Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-12-12
THE GREAT HESPER.
BY FRANK BARRETT.
CHAPTER vII.-coNTINUEp.

CHAPTER VlI.-CoNTINUED.
In steadying the shade, m left hand
screened the light; AZ ! wi idrew it
mw that the object at my feet was Lola!
She had curled herself upon the mat
within the enbrasure Of the door. Her
1ace was toward me and pillowed upon
AeR folded hands. She was asleep, yet
her long black lashes were wet, and
cling 10 her cheek with an undried tear.
seven Van Hoeck, If he could see you
now: poor child" said TO myself, -'could
mot think i'll of.you."
would not awake her; I withdrew
Che light until she was in shadow, placed
Il ON. the table, fetched my book, and
seated myself where could read and yet
watch the sleeper. AS / did this the
clock in the belfry chimed the half-hour:
looked n my watch, and saw that it
was half-past twelve.
could not fix my attention upon the
book for some time, my mind being oc-
cupied with conjectures to account for
IOla's presence 1t fitted in with Van
Hoeckfs theory and warning in some re-
specis. yet--possibly because my judy
ment was biased by sentiment-I could
not beliove she had come there with any
sinister intention. was rather disposed
20 think that she had found solitude no
longer benrable, and had sought this
Eesstng-p!ace to be near the only friend
she knew.
As pondered, my eyes grew accus-
toned TO the gloom, and / could see
dinaly the girls face. her arms scarcely
distinguishable against her dusky CANT
sole, and the darker mass of her red pet
ticoat. She did not move. If she had
evaded her father, it is possible that she
had fAtigued herself as well as him. My
heart was stirred with pity, and l re-
eolved that when she awoke ! would try,
II she would listen to me, to reason her
ont Of her savage isolation, and induce
her 10 accept the kindness that Edith
longsd to bestow upon her. ! would not
purpxsely awake her. for in sleep there
vas the relative happiness Of forgetful-
mesa
Ii WINS past one when again began to
read From time to time looked away
from the page and assured myself that
she was still sleeping. And so l sat
watching and reading until past four
o'clock, when the light began to fail, my
eyes grew heavy, and unconsciously l
fen asleep was awoke by my book
Ealling from my hands to the floor. The
lamp was vet alight, but burning so dim
" that, looking toward the door, / could
see nothing. carried the lamp that
way; Lola was gone!
When we met at breakfast. Edith was
IN her customary bright and cheerful
maoA Raassured by her appearance,
Sir Edmund said. smiling:
well, my dear. has there been any re-
cnrrence of strange sounds and spectral
nights during the night"
Yes she answered; "but they did
NIT BRIGHTEN me, for ] knew it was only
poor Lola"
-Lola!" exclaimed.
Il had left light burning" she said;
''the blinds were turned downward, and
the Light shone upon them; the tapping
wokE rue. 1t was just the same sound
That heard before. While was look
inx At the blind before the open window
the tapping stopped, and / saw a finger
cOxae down between the third and fourth
kaSh from the bottom, and turn the third;
after that the finger slid in between the
ne11 two, and turned the second. Then
I saw her two lustrOus black eyes look
ing through. Almost Immediately af-
tsrUard they disappeared. Don't be
afraid, Lola, said, in low voice, for l
feared if she were frightened she might
dip from that terribly narrow ledge.
wanted few minutes, to give her time
tD get back to the bay, if she intended to.
and then i drew up the blind and looked
cut There was no one there, and the
win dow IN the bay was as we left it last
night-closed."
"Are you sure it was Lola" asked.
Yes, they were her eyes"
SDO you know what time it was when
yuu saw herr" / asked.
II can be sure of that, for in taking
nv watch from the stand, it fell, break
ing the glass and stopping the hands,
and very soon after that / heard the
clock strike"
She showed me the watch, the minute
hand was so bent that it could not pass
tin hOur-hand; when lifted it, the move
ment commenced, proving that thespring
lad not run down.
The hour marked By the hands was
1lVe minutes tO'one.
~1At fUe minutes to one Lola CGs Sleep-
tsg at my door" said.
CHAPTER WIN.
Edith could not say whether the laths
1he had seen turned were open when she
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