The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-10-21
CHAPTER VI.

the soft bed and the next minute lost CON
seriousness of everything.
CHAPTER VI.
THE LAST RESOURCE.
1awoke with feeling of overpowering
heat and suffocation. The bedclothes had
been drawn over my shoulders, and my
head, sinking from the pillow, had buried
my face beneath them. But before this
unusual condition was discovered another
explanation presented itself to my half
awakened imagination. was at the bot
tom of a burning pit Drigo and Putty
were there, struggling with each other and
trampling me beneath them in their frantic
efforts to escape, and Taras was looking
down at me with that stern severity which
had seen but once in his face. He would
not stretch out his hand to save me, but
with the same unbending expression turned
his head and slowly walked away.
/ started up, looking about me wildly.
The fire had burned down. Only few en-
bers glowed in the CRATE The lamp was
turned down; its light fell upon some food
spread upon tho table.
Then realized my position
My face and hands were wet and clammy
with heat and terror. That terrible, warn
ing dream haunted me- What should do?
The thought of lying down again to sleep
was repugnant to me, with the dread of
dreaming again. 1t must be nearly morn
ing for the fire to have burned SO low. In
little while that fair haired woman and her
husband would como with friendly greet
ings. He would press my hands and she
kiss my cheeks again. l was not uncon-
scious of the kindness and generosity that
animated them, and yet the prospect of
that, I
pugnant to me as the idea of sleeping again
in their bed
Walking across the room, my eye fell
upon some children's toys and doll upon
shelf. They perplexed me with new
and unaccountable fear. Turning to the
mantelpiece | saw n photograph in frame
hanging on the wall. 1t was child the
owner of the doll and playthings on the
shelf-perhaps the fair haired woman's
child, At that suppostion the cause of
my repugnant fear was revealed to me,
and remembering the word Of Taras said
to myself: 'This Is the honest woman and
the good man who would shrink from me-
This Is the child whose lips may not kiss
What thenp ! asked, Let them shun me-
Who wants .h.is -. kindness or frlendships'
Not L The world is good enough '...'nnt :,
them while Taras smiles. But how long
will be smile2 BY this time the firemen
have found the charred bodies, and every
one ii talking of tho tragedy at the Mar
iner's Joy. Soon enough, in few hours,
the news will reach 1'aras, and he will know
what have done-know that am muir
derer.s Then he, too, like the Taras in my
prophetic vision, will turn his back on me
without one CLEAN OF pity and go away
Should / stay and suffer that2 My spirit
rose in wild protest, That dream should
not be realized; that pitiless look should
not forever haunt my life.
With these thoughts running through
my feYered imagination, hunted about
the room for the sodden rags had taken
OFT. They were gone. The woman had re-
moved them with the determination that
/ should not wear them again. Well,
would take those she had given me to
wear. 1t mattcred little whether they
were a gift or not. 1t would not add
greatly to their loathing to know that the
murderess was a thief MS we'll. put on the
shoes she had left and took awoolen shawl
as well to wrap about my head; then
opening the door cautiously that no noise
might awaken the sleeping household
i found my way down stairs by the glim-
msr of light that came from below.
The shop was before me- but on the right
of the stairs was half open door The
light was in that room, and glancing in
saw Taras stretched on couch asleep |
could go no farther The thought that |
should look upon his face no more seemed
to take away all power from my mind and
body, and | stood there dazed with that
sense of utter bereavement, until impelled
by a wild desire passed into the room and
drew quite close to him.
/ sank upon my knees and put my face
30 close to his that felt his breath upon
my cheek, but could not see him for the
tears that blinded me. My fingers hung
quivering over him, for yearned to touch
him, yet dared not My tears ran down
my checks and fell upon tie floor. Then l
could see him. The same sweet kindness
was on his face that bad wakened my soul
from its lethargy.
"That is what will remember all my
life" said TO myself as | rose. His watch
lay on the table, and beside it ring had
noticed on his finger when was cutting
the cord that bound his hands. took it,
feeling that he would not begrudge me this
for u keepsake.
There was fog In the street, but the cop,
perry background to the line of housetops
and the quick, heavy tread of men going to
work showed that IL was morning. had
no knowledge of the neighborhood, but
that did not trouble me. My only object
was to get away from Taras and hide my
self where he could never come to kill my
happy memories with q reproachful look.
After awhile knew by the long lines of
carts and barrows, the voices of porters and
costers and the smell of fish that / must be
near Billingsgate market, and soon after /
saw the monument looming in the yellow
fog. i crossed the bridge and went down
the steps into Tooley street, not with any
definite object, but because the thick dark
ness down there seemed to offer oblivion
Finding myself alone at the foot of the
steps, tore OIL piece of trimming from
my dress, and passing 1t through Taras'
ring i tied it round my neck, hiding the
ring In my bosom.s
have but the faintest recollection Of
what happened during the day, my mind
being too scared by previous events to be
sensitive to slight impressions. / remem-
ber feeling wretched and hungry and sick
with the fatigue Of walking. Wandered
on because l found no place to rest until
hazard led me into Greenwich park about
dusk. There fell asleep on bench.
II was raining when ] awoko, but it Was
too dark to distinguish anything, evon the
trees, and could not sleep again for shiv-
ering with cold and the aching of my body
So sat there In dali resignation, watching
the daylight come and marking one by one
tho heavy drops as they plashcd on the
bench beside mo, falling from the bougha
above, until goaded by hunger threw or
my letbarsy and went down into tho town.
1t was still carly, but the oofrec shops
were open, their windows eloudod by the
warmth within. The frst ono entered
was full OF customers, and tho man serving
them was so busy that he scarcely glanced
at me in replying TO my humble appeal for
food.
"oh, amt got the time to attend to
beggars-out you eor' said he, bustling
along with his hands full of empty cups.
The next one was less crowded, and a
woman vas in the kitchen before the fam
ing fire. She turned round, setting her
hands on her hips, and looked mo down