Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-12-23

covered with snow and shaking with
the shock OF a storm that seemed at
once to fiji the house.
Her first thought was that it was her
husband come back, but before she
could clear her eyes from the cloud of
snow which had entered with him he
had thrown oil his outer covering and
she found herself face to face with q
man in whose powerful frame and
Cynical visage she saw little to comfort
her and much 10 surprise and alarm.
ugh was his course and rather IA
miliar greeting. a hard night, missus.
Enough to drive any man indoors.
Pardon for the liberty, but I couldn't
wait for You TO lift the latch; the wind
drove me right in.
'Was-Was no. the door locked?" she
feebly asked, thinking he must have
STAYED it in with his foot. that looked
eminently fitted for the task.
Not much, he chuckled Il s'pOse
you're 100 hospitable for that" And
his eyes passed from her face TO the
comfortable freight shining through
the sitting room.
is it refuge YOU want?" she demand
cd, suppressing as much as possible all
signs of fear.
sure, missus-what else! A man
can't live in a gale like that. specially
after tramp of twenty miles or more.
Shall l shut the door for you?" he ask
ed, with a mixture of bravado and good
nature that frightened her more and
more
Il will shut ii" she replied. with a
nan motion of escaping this sinister
stranger by q fight through the night.
buL one glance into the swirling
snow storm deferred her, and making
the best of the alarming situation she
closed the door, but did not lock it. be-
ms more afraid now of what was with
IN the house than Of anything that was
now likely to enter from without.
Ihe man. whose clothes We're drip
ping water by this time, watched her
W-,n o cynical smile. and then. with
OUT any inumac.Cn. entered the dining
room, crossed fl and moved toward tha
kitchen fire.
"Ugo, Ugh. But it is warm here"
he cried. his nOSrilS d.lating with an
ANNA. Ike enj0ymen- that in itself was
repugnant TO her womanlv daicacy.
DO You know. missus [ shall have TO
say here all night? Cant so out in
tlat gale again; not such i0cl. Then
with a sly lock oc her trembling form
and white face he insinuat.ngly added,
AL alone misuse
The sUjdenu5 with which this was
put, together wth the leer -hs; acccm-
panied ii. made her START. Alone? Yes,
bu. should she acknowledge it2 Would
il not be be. er TO say ,hat her husband
was UD stains. The man evidently saw
the struggle g0!rS on in her mind for
he chucklel o himself and called out
quite boldly:
Never mind, missUs: its all right.
Jus give me g bit of cold meat and a
cup OF tea or something. and Wen be
very comfortable together. You're q
slender slip of woman 20 be mindiug
a house like This. I'll keep You company
If YOU don't mind. la3s-w.sa until the
storm lets up O bit. which amt likely
for some hours TO come. Rough night.
m.ssus. rough night.
81 eN7ec, my husband home az any
time. she fastened TO say And think
ing she saw a change I'm The man S coun-
-euauc az this she put on quite an air
of sudden satisfaction ana bounded to-
ward the front door of The house.
There, l think I hear him now, she
cried.
Her motive was to gain time, and If
possible ID obtain the opportunity OF
slsfting The money from the place Wnera