn. And why did you not mention
that fact little sooner?"
without any reason for it? And
when Ralph-oh, couldn't. | couldn't.
said the girl, crimsoning.
Charles gazed intently on her as she
turned away, pressing her hands tightly
together, and evidently struggling with
some sudden emotion for which there
really was no apparent reason. She was
overweight, | suppose; and indeed the
exertion of breaking in the door had
been rather too much for Charlea, too:
| for, now that the excitement was over,
his hand shook so much that he had TO
put down the lamp, and even his voice
trembled a little as he said:
Il don't think Ralph is very much TO
I
cape"
Don't come down again either of
YOU" he continued moment later in
| his usual voice. | had better go and
get il over at once. He will be wonder
ing what has become of us if | wait
much longer. Evelyn, good night.
Good night, Middleton. If it is too
early for you to go to bed you will find
fire in the smoking room.
babe Evelyn good night and followed
! Charles down the corridor. He replaced
the lamp with hand that was steady
enough now and went slowly across the
picture gallery. The way TO my room
led me through it also. Involuntary |
stopped at the head of the great carved
staircase which led into the hall, and
watched him going down, step by step,
with tagging tread. From the morning
room came the distant sound OF piano,
and mans voice singing to 1t, singing
softly, as though no Nemesis were APP
proaching; singing slowly, as if there
were time enough and to spare. But
Nemesis had reached the bottom of the
staircase: Nemesis with a heavy step
was going across the silent hall-waS
even now opening the door OF the morn
ing room. The door was gently closed
again. and then. in the middle of a bar,
the music stopped.
TO BE CONTINUED.