Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-02-13
s.Comc p sho whispered.

AAo -7S- = urto ouuAsl tulneu.s7 mo SOUND
came from below.
"Mr. Hallam, " she said, In low, trem-
bling tones, al cannot believe you to
have been guilty of any harm that would
mako you dread pursuers-
No, nop he whispered. t.Iudeod, I
have done no harm Intentionally. But
appearances are against me, and to-
night out there in the street, not many
blocks away-I saw a man who is part
of the broken life had thought to
leave forever behind me when I crossed
the ocean and found this place of re-
treat. God bless you Tor those words of
confidence. ain an innocent man,
though ono under suspicion of crimel''
"I believe you" said Judiths voice,
after moment, through the darkness in
which thoy stood. She passed, feeling
her way with her hands, into room ut
the rear, and noiselessly opened win
dow, admitting the pale night-light.
It Is step from this window to the
roof of the back piazza, u she said rapidly.
"From there you could let yourself down,
clinging to one of the pillars to tho high
yard fence. A lattice runs along that.
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 mako 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 snfe SO far rs am concorned.n
The fugitive caught her hand in the
gloom. "God bless you'll" he calculated
fervently again.
1
She left him like o shadow, retreating
along the hallway. After few moments
tho Doctor began to move about below,
extinguished lights, barred and chained
the front door and came slowly crealing
up the stairs with 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 aud
Hallam knew that once moro no had
evadcd pursuit.
4 But, for how long7 For days he re-
manned almo-s continually closeted in his
rooms, not SO much even Us venturing to
his window. Judith he saw but once or
twice, but her changed face, its gravity,
its watchfulness, dwclt in his memory.
A great gratitude toward this queer girl,
whom he had begun by disliking so
strenuously, crept into his soul. Hers
was noble, generous creature, indeed,
who could trust q fellow being or stran-
ger, oil appearances being against him.
j 1t was something to have known s,ich q
nature at the last pass. It was something
to take away with one, as last remeni,
brance, the impression of such charac-
ter.
For Hallam felt the net of destiny
tightening around him and asked him
self if he had not been coward SO long
Ind 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
thing impossible. But he had wished
to lay down the burden in philosophic
calm, in mental state superior to oil its
paltry miscries, not to have it shuflled
from him in tho ignominy of felon's
death.
| Well, the deferred time for action had
now come-amply come. Hallam I'M
locked a portmanteau and took from it
brace of pistols, which he carefully in
spected. Then he mentally went over
I the steps he had taken to mako his
course clear and liberate all others from
any suspicion of foul play. His con-
fession was written out, with the OK
preston of his purpose to take his own
life and now lay in the hands of that
| a1l TT
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 a 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 oil things
seemed so near now that he had dis
carded NIL fear.
He had walked perhaps half IN hour
when touch suddenly descended upon
his shoulder. In that moment, when
| OfSiJ otop VI biOOu III LIS Vel1S seemed
to CONCEAL, he had sensation as if all
things tangible were Slipping from him.
he saw face, heard voice, as through
a veil or mist, roar of rushing water.
at the same moment an arm WINS
passed under his own, tho ruddy laugh
ing face be,t nearer and the gruff, hearty
voice excla. ed:
"Hullol What's up, my boy7 A
pretty pace you've led mo all over town |!
We followed you up. rs far as here, bu.
then ali trace ofyou 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 fed on
false and hasty conclusion you arrived at.
Wen talk the matter over at our ease.
Here's cafe-a restaurant 1 find they
are not quite gastronomic savagea over
L L IS. ~