Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-10-04


AT the back of the yard is an open space
where the old house was burned down
last year, leading into the next street be-
low. You can make good your escape
this way-at any time. This room we
never occupy. The door shall remain
unlocked. need not tell you that you
are safe so far as am concerned"
The fugitive caught her hand in the
gloom. "God bless you'll" he calculated
fervently again.
She left him like shadow, retreating
along the hallway. After few moments
the Doctor began to move about below,
-extinguished lights, barred and chained
the front door and came slowly creaking
up the stairs with q candle. A silence
then fell over the house, in which Judith
kept long watch by her chamber door,
and Hallam stood with humping arteries
by the wan light of the open window in
the empty room. But no disturbance
came as the heavy hours wore away and
Hallam knew that once more he had
eyaded pursuit.
But, for how longl For days he re-
NAMED almost continually closeted in his
rooms, not so much even as venturing to
his window. Judith he saw but once or
twice, but her changed face, its gravity,
its watchfulness, dwelt in his memory.
A great gratitude toward this queer girl,
whom he had begun by disliking so
strenuously, crept into his soul. Here
was noble, generous creature, indeed,
who could trust fellow being or stran-
ger, all appearances being against him.
1t was something to have known such
nature at the last pass. 1t was something
to take away with one, as last remen-
brancc, the impression Of such a charac-
ter.
For Hallam felt the net of destiny
tightening around him and asked him
self if he had not been a coward so long
to put off his doom. Well enough he
had known that any day he might be
discovered. The world was pitiably small
when one wanted to crawl into some Sc
cret corner of it. Life he cared naught
for. To carry on its burden had seemed
a thing impossible. But he had wished
to lay down the burden in a philosophic
calm, in a mental state superior to all its
paltry miscries, not to have it shuffled
from him in the ignominy of felon's
death.
Well, the deferred time for action had
now come-amply come. Hallam I'M
locked portmantcau and took from it
brace of pistols, which he carefully in
spected. Then he mentally went over
the steps he had taken to make his
course clear and liberate all others from
any suspicion of foul play. His con-
fession was written out, with the ex-
preston of his purpose to take his own
life and now lay in the hands of that
good old man downstairs He could
produce it after the tragedy together
with the bit Of paper, signed by Hallam
and himself, which stated that the
sealed document had been intrusted to
him at Hallam's special request, Hal
lam felt that he had taken every pre-
caution to save these worthy people with
whom he had found haven from any
unpleasantness. Once more his heart
swelled with gratitude toward the girl.
Then he took up his hat and, for the
first time in broad daylight, issued out
upon the streets. The end of all things
seemed so near now that he had dis
carded all fear.
He had walked perhaps half an hour
when a touch suddenly descended upon
his shoulder. In that moment, when
every drop of blood in his veins seemed
to CONCEAL, he had sensation as if all
things tangible were slipping from him.
He saw a face, heard voice, as through
a veil or mist, roar of rushing water.
AT the same moment an arm was
passed under his own, the ruddy laugh
ing face bent nearer and the gruff, hearty
voice exclaimed:
"Hullo! What's up, my boy2 A
pretty pace you've led me all over town.
We followed you up as far as here, but
then all trace fyou disappeared. You're
looked for eagerly on the other side of
the pond, assure you. A fellow has
no right to brighten his friends in this
way. think you must have fled on
! false and hasty conclusion you arrived at.
Wen talk the matter over at our ease.
Here's a cafe-a restaurant. l find they
are not quite gastronomic savages over
here, don't you know. Suppose we step
in"
Judith was alone and bending over a
book she was not reading when Hallam
came in. She raised her eyes as she
recognized his footsteps and they became
rivited to his face, so singular was the
expression thereof, so great its change
and so curious his glance as it rested
upon her.
''Miss Judith" he said, quietly, ''may
Itell you story-my own story2 shall
be as brief as l can. / loved, or thought
l loved, very beautiful woman. And
had rival. This woman was brilliant,
finished woman of the world, CO.
quette, an enchantress among men. She
maddened me; she stole my senses away.
She told me that she loved me. Yet
one evening found her with the man to
whom l thought she had preferred me.
He turned and struck me. What came
! diieE ~ Dlur 10 me Sblll. lHdut Il
wild thrust and saw him fall
backward, striking his head against the
stone steps of the garden terrace where
they had stood. The woman fed Shrek
ing into the house l saw her brother
emerge hastily hence. Already I had
bent over the PROSTATE form. 1t was
pulseless. All life seemed extinct.
lost my head. 1 turned and ran,
lodging through the night, leaping
fences. 1 firmly believed the man was
dead and that l had killed him. | took
passage for America few days later IN
der an assumed name. / had made all
my plans. Existence, even if l could
have secured it with the sensation of per-
feet safety, had become unbearable.
saw that white face forever before me; l
felt forever the faithlessness of the woman
l had SO passionately adored, an agony
intolerable. When | advertised for a
quiet retreat 1t was with the firm inten-
ton of blowing my brains out in it in q
very short time. 1t was in anticipation
of this that gave your father that sealed
L ~ r