The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-18
ACCESSORY AFTER THE FACT.
BY HOWARD FIELDING.
PRIZE NOVELTIES, No. is.

Nv corridor, which was never llBnleu,
was dark as Erebus that night. The usual
feeble Jet of gas was out, and the hlgh
window at the end OF the hall admitted
scarcely a ray. The densest OF the shad-
ows Law under il, and thence, as adj
yanced. there came TO meet me the sharp
sound OF metal falling on the stones
paused. a bit startled. Then match that
made no noise was struck upon the Moor
and i'm the light OF IL saw the face OF
Frederick Dane.
Had Il been any other face ! might not
have recognized il by the scant illumina-
tion of the wavering, blue flame; but ms
/ could not mistake, for | had studied IL
with too deep attention in the years when
we were friends. | say friends, though
think his feeling toward noe bad never
justified the name of friendship, but had
certainly preferred him 10 any man on
earth, and would have made the last pos
sible sacrifice TO win his regard. had
known him at college and for year
afterward, but had not seen him since.
had been told that ne was dissipating his
small property, and generally going to the
bad.
II was with infinite pleasure that found
him again. ] had had no idea that he was
in New York. / did not give a seconds
time TO wondering what he was doing
there at midnight before the door OF the
mysterious old man called "Smith." IN
stead j sprang forward with cry OF well
come.
Instantly the match went out. ! heard
the click of a key in the lock. The door
was hastily opened, and would have been
as hastily closed again had / not thrust
"FTedl'' / exclaimed. ''It's l. Open
the door and
"Hushl" he breathed, in n voice that
checked me instantly. "Don't speak my
name. Come in. ~
oh af Is ma
closed and locked the door. Then he lit
a Jet of gas, and turned toward me.
saw that he was changed. His face was
thin, and less agreeable TO the eye than In
the days when | had thought him the
handsomest fellow in the world. Not only
was he very pale but 1t seemed 10 me
that his face had something of the gray
ish hue that marks the prisoner.
''You were alone, of courseY' he said.
EYES, / replied; "but what's the
matter? You were not so easily startled
in the old days. Give me your hand, and
say you're glad TO see me, whether you
are or not. -
AZ don't know whether ] am or not, -
he said with a smile that took something
from the words. "It depends on whether
you can keep a secret. | used to think
you couldn't. At any rate I'll swear you
never kept your own"
"Never was SO lucky as TO have any,
my boy, | rejoined, struggling TO pre-
serve my good nature "but III swear,
! in my turn, that you never knew me to
| betray one OF your
"There's something i'm that" he re-
| piled, with greater ease of manner "Now
! look here; I'll begin frankly. i knew
that yeti we're in that-Faom- -across-the
! hall, but didn't intend to let you see
| me. When you first moved in / got a
| glimpse of you, and one morning about
a week ago, l took means TO assure my
| self -
81 remember that. ~ said |. "But why"
"Tll answer the question before you
| ask IT, I'm living here very quietly.
Nobody knows that Pm here. There
are reasons. -
| "Creditors?" | asked.
eyes, confound them and that's not
| the worst of it, - he replied with frown.
"But don't ask me any questions.
! just remember that Im dead. If you
want TO see me in my grave, I'll let you
i'm here eHee iH- a " Aile; ;-but if you- make
! the smallest mistake, II you breathe a
word TO a living soul, If you whisper my
name in the corridors of this internal
| mausoleum, you will utterly ruin me.
! Pm Smith, remember that. You used TO
be my friend; prove it now. friend in
my present situation will be next best to
! nobody at all. ~
"This is cheerful / rejoined. GLOW
! long is this agreeable situation likely to
| laSlI''
"Heaven knows. Sit down and talk of
! something else. Talk of old times. 4"
! / did, and presently his mood changed
| for the better. We sat till the light began
To creep in through the windows with
| their heavy curtains, and not once did
we refer TO our surroundings. As the
! light increased, he grew uneasy, and
! leaving him alone.
From that time | saw him frequently.
/ He came in the forenoon while his room
was being cared for. Ii simplified mat
! ters he told me. Heretofore he had
stood in the curtained recess of a window
| while woman attended 20 the order Of
| the apartment. How he secured his food,
| j could not guess He had heavily bribed
! the ianitor and that may account for IT,.
! But he looked as II he had eaten much
less than would have been good for him.