The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-10-31
CHAPTER ].

morning at 6:15, miss"
"Gonev' cried the girl in despair. She
reached out her hand and caught one of
the wooden pillars supporting the roof Of
the little station at Midway.
1t was almost dark. Nine o'clock had
struck. The straight warm rain was
falling through the dusky, MINDLESS air.
1t was an evening towards the end OF
June-the last Wednesday of that month.
There was not a sound but the dull muf-
fling beat Of the rain upon the roof. Not
q soul visible but the girl and station
agent.
She took her hand away from the wood
en- pillar, and gathered her cloak round
her, in preparation for going.
"Can l do anything for you miss? Have
you far to walk?' asked the man.
She did not answer his question; she
asked instead: do you think the rain
will stop DON"
He glanced at the thin line of dull,
dark leaden sky. "No, miss, l don't think
it will. 1t looks as If 'twould rain all
night"
She sighed, moved her shoulders under
the cloak to settle it, and saying Thank
you," in a ~listless way, moved with droop-
ing read slowly out of the station, raised
| her umbrella and walked under the huge
beeches Of a broad, deserted road leading
southwark.
Although her pace had not been quick,
she felt her breath come short. The mild,
moist, scent-laden air seemed too rich for
freshening life and cooling the blood. She
was tired, and would have liked to sit
down and rest, but neither time nor place
allowed Of pause. She must get on-she
must get back as quickly as possible, or
she might be TOO late, too late to regain
ethan House and steal unperceived to
her room there. 10 that hateful Ethan
House, under which tonight rested that
odious Oscar Leigh. Oscar Leigh, the
%grinning, bold. audacious man.
Owing to the loss of the little money
left her by her father, Edith Grace had
been obliged to try and get something to
do, as she could not consent to encroach
on the slender income of her grandmoth-
er, Mrs. Grace, the only relative she had
in the world. AS she had been so long
with Mrs. Grace, she thought the thing
to suit her best would be a companions
ship to an elderly or invalid lady. She
advertised in the daily papers, and the
most promising looking reply came from
Mr.. Oscar Leigh, of ETHAN House. Mill
q III IL IL tollDoIlOn " Lac II
firm mother. Mr.. Leigh could not give
much salary, but if advertiser took the
situation. she would have a thoroughly
comfortable and highly respectable home
Mr.. Leigh could make an appointment FOL
a meeting in Chicago.
The meeting took place at Mrs. Grace:
lodgings, and although Miss Grace shranl
from the appearance and manners Of M
Leigh, she accepted the situation.
Mr.. Oscar Leigh was very short, an(
had shoulders of unequal height. and
slight bunch on his back. His face was
long and hollow checked. The eyes small
and black. and piercingly bright. His ex
preston was s%aturnine, sinister, cruel
His teeth were fans-like and yellow. Hi
voice hollow when he spoke low. and harsl
when he raised it. His breath came il
short gasps now and then. He droopet
. towards the right side, and carried
short and unusually thick stick, wit
huge rugged and battered crook. Mis-
Grace would have pitied him only for hi
impudent giances. She would have loath
ed him only she could not forget that hi
deformities were deserving of pity. TIL
bargain was there and then completed
and it had been arranged that she Shout
go to Ethan House that day week.
This night that was now upon her an
around her, this dull, dark, heavy-perfun
ed, rain-drowned midsummer night, wa
, the night Of that day week. Only on
' week lay between the visit of this huncf
back and this day. This morning sh
had left Chicago and seen Midway fo
2 the first time in her life. She had &C
I there at noon and driven straight to Z
than House. The hire Of the cab ha
made considerable inroad on the none
in her pocket. The sum was now reduce
to only q few cents more than her mel
. train fare to Chicago. When she q
. there she would have to walk home. OF
4 walking home through the familiar stree
thronged with everyday folk, would |
so delightful compared with this bleaI
solitary Ethan House, this hideous, il
solent, monstrous, deformed dwarf.
1t was impossible for her to stay at E
than House, utterly impossible. TIL
man Leigh had told her he should see Ii
tie or nothing of her at the place, ar
yet when she reached the house his W;
the FIRST face and figure she laid eyes O.
He had opened the door for her and we
!. coined her to Ethan House, and on II
!, very threshold he had attempted to XII
her! Great heavens! it was incredib
OIIlUI u H. was IL A4St AK
is who had ever dared to try to kiss her w
O. 9. this od;ous beast, this m~isshapen fen
this scented monster!
Y And yet she was on her way back
~ Ethan House,! There was no altern
"a tive. She had nowhere else to 60. f
;, lack of courage and honey she could n
= venture upon an hotel. She had nev
ce been from home alone before, and she fl
OF as if she were in a new planet. She W
a, not desperate, but she was awkwa.
timid, afraid.
Wet and lonely as the night was. s
would have preferred walking about
morning rather than return to that hou:
All the time she was in the house Lei
had forced his odious. insolent a~ttentio
upon her. He had lain in wait for
with expostu!af.ons for her prudery IN I