Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-24

caused the blood to rush to her face and
her eyes to droop suddenly.
The table was between them for she was
standing by the fireplace at the opposite
end of the room, leaning against the man
telpiece in an attitude which showed off
the lines of her fine figure to unstudied
advantage against the red glow. Her
blush the wonlanly bend of her head at
his look caused a revulsion of feeling en-
tirely in her favor in the young man. And
even as he gazed at her, bending little
forward to get better view of her face
by looking under the hanging oil lamp
with it's red shade, he saw that her eX-
preston of modest shame gave place to
one of doubt of fear. She looked up
quickly, and their eyes met.
In a moment he felt satisfied, as an old
er man would not have been. that the sus-
picions her strange conduct had aroused
were unfounded. He heaved sigh of re-
lief. He felt so much. however. that he
had to put a constraint upon himself which
made his manner abrupt, and his voice
harsh he spoke.
II must go now" he said, turning alb
ruptly. open the door, please"
He had turned his back TO her, to avoid
the strong influence he felt she had upon
him. In the silence which followed his
words, he heard her rapid and labored
breathing. His doubts awoke again. He
even glanced sharply round, as If in doubt
whether she was not approaching him with
some sinister purpose. And he saw that
she had indeed come a little nearer, and
doubt and fear.
why do You wish to 7detain me?" he
asked, so sharply that she was taken
aback. and gave little forced laugh
while she prepared an answer.
Surely that is a singular way OF &C
| knowledging hospitality" said she. with
out looking at him, Ito question the mo-
tives of it. Out here in the country we are
not like the people in towns, who look shy
ly and coldly upon strangers. On the con-
| trary, we offer them fire when they are
cold, and light when they have lost their
way. II you're so suspicious, why did you
accept my direction as to the road you
were to take?"
He paused before answering. II was not
easy to tell her the reasons for the change
in his attitude, although he could not but
suppose that she knew them already. He
had seen something of the world, and was
not particularly difiident with any class of
women.
But there was something about this girl,
an air of innate refinement, the accent of a
gentlewoman, a suggestion in her look and
manner that she was playing a part for
which she was not suited, which prevented
his putting upon her outrageous conduct
the construction he unhesitatingly would
have done in the case OF another woman.
He was hopelessly puzzled He noted that
the room, comfortable as 1t was was shah
by and worn to furniture; that the girl 5
dress was severe in its inexpensive sim
plicity; that the glass and silver which had
looked so imposing from the outside were
exceedingly old-fashioned. He noted also
that the table was laid for two persons.
And finally, he remarked to himself upon
the fact that since he entered he had
heard no sound indicating the presence in
the house of any person besides himself
and his mysterious hostess.
Just as he came to this point in his re-
fections however he saw in the lady 8
eyes a look which showed him that she
was listening for some sound outside, rath-
er than waiting for the answer to her