Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-05-24

eryth1ng as II were o man, Du1 Can
at least go on until something occurs to
turn me back.
And she went on.
Again Mr.. Dye passed into another
street. There could be very little doubt
about it now He was going back to
Flood street, or if not there to some place
in that locality. So he would go on till
he came to the door of house No 40. He
would pull the bell and walk in The
door would close behind him. And then
what? Manifestly there would be moth
ing for her to do but to turn about and
retrace her steps, no wiser than when
she had set out, and having had her trou-
BILE for her pains. Such was the pros
pect.
Miss Maxey sauntered leisurely along
upon the opposite side of the way and
some distance behind, trying not to ap-
pear to look at Mr.. Dye at all. But this
precaution was useless. Mr.. Dye never
looked around. He continued to drift on
in the same faltering, unenergetic, de-
spondent fashion, with his hands in the
side pockets of his threadbare coat and
his head bent down.
He does not look like a very old
man," thought Ellen, "but judging by
his gait he must be in feeble health
They were now passing through a
quiet side street which led down a gen.
tie declivity. There were not many pc
destrians and out of the gloomy sky
few fine crystals of snow were leisurely
finding their way to the pavement.
Mr.. Dye had traversed about half the
% %1,o xr,ho
noticed carriage containing two wom-
en-, one of whom was driving, turning
in from the avenue which ran to right
angles with the bottom of the decline.
The woman who drove was on the side
toward Mr.. Dye. The horses walked
slowly up the hill.
Miss Maxey marked these facts only
i'll mechanical way until a sudden
change in the manner Of the woman
who drove attracted her attention.
There was no doubt about it. The driv-
er was filed with strong emotions at
the sight of Mr.. Dye. The somber mans
gaze was still downward. He had not
noticed her, but the occupant Of the
vehicle seemed to have concentrated her
whole attention upon him. When she
came opposite to him, she drew up with
a sudden pull upon the reins. Then she
bent over and seemed to call to him in
a low voice
Mr.. Dye started ouG of his abstraction
and looked up to find himself face to
face with her. Even at the distance
which interviewed between herself and
the scene Miss Maxey fancied she saw
the mans sallow face turn to deadlier
pallor and his jaw drop. He certainly
for an instant like drunken
man and then stood motionless in the
middle of the sidewalk, staring at the
woman in the carriage The woman
spoke again and beckoned to him. At
this Mr.. Dye reused himself, threw
hasty glance over his shoulder III each
as if calculating the chances
of flight and ended by stepping out into
the street and entering into a converse
ton.
All this time Miss Maxey was coming
nearer and nearer. If she could only
hear one little sentence of what they
were saying, she thought it would be
some satisfaction to her, but unfortu-
nately she was ON the other side of the
way, and she did not dare to cross over.
She did not dare even to look unduly
oward the point where all her interest
vas centered, for the reason that the
woman seemed to be suspicious of every
hing about her. Even i'll the midst of
Ter conversation with Mr.. Dye, which
eemed to be conducted on her part with |
much earnestness and emphasis, she |
glanced up and down the street i'll a eau
iOus, uneasy manner and looked at Ell
en- fiXedly.
1t was when she looked at her thus
lirectly that Ellen first became aware
If vague and but half active impress
ion that she did not see this face now
or the first time And yet how was it
possible for her to have seen so striking |
. face and have forgotten the place and |
he circumstances? The same hasty scru-
my which showed her this showed her |
.lso that the woman was richly, even |
avishly, attired, and that, though she |
night be between 80 and 40, she was |
till young, still fascinating
Men would like her," thought the |
rtist's sister, Sin spite of the cynic1sm |
md disdain that spoil tho face for me-"
And thinking this she went on, vainly |
rying to stimulate the passive senti- |
nent that rose in her mind at the sight !
# this new countenance into active rec |
election.
AS for the other occupant of the car |
iage, Ellen hardly noticed her. Yet she J
new, in n mechanical way, that she was |
-oung, not more than 20, perhaps much |
ess; that she had smiling, pretty face,
# much the same type of beauty as the
nore mature features beside her.
AS Ellen passed that point in the |
treet where the vehicle stood her strain
ng ears caught only six distinct words
Il woman's voice:
sit will admit of no delay"
Mr.. Dyes response was inaudible.
This was all that she, without betray-
ng an interest in the affair beyond that
# a chance passer, was able to rescue
nut of the whole conversation. She was
o careful not to do this that she even
efrained from looking around after she
lad passed the carriage. In truth, it was
lot until she bad nearly reached the
orner of the street, and the sound of
wheels on the hard stones warned her
hat the carriage had started ahead, that
he again ventured to satisfy her curl
'sity.
A rather curious state of affairs pre-
ented itself to her view when she
urned. The carriage had indeed re-
umed its onward course in the same di-
ection as before, but Mr.. Dye had faced
bout and was preceding it upon the
idewalk little distance in front The
now was now beginning to fall more
hickly, and Ellen felt that there was
erious danger Of losing sight Of the
'eople in whom she was SO greatly in
crested
Undoubtedly when the carriage got to