Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-09-18

gloom, ana ne caught SlSHU VI hoi J"''
turning the corner at the first landlnS'
where she let the 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 n
halt it was before the door of closet
which was open when he reached her
side.
The step-ladder was heavy, and he
staggered under its weight. Compass
sionately, yet with a feeling of slight
contempt for his strength, she took
hold of one end and helped him to
carry the ladder to the gate and put it
up. 1t reached near the top, and in a
moment he had cleared the gate.
"Thank you," he said, when he
reached the pavement. 81 wish
could help you take the ladder to its
place. Good night"
He started across the street. Atthe
opposite curb he paused and marked
his liberator's progress back to the
roof by the shadow rising from story
10 story as she turned off the electric
current at each lamp when she reached
it.
Henderson Meigs was a light hearted
young man, whose salary was sufficient
to enable him to occupy n top hall
room in fashionable boarding house,
and to dress in style beftting a
young gentleman with social ambi-
tions. He was also Jealous in business,
with an eye to an increase of pay and
n possible partnership. So the morn
ing after his adventure at the gate he
was prompt at his desk, where his
duties occupied his attention so fully
that he had no time for thoughts of
his visit to the roof the night before,
further than to observe mentally that
it would be very pleasant to smoke @
cigar up there after lunch. This idea
required to him on his way home, and
, he determined to cultivate friendly
relations with the ianitor.
His easy, of-hand manners won that
official, and when at last he broached
the subject of occasional visits to the
roof he was somewhat taken aback by
the heartiness of the invitation.
"Come up whenever you feel like it.,
There's always breeze up there, and
you'll find the family sociable."
At his first visit Henderson found
the family absent, but at the second
he was more fortunate. He was cor
/ daily welcomed by Caroline, whom he
, found in cool attire enjoying the
breezes Of the roof.
f 81 love to smell good cigar. George
smokes such strong old pipe" she
| said, when at her request he had lighted
cigar. ''No, don't move; said
5 loved it.
Henderson looked at her askance,
and mentally asked:
SIS she artless, or is this candol
, merely plain statement that Georg,
: is only friend of the family?'
1 She was soon interested in his chat
ter, and before he was ready to go hi
g cigar was burning his fingers. AS al
t excuse to prolong his visit he said h
e would like to look over the edge of tn
\ roof into the court below. She ros
: and went with him, cautioning him no
to lean over too far. Down in tn,
. courtyard fountain was throwing NJ
h tiny streams that broke into drops,
, which fell gIistening in a sunbeam re-
Il Hected from II window several stories
s above the tagging. The motion of the
water was pleasing, and Henderson
looked steadily at it. Suddenly the
fountain seemed to leap toward him,
and before his eyes there was dense
} darkness.
When he could next distinguish OBJ
jects he was some distance from the
roofs edge and before him stood Caro-
line, her face white and strained. She
was trembling and her lips were shut
as if they could not part, so firmly had
she closed them when making the
supreme effort of her life. In an in.
} slant he realized that he had grown
dizzy and would have fallen to the
stones in the court yard had she not
) prevented it, That he had fallen he
knew from the bruised feeling on his
arm and shoulder, but he had come in
contact with the pebbled surface of the
flat roof. He put out his hands toward
her and strove to speak as he moved
forward She made deprecatory
gesture and took step backward,
then turned and fled. Supplied by
her action he groped his way like a
blind man after her into the kitchen.
, Not finding her there, he sought the
main stairs and staggered down to his
, Office. There he threw himself on 6
lounge, and in explanation of the
shudders that convulsed him at inter.
| walls he said he had chill
, 1t was several days before he went
e to the roof again. To find Caroline al
t home both embarrassed him and gave
n him pleasure. He was glad to sec her,
e yet was embarrassed by the feeling
g that no words could adequately ex.
: press his sense of obligation to her.
n She endeavored to put him at his ease.
C 81 didn't tell anybody but George,
: and he said it wasn't so hard to do il
, a person was only quick.
e eyes, but you did it, and I came tc
i tell you how deeply grateful I ain tc
n you"
g ''Oh, it wasn't anything, really!
did only my duty to try to keep yor
Ell l, G,,1