The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-12-10
WHEELING DAILY INTELLGENoER TUESDAY DECEMBER TO- 1896

frightened, half ashamed OF his out
break. hut there was only tho trilliEg
Of the night wind In the leaves, or ttAa
far-o!f yelp OF Il coyote,
For q moment he thought he henrd
the metallic twang OF a sLrlngcd tHStru-
ment In the mission garden beyond his
own, and remembered his eontiguity to
the church with n stir Of defiance. Nut
he was relieved nevertheless, His pGlSt-
up emotion had found vent, and 'wlthv
out the nervous excitement that had
followed his old exultation. That night
he slept better, lie had found the Lord
agaln-witt Psnlmodyl
The next evening he chnnced upon u
softer hymn OF the same simplicity, but
with q vein OF human tenderness In Its
aspirations with his more hOpeflll
mood duly rendered, At the conclusion
Of the first verse he was, however, dis
tInctly conscious OF being followed by
the same twnnging sound hG had heard
on the previous night, and which even
his untutorod ear could recognize IL
an attempt to accompany him. But be-
fore he had finished the second verse
the unknown player, after an ingenious
but Intellectual essay 10 grasp tile right
chord abandoned II with an Impatient
and almost pettish flourish, and u loud
bang upon the sounding board OF the
unseen instrument. Masterton finished
II alone,
With his curiosity excited, however,
he tried to discover the locality OF the
hidden player. The sound evidently
came from the mission garden; but IN
his Ignorance OF the language he could
not even lnterrOgatc his Indian house,
keeper. on the third night, however.
his hymn was uninterrupted by any
sound from the former musician. A
sense OF disappointment, he knew not
why, came over him. The kindly over
ture of the unseen player had been
relief to his Loneliness. Yet he had
barely concluded tho hymn when the
familiar sound again struck his ears,
But this time the musician played bold
ly--conAdently, and with u singular
skin on the instrument,
The brilliant preludes over, to his en-
tire surprise and gone confusion,
soprano voice, high, childish. but In
tinitcly quaint and fascinating, was
mIschlevously uplifted. But alas'
even to his ears, ignorant OF the Ian
guage, It was very clearly song OF lew
ity and wnntonness, OF freedom and u.
Cense OF coquetry and excitement!
Yet such was It's fascination that he
fancled II was reclaimed by the delight
full chIldlIke and innocent expression of
the singer
Enough that this tall. gnunt, broad
shouldered man arose,and overcome by
curiosity almost as chlldllke, slipped
Into the garden and glIded with an In
dian sOftness OF tread towards the
voice. The moon shone full upon the
ruined mission wall, tipped with clus-
tiers Of dark foliage Half hiding, half
mlngling with one Of them-an indis-
tinct bulk OF light-colored huddled
ileeCes like an extraVdgant birds nest
hung the unknown musician. SO In
tent was the performers preoccupRtion,
that MastertOn actually reached the
base OF the wall Immediately below the
figure, without attracting Its attention.
But his foot slipped on the crumbling
debris with q swapping of dry twigs.
There wRs quick little cry from above.
He had barely time TO recover his posi-
ton before the singer, impulsively
leaning over the parapet, had lost hers,
and fell outwards. But Masterton was
tall alert and sclt-possessed, and
threw out his long arms. The next
moment they were full Of soft flounces,
struggling figure was against his
breast, and n woman's frightened little
hands around his neck
(rO HE CONTINUITY