Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-05-28

THE KNOCKING.
The afternoon was drawing to close
Miss Maxey had conveniently absented
herself The artist was alone in the rear
chamber with his pupil. Annette was
seated before an easel near the window
while Maxcy was looking over her Shout
der, apparently at the sketch. She was
not working. Her hands lay listlessly i'll
her lap, and her eyes were fixed ON the
gray sky above the river.
Are you studying the effect?' the
artist queried, with a smile.
No Mr.. Maxey, was listening"
Listening? For what?''
For the wind. Have you never no
ticcd how queerly it knocks at the win
dow frames sometimes? This is one of
the days When l am working here
alone, 1 often notice it, and however
much hear it it never fails to startle
me. 3"
What, the rattle?''
Tho rap. There Is not so much sud-
dcnnCSS III the rattle. That is not it, for
when that happens you think of the
wind. 1t Is as if the wind did it, but it
is not so today. 1t is not rs if the wind
1
comes a sudden dull blow At first 1
thought somebody must be throwing
something against the pane, but found
after "a time that it was only n move
mcnt of the window frame. Isn't it curl
ouS?"
VERY. GOu notice these little things,
Annette. Do You know, 1 have worked
in this room alone for months, and for
my part l never noticed whether the
windows ratified or were still. Therel
Was not that it?''
Il did not hear it then. l was listen
ing to you, Mr.. MaXcy. Listen again,
and it will como. l wish l were not
foolish enough to he afraid of it. Harkp'
In the silence that ensued they could
hear each other breathing. Perhaps it
was NERVOUSNESS, but Maxcy felt strange
ly excited y low knocking-not the
knocking they We're waiting for-came
to their cars through the closed door.
How very oddr' exclaimed MaxCy.
THAT was not the touch of ghOstly
zephyr but the substantial rap of some
body tangible who wants to get in"
1T must be 4 timid person who would
knock so low
Probably it is. Some bcggar doubt
less. Impccuniousncss is occasionally
timid. Don't disturb yourself An
ncttc. ="
Maxcy stepped into the vcstibule and
opened the outer door. He regarded the
man who had summoned him there with
look of spcechless surprise. 1t was
Mr.. Dye. There were the woebegone
beaver, the shiny, threadbare coat, the
faded blue eyes, the long hair falling
over the ears, the smooth face with its
expression OF hapless melancholy and all
that went to make up the peculiar group
of mental Impressions which MaXcy had
learned since the first meeting, now
weeks ago, to associate with the name
Lcandcr Dye.
"Guu" was MaXCy's only uttCrancc.
81, sir!' said the sombCr voice. Par
don me if l venture to intrudc my I'M
sccmly presence upon you thus abruptly
without having prepared you previously
by timely warming"
Come i'll, " said MaXey.
Mr. Dye hcSitated.
Pardon me if l am constrained to
al, an imrcrtincnt question. Are you
alone
Il &m not alone i'll the house. No
But l desire to see only you, no enc
else. 1 have no wish to meet the young
lady who once bore my name. 1t would
be painful FOR us both. "
You shall see me alone" said Max
ey. Come in
The artist ushcrcd Mr.. Dye into the
parlor and closed the door. Was it that
the gloomy presence of the melancholy
man communicated depressing in
flucncc? Maxcy certainly felt an unrea-
somable GrCad-a sort of sinking at the
hcart-aS the door closed and he stood
there alone with his visitor.
Mr. Dye stood with his hat in his
hand and avoided Maxey's eyes. He
never lifted his glance from the floor.
The artist noticed that he was more sal
low and pallid than when he had seen
him first; that there was a shakiness in
his whole frame. Il palsied trcmble in
his hands He began at once, and his
voice was like one speaking out of
tomb:
Sir, your ears are exceedingly
good -
"Indccdv
''Or you would not have heard my
knock. 1 knocked very softly, as 1 have
knocked at your door so many times and
you did not hear. 1 hoped, and hoped in
vain, that you would again let me go
away unhceded as before"
Il don't comprehend you, sir. Have
you been here before?"
Sir, l have been here many times
before, knocking at your door so softly
that YOU might have mistaken the sound