The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-05

curiuuaiy wrought iron hinges. worked
into many n scroll and leaf and flower;
but that which interested me most was
motto engraved upon the stone cap
above the portal, which read ne follower
"'Uho enters here lenvcs hone behind"
OF course the inscription was not II
English, but in old German text, and
could give ID here in the original, as
am perfect master of the German Ian
guage, as also of several other tongues
but / think that such exhibitions O
erudition are not pertinent to the story
and, 10 say the least, are out of taste.
In my adventurous spirit, there wa
something about this door and the In
scription over il which met my view
exactly. Evidently l needed not tt
seek further. There was whole worlt
OF possibilities behind that door. L
find the lovely and suffering princess
of whom / was In search. When on,
comes to think of it, il is always
through a door that one goes to hi
fate. by entering some door a maj
takes the first step by which he becomes
u drunkard or gambler. BY entering
another he meets the woman whom he /,
10 love. Through one doorway he en-
ters upon n career OF fame; through an
other that OF ignomipy. Should /, OF
should not pass through that fatcful
portal? i little thought then that tn,
question was 10 be solved, not by my
self, but by circumstances over
which / had no control; that should
enter the doorway without intending
10 do so, and in perfectly involuntary
manner.
While I was engaged In these reflec.
tions, heard n cracking of twigs and
rustling of leaves, as though made by
footsteps, and, looking up, saw a man
coming toward IRE along the wall IN.
side the iron fence. He was approaching
from a direction opposite TO thar
whence l myself had arrived, walking
upon a narrow path between the
masonry and the ditch, and it seemed tc
me that he must have come around the
further corner of the wall, which
corner was perhaps sixty feet distant
from the bridge and the doorway.
He came up as far as where the fence
turned in towards the wall, and stood
there, looking ut mo over tho pickets,
with a most supercil.ous and insolent
expression. He wns'a man of forty,
should think; tall ard broad and rather
heavy about the waist. lie had bushy
black brows, and small ferret eyes. His
underlids were puffy, and n great mil
itary mustache with wnXed ends but
ill-concealed large and ugly mouth.
The expression of his countenance, MS
he stared at me, seemed nalevolentin the
extreme. lie wns doubtless ill-pleased
TO find me in that particular spot, at
that particular time. His dress was Of
soldierly crt, though he was not in
uniform. He kept one hand in his
pocket and, with q riding whip in the
other, fliclsed the dirt from his boots,
looking up at ne now and then. with
glance which seemed to say: "Why
don't you take yourself off? Can't you
see that ! am waiting for you to go?"
Now. II he had not como. probably
would have left the bridge in moment
or so, and proceeded on my way along
the street, ns had, TO tell the truth, no
my way through that door. hut when |
saw, or thought ! cav, that he was so
anxious to have me go, immediately
changed my mind, and began to ma
ture plans by which might remain on
that same spot for en- indefinite period
days, months IL necessary. l also as
sumcd an appearance whieh indicated
my intention. ] took on look of leis-
ure, made 1t seem ga though time was
no object to me. ] yawned, took out
cigar and slowly lighted it, and then
leaned in n comfortable attitude against
the stone frame of the doorway.
lie at length lost patience and spoke
to me, in voice which quivered eight
ly with suppressed ongerness or rage or
both "My good fellow. there are
reasons which make your further pres
ence here, just now, rather awkward.
] hope you have satisfied your curiosi-
ty about the door, and bid you good
evening, and hope you will have pleas-
nnt walk"
He leered at me patronizingly. as he
said "my good fellow" and il was really
more than could stand.
"Why, my dear old gentleman" I
answered, 81 am not in the slightest
hurry 10 go. To tell the truth, l had
thought of spending the night here. l
do not object to company, however, and
you may remain here with me IL you
wish"
young man, / DO not wish for yerir
company, and you will do very we'll
without mine. These grounds arc pri-
vnte and the property Of q very exalted
parsonage You will do well to take my
advice and so ~ once
"Your advice" snid T., "is without
doubt excellent. and will take IL into
consideration. ] would like 10 know
first, whether you speak by authority
OF this same exalted rersonnge, and
whether he knows that you yourself
arc here"
had evidently hit the nail on tho
head this time, for he betrayed some IN
cngincrs and glanced furtiyelv nm and