Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-10-15
= I,

the last train this evening. First in the
morning at 6:15, miss"
"Gone!' 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-
ding 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 I do anything forsyou, miss? Have
you far-to wa!k2' asked the man.
She did not answer his, question; she
asked instead: "Do you think the rain
will stop soon ~. -
He glanced at the thin line of dull,
dark leaden sky. ''No, miss, I don't think
night" .-+'@@ . .~
She sighed. moved her shoulders under
the cloak to settle 1t; and saying Thank
you" in a listless way, moved with droop-
Ing head slowly out Of the station, raised
her, umbrella and walked under the huge
beeches Of = broad deserted road leading
southward.
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
MAJ 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 al quickly a. possible, or
she might be TOO late, too late to regain
Ethan House and steal unperceived to
her room there. TO 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 companion
ship to an elderly or invalid lady. She
advertised in the daily papers, and the
most promising looking reply came from
MI. Oscar Leigh, of Ethan House, Mill
way, who wanted a companion for his in
firm mother. Mr.. Leigh could not give
much salary, but il advertiser took the
situation, she would have a thoroughly
comfortable and highly respectable home.
Mr.. Leigh could make an appointment for
a meeting in Chicago.
The meeting took place at Mrs. Grace's
lodgings, and although Miss Grace shrank
from the appearance and manners of Mr..
Leigh, she accepted the situation.
Mr.. Oscar Leigh was very short, and
had shoulders of unequal height, and a
slight bunch on his back. His face was
long and hollow checked. The eyes small
and black, and p%iercingly bright. His ex-
preston was saturnine, sinister, cruel.
His teeth were fang-like and yellow. His
voice hollow when he spoke low, and harsh
when he raised it. His breath came in
short gasps now and then. He dropped
towards the right side, and carried n
short and unusually thick stick, with
huge rugged and battered crook. Miss
Grace would have pitied him only for his
impudent glances. She would have loath-
ed him only she could not forget that his
deformities were deserving Of pity. The
bargain was there and then completed,
and 1t had been arranged that she should
60 to Ethan House that day week.
This night that was now upon her and
around her, this dull, dark, heavy-perfum-
ed. rain-drowped midsummer night, was
the night Of that day week. Only one
week lay between the visit of this hunch-
back and this day. This morning she
h0A LOFT ChSNo~o and so~- NRsy4-.- -
the FIRST time in her life. She had got
there at noon and driven straight to FL
than House. The hire OF the cab had
made considerable inroad on the money
In her pocket. The sum was now reduced
to only a few cents more than her mere
train fare to Chicago. When she got
there she would have to walk home. Oh!
walking home through the familiar streets
thronged with everyday folk, would be
30 delightful compared with this bleak,
solitary Ethan House, this hideous, In
solent, monstrous, deformed dwarf.
1t was impossible for hef to stay at FL
than House, utterly impossible. This
man Leigh had told her he should see lit
tie or nothing Of her at the place, and
yet when she reached the house his was
the first face and figure she laid Eyes on.
A1S uoO Opt1eO. lHe uOOr TOT Qor aQQ well
coined her to Ethan House, and on the
very threshold he had attempted to kiss
her! Great heavens! it was incredibly
horrible, but i! was true! The first man
who had ever dared to try to kiss her was
this odious beast, this misshapen iend,
this scented nonsterl
And vet she was on her way back to
Ethan House! There was NO ~alterna-
tive. She had nowhere else to 60. For
lack OF courage and money she could not
venture upon an hotel She had never
been from home alone before, and she felt
- Il she were In q new planet. She was
not desperate, but she was awkward,
timid, afraid.
We and lonely AZ the night was, she
would have preferred walking about till
morning rather than return to that house.
All the time she was In ~,thekAouse Leigh
had forced his odious, nhofftt9attentiohs
upon her. He had lain {uefSlr2it Tor her
With approximations tor,htN!g ~ - not
All -