Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-10-05
This was the reason they we're

sc uai iiOA OOAooOns "ho "sS 49,
by a certain spot watching for the
certain proctor.
"Buck, which is the freshman's
room p
1t was the one next to the light,
and the light was in the room over
the side door,
"Second or third story?'
''Sist not SO loud. Why, let's
see-the third
EYES," said Haines '.don't you
see the windows open up there.
None of the family would do this"
Buckley started up. The Others
leaned against the bottom round to
steady it; then he came back for a
moment. "Dont take it away until
/ get all the way in-until | wave
my hand. There's plenty of time.
Keep COOL he whispered, as be MINI
bly, began his ascent. For his de-
scent he was TO rely upon the stairs,
the freshman, and bis own persua-
sive powers, for what are freshmen
and stairs made for
The ladder did not quite reach,
and he had to stand on the top
round and reach for the sill. Then
he pulled himself up, got one foot
over. took a longer grip on the in
side OF the window, dragged the
other foot up, as you would climb
high board fence, and he was in the
room with both feet. He leaned out
and waved his hand. The top of the
ladder silently swung out from the
wall and swooped down in silence.
Buckley turned and started across
the room.
He could feel the heavier atmos-
phere of indoors. A small clock
was ticking somewhere. He detect
ed faint scent of mouchoir powder,
and was just remarking to himself
half consciously that it was just like
that pretty-faced freshman, when
from somewhere there came soft
voice, saying: as that you, dear ?"
Then before all the blood near his
backbone had time to freeze into lit
tie splinters of ice, he said, "Shsss,'
and stepped out ofthe moonlightand
into the shadow, which is the best
thing to do in case you are in sim
iliar situation. Buckeyes instinct
made him do it.
Across the silence the soft voice
foated again and mingled with the
moonlight: "Oh, I'm not asleep.
But why did you stay SO long, Guy,
dear?
There was another sound. 1t was
the squeaking of a bed spring.
Then, as Backlcy's knees stifened
tight against each other, be spied
coming toward him something white,
with two black streaks hanging half
way down, which as the thing came
into the moonlight he saw to be long
braids of dark hair. Also, the light
showed tall, slender figure clothed
in but one garment, which was white
and face which was young and
beautiful. Buckley had never seen
woman dressed that way before,
and he closed his eyes.
But he felt it coming nearer. He
stood up perfectly straight and rigid
in the darkness as two arms reached
up and met about his neck. The
arms were soft.
Buckley did not bulge, and the
soft voice began, in sort of whis-
per: "You have not forgiven me,
yet 7" 1t began to sob, and he felt
the sobbing against his orange and
black sweater. "You know I did
not mean it. Won't you forgive
her? Won't you forgive-her?"
And Buckley fully realized that he
was in the thick of some romantical-
ly CHASTITY mistake, and that the
only thing he could do to make it
worse would be to speak or show
his face.
For fully minute he stood thus
motionless, with his arms at his sides
gathering himself together, and try
ing to think what to do. And when
he had made up his mind what to do
he gritted his teeth and put both
arms about the Clingy Thing.
And when he had done that the
Clingy Thing began to purr in soft,
plaintive tones, which undoubtedly,
were sweet,and would probably have
been appreciated by Buckley if he
had not been so ratified. "Tell me
that you do forgive me. Say it with
your own lips"
Buckley said nothing with his
lips. He was biting them.
"Guy, speak to me !"
Buckley didn't.
"Speak to me, my husband!' A
soft, fragrant hand came gently up
along his cheek, which tingled, and
over his eyes, which quivered, and
pushed back the hair from his brow,
which was wet. Suddenly she rails
ed her head, gave one look at his
face with large, startled eyes, then,
with shuddering gasp, she recoil-
ed.
But Buckley was not letting 60.
This is what he had been preparing
for. Keeping one arm about her