Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-09-01

/@%N bankers, brokers,
mr. railroad officials
~ ! and spectators.
From the ninth floor short flight of
steps. communicating with the main
stairs, led to the janitor's rooms. He
preferred to live st that altitude rather
than to have II suburban home. The
wide, graveled, flat roof was to him n
yard, where, in boxes, his wife raised
flowers, and where he could at almost
any hour OF the dav-no matter how
high the temperature i'll which the
pes Itrians on the pavements below
were sweltering find II breeze, which
he was wont to enjoy while, protected
from the sun by canvas stretched
above him like tent, he sat and
smoked his pipe.
Being so far from the din of the
city, Caroline felt untrammeled, her
natural exuberance WAS unchecked by
a consciousness that she WAS not OBJ
served. and when she tripped over the
roof to take i'll the wash, or to water
the flowers, or III the performance of
some other household duty, her song
was as unrestrained as if she were IL
mountain girl enjoying the freedom of
a forest.
Though she was usually gay she had
/ times of reverie, and one evening,
while following Svcin of serious
| thought rs she sat under the tent and
watched the darkness deepen on the
bay, she heard footsteps on the gravel
behind her. Surprising that George
Dunwell, the engineer, had got over
his pout and was coming to chat with
her. she did not turn her head
The newcomer repeated his al beg
pardon" before she was aware that
there was a stranger on the roof. She
| started to her feet and faced about A
tremor shook her, and she felt u chok-
ing sensation when she saw tall man,
with full beard, standing near her.
Remembering that she WAS alone with
him on the top of that high building,
and that the big iron gate was lowered
before the main entrance, she was
afraid, yet she gasped
''What do You want?"
al want to get out, please" he sail.
''What are you doing in?" she in
CURED, her courage returning ut the
sound of his pleasant voice
81 worked too long, forgetting that
the big gnta would he closed Mt SIX.
Indeed, | never thought of it ut all till
it began to get too dark for me to see
the lines Then, knowing | was II
prisoner, | lit the gas and finished n
| statement of mn account | WAS making.
When it was done | came up here to
get the janitor to let me out"
Gle and mother and the children
are absent; he took the key to the
side hall door with him. SO you will
have to wait till he comes back"
''ls there no way | can get out? I
have an engagement for the evening
and | want to keep it,. "
''Ihere Is the fire escape" she re-
piled with smile.
"Bnt that reaches to the second
floor only" he said, with no little ina
patience.
Her smile disappeared, and, as if to
atone for her levity, she said:
81 will ring for George; he may be
down in the engine room"
1t was with astruggle that she forced
herself to make this resolution, and
the effort was visible to the stranger,
but his anxiety to get away from the
building was such that he did not
demonstrate when she passed him on
her way to the kitchen Slowly she
went down the stairs, and he, moving
nearer to the door, could see her hest
tate before pressing the button of an
electric bell. The light from an electric
lamp fell over her, defining the grace
full lines of her slender figure, and as,
listening for reply to the signal, she
held her ear to the tube, he watched
with some compunction her expression
OF expectation gradually yield to one
OF disappointment.
Hes gone" she said, presently,
and the stranger fancied he heard her
sigh.
"Do you think I could climb the
gate?" he asked, pleasantly, hoping to
make her smile.
''You might" she answered ser
iously. "There's q tall step-ladder on
the second floor; it would help You
reach the top"
please show me the why to it" he
requested, coming into the kitchen.
Without word she took bunch of
keys from hook near the button she
had pressed 80 hard when signaling
to the engine-room, and led the way
to the stairs. He looked over her
shoulder when she opened the door
and wondered if she would be afraid
to wind with him around the shaft in
which the elevators ran into the dense
darkness below. As he was about to
utter nm assuring remark the sharp |
rays Of an electric light pierced the |
gloom, and he caught sight of her lust
turning the corner Mt the first landing, |
where she let thu current in the arc
of another electric light. Thus she
ran on, flooding the stairs with bril- |
lance, and when Mt last she came to II
halt 1t was before the door OF closet, !
which was open when he reached her
side.
The step-ladder was heavy, and he
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