Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-05-16

1 could hear it's deep, regular breathing. | All this time I had not moved, but lay with my back turned, feigning slumber.
 Presently the figure passed around the foot of the bed, and came up the other side. The full white light of the moon fell upon it. It was Kate, as had known it was from the first moment she ! entered the room. She was clad in a dressing gown of soft flowing material, which was fastened at the throat and trailed on the ground. It had wide sleeves, one of which fell back from the bare, smooth arm and hand that carried a lamp. The lamp was not lighted. Her black hair hung down on her shoulders, and on each side of her pale face. Her eyes were wide open, but fixed and vacant. Her breathing was long and measured, as of one sound asleep.
 She put the lamp down on the table beside mine, and then stood quite still in the moonlight, her face wholly expres- sionles and without motion. It was an appalling thing to see her thus. I, too, remained motionless, but it was because knew not what to do. To awaken her might bring on the worst consequences. If she were not disturbed, she might possibly retire as quietly and uncon- sciously as she had come. But the mys- tery of her being there at all apneared utterly inexplicable. What had led her, in her trance, to visit my room2 How had she ever known where it was? What had she dreamed of doing here, and above all how had she contrived to enter through a bolted door with as much ease as though she had been 8 spiritp Perhaps this was but spirit or 8 phantom of my own brainl Was I awake?
 She stretched out her hand, not fol- lowing it's motion with her eyes, but mechanically, and, as it were, involun- tarily. She laid it on my coat-on the pocket which contained the dianonds. Then slowly and deliberately, and still with averted face and eyes and that long drawn, slumberous breathing, she un- buttoned the fastenings one after one, and her soft, tapering fingers closed upon the case.
 Meanwhile my mind had been rapidly canvassing all the pros and cons of ac- tion; and had come to the conclusion that it would be better for her that I should interfere. Of my personal inter- est in the matter believe that did not think; indeed, knowing that the dia- monds would not be lost, there was no reason why l should. But it would not do to risk compromising Kate. It was dangerous enough that she should be here at all, but that she should carry away the diamonds with her was inad- missible. I rose from my bed and laid my hand gently on her wrist.
 She was no spirit, but warm flesh and blood. For few moments the restraint in which held her seemed to baffie and distress her; fancied could feel her pulse beat under my fingers; kind of spasm crossed her face, her eyelids quiv- cred and the eyes moved in their sockets. Then her breathing became irregular and caught in her throat in kind of sob. The moment of awakening was evidently at hand, and I dreaded its coming, lest she should scream out and rouse the house. But fortunately she uttered. no sound. Slowly speculation grew within her eyes; she fixed them on me, first with an expression of strange pleasure, soon changing to bewilder- ment and fear. Then with cry that ! was a whisper she dropped forward into for all it's peril.
 "You are perfectly safe," whispered in her ear; "only make no noise."
 -''Tom," she said, suddenly freeing her self from my arms and putting 8 hand on either shoulder, while her wild, black eyes searched my face, "you understand l-you don't think"--
 ''Of course understand, my poor darlingr'
 ''What shall I do-what shall dol Let me kill myselfp'
 With motion swift as the glide of a serpent she reached toward the revolver, which had left on the bed. was bare ly in time to catch her arm. The look in the girls face at that moment was terrible.
 "Let mel-I willP'
 "Hush, Kate! You never shall"
 "Oh, what shall I do?' she murmured again, slipping down on her knees and running both hands through her thick, black hair. "Tom, if you love me you will kill meI'
 "Kate, every one in the house is asleep. You can go back to your room, and nc one know. Only be calm"
 "And no one know? You think thatT
 q am sure of it."
 "I know better. Some one knows il now-he made it happeni"
 "Don't kneel there, dear. You're mol yourself yet. You den't know what you're saying"
 said this reassuringly, but her words had inspired me with 8 vague alarm that I ventured not to define. I brought chair and made her sit upon it, and sat down beside her.
 "Not hereP she whispered, drawing back out of the moonlight into thu shadow. "Come here, Tom. He may be looking"
 "Why, Kate, who can see us here The door is shuts
 "Oh-why was not the door boltedT' ''It was. I can't conceive how yo1 opened it."
 ssOl tba villaint how T bata l,iynls