The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-09

him. lie is madman when he is jeal-
GUS. When he finds you here he will
try TO kill you"
THAT is very thoughtful of him, and
OF you," Ames said, quietly. The wom-
an might be mad or she might not, but,
in any case, the adventure was ticklish
and cool blood the only wisdom.
"If he kills you," the woman went on,
with her eyes fixed on Philo's face,
then he is a murderer and SO am well
rid of him. If you kill him, as hope,
then you have acted in self-defense, and
are innocent-and so, too, am we'll rid
OF him"
"You seem 10 have thought things
out very carefully" said Ames. but
why did you honor me with your choice
of Champion"
because of your reputation" she
said, with smile that was half a sneer;
perhaps because of your big boast.
Women have done so much for you that
il was time you should do something
for women"
Philo shrugged his shoulders. "You
hatter me- he began, but the woman
interrupted him.
Hush she said 81 hear football.
Philo, straining his sense of hearing,
seemed TO catch the faint sound of dis
tant ascending step on those distant
ascending stairs. lie slipped his hand
&c his hip pocket and pulled ont his pis-
toll. The woman's eyes flashed at his
action.
'Of course" he said,T can only feel
fattered at the honor you have done me.
If your friend attacks me, as you seem
to assume-well, as l believe am con
sidcred 10 be a good shot, and as be-
lieve that / justify the impression,
should imagine that you will be relieved
Of your difficulty in about five minutes"
Even as he spoke the steps came
nearer and nearer, and sounded louder
end louder in the gaunt loneliness OF
the place. But Ames's blood. growing
hot with the excitement of the moment,
suddenly cooled at the sight of ;he
woman's face. 1t had grown curiously
pale and drawn and wan, and it's look OF
anxiety touched him with quick pity
She seemed 10 be listening as curiouSly
MS he TO the on-coming steps, but with
II very different interest. He thought
10 himself, trying TO translate her cX'
preston, that the steps sounded sincu-
larly light TO be those of the black-yls.
aged savage whose face grinned on the
chimney piece. The steps came close
and stopped before the door There
was n moments silence--and then a
ring.
The woman remained motionless for
u moment, like one under the influence
oC some ungoyernable fear, some un-
-sit4Heable horror. Then. as if shaking
OH the lethargy of dream, she walked
TO the door and went into the hall.
philo followed her, with a revolver in
Lis hand. She opened the hall door,
and Ames mechanically lifted his pistol,
but lowered it again as his gaze en-
countered nothing more alarming than
telegraph boy dimly visible in the
faintly-lighted corridor. Before the
boy had time TO say IA name, the woman
had caught the message from him,
looked at its address and swung tlr door
to. Philo Ames and She were agpin
alone together. Philo could hear the
10y whistling and stamping as he went
away, but the woman stood STILL hold
ing the message in her hands. 1t was
only for minute, but il seemed an age;
then she turned and walked into the
drawing-room, Ames making way for
her. She tQJe the envelope open, read
the message, gave little cry, which she