Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-10-06
CHAPTER XIV.
THE KNOCKING.

getner TOO serious What shall ! dO?"
CHAPTER XIV.
THE KNOCKING.
The afternoon was drawing to a 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 Maxey was looking over her shout
der, apparently at the sketch. She was
not working Her hands lay listlessly in
her lap, and her eyes We're fixed on the
gray sky above the river
care you studying the effect?" the
artist queried, with smile.
mo, Mr.. Maxey, was listening"
Listening? For what?''
For the wind Have you never no.
ticed how queerly it knocks at the win
dow frames sometimes? This is one of
the days. When l am working here
alone, l often notice it, and however
much hear it it never fails to startle
me-
"What, the rattle?''
1.-THE rap. There is not so much sud.
denness in 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 as if the wind
did it at all. There is silence, and then
comes sudden dull blow. At first
thought somebody must be throwing
something against the pane, but l found
! after a time that it was only a move
ment of the window frame Isn't it curl
| cus?"
VERY. You notice these little things,
| Annette. Do you know, have worked
] in this room alone for months, and for
my part l never noticed whether the
windows ratified or were still There!
Was not that it:''
Il did not hear it then / was listen
ing to you, Mr.. Maxcy. Listen again,
and it will come wish / were not
foolish enough to lie afraid of it. Harkv
In the silence that ensued they could
hear each other breathing. Perhaps it
was nervousness, but Maxey felt strange
ly excited. A low knocking-not the
knocking they were waiting for-came
to their ears through the closed door.
How very oddr' exclaimed Maxey.
THAT was not the touch of a ghostly
zephyr, hut the substantial rap of some
body tang ble who wants to get in"
1T must be timid person who would
| knock SO low
Probably it is. Some beggar doubt.
less. Impecuniousness is occasionally
timid. Don't disturb yourself, An.
nette."
Maxey stepped into the vestibule and
opened the outer door. He regarded the
man who had summoned him there with
a look Of SPECIFICS surprise. 1t wa:
Mr.. Dye. There We're the woebegont
beaver, the shiny, threadbare coat, the
faded blue eyes, the long hair falling
over the ears, the smooth face with it.
expression Of hapless melancholy and al
that went to make up the peculiar groul
OF mental impressions which Maxey haC
learned since the first meeting, nov
weeks ago, to associate with the nam,
Leander Dye.
You" was Maxey's only utterance
81, sir" said the somber voice. Par
don me If venture to intrude my un
seemly presence upon you thus abrupt,
without having prepared you previousl.
by timely warning
Come in, " said Maxey.
Mr.. Dye hesitated.
Pardon me if l am constrained {,
ask an impairment question. Are 70,
alone:'
Il am not alone in the house. No"
But desire to see only you. no on
else. / have no wish to meet the youn,
lady who once bore my name 1t woul,
be painful for us BOTH
"You shall see me alone, said Max
ey. Come in
The artist ushered Mr.. Dye into tn
parlor and closed the door. Was it tina
the gloomy presence Of the melanchol,
man communicated depressing in
fiuence? Maxey certainly felt an unrea
sonable dread-a sort of sinking at tn
heart-as the door closed and he stoo,
there alone with his visitor.
Mr.. Dye stood with his hat in hi
hand and avoided Maxey's eyes. H
never lifted his glance from the floor
The artist noticed that he was more sal
low and pallid than when he had seel
him first; that there was a shakiness i,
his whole frame, palsied tremble il
his hands. He began at once, and hi
voice was like one speaking out of
tomb:
"Sir, your ears are exceedingl,
good
"mdeed!"
"Or You would not have heard IN,
knock. l knocked very softly, as hav
Knocked at your door SO many times AM
You did not hear. hoped, and hoped il
vain, that you would again let me g
away UNDECIDED rs before
Il don't comprehend you, sir. Hay
You been here before?"
| "Sir, have been here many time
before, knocking at your door SO softl,
that you might have mistaken the soun'
for the wind or the rattle of rat benin
the woodwork -
Maxey recoiled-
Are Won insane?'