The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-28

preston Of the mans face. Ho did not seem dis.
comfited or bafiiod; no looked triumphant, like
n man whose suspicious had been proved true. l
sat softly down on the edge OF the bed and won
dorcd what that look could mean.
Us ne glanced toward one side of the room
chair, and then l knew what that expression on
his face meant. 1 was not In my own room. |
was In q mans. and the man was tho one with
whom he had accused me of trying to have u
nirtation-a young officer whom had met but
once the man who was sitting with you in the
that we must have sat there. facing each other,
for an eternity, Finally he, went away, aud as |
TO do before, tho man in IT. awoke. / had seen he
was there tho moment after my eye fell on the
uniform. l had been afraid to move, and | had
sat, holding my breath through that ordeal.
He awakened as ! arose, hut ] ran out of the
room before he realized. that l was there. He
must have seen me in tho moonlight, but i did
not even know this afternoon that he would
Tecognize me: got back to my room, which,
out. When I got into my room / could hear
Mrs. b; breathing in the room adjoining. I
dropped Off my wrapper and Slipped into bcd,
u sense of tremendous relief, and the thoughts of
what had jus, been through Kept running
81 can't tell how long l had been there before
1 threw my hand oyer. felt n man g coat, and
sprSng up so rapidly from tho bed that l was
session enough not 10. scream. My knees were
that l could not have screamed II / had tried. l
knew that / could do nothing more than wake
Mrs. b: i could not have let her know that
toward him, the same devillsh smile was on his
face, the same fire in his little eyes.
room, he whispered.
IFS woman ever put her soul into a look I
i H,a / Mmsn in | my s!H loo9, but Sa ' there m Mas Satisfaction lnSES Was
as well. He. had no idea of leaving the room. l
was afraid to trust myself to whisper a word.
smiling at me. 1t seemed to me there was no
way out of the situation. / was about to call to
Mrs !ss bs w ran his | he Ms1. = II T0 ssid on !msT pif Is a win.
dow open. She may have gone in there. Well
go In A negroes voice answered, and 1 heard
tho steps OF two men walking rapidly toward
Did she take anythingi' the voice of the
1.-THE expression on the face Of the man who
stood looking at me changed for an instant. But
the moment was mine. / was willing to run to
man out of the room, I could have explained
tho whole thing to him, and as l was going
behind there was no probability of my ever see
ing him again. explained every word Of this
resolve by my expression as plainly as il l had
ifo knew that was determined and | knew;
that l had won. / ran to my door and opened it.
he slipped into the dark hall. Tho two men
pcered into the room, but | was In bed again be-
fore they saw me. Neither entered; heard the
looked all right, and, after walking down tho
piazza the two passed my window again and I
heard their steps die away in the distance.
"Ilocked the window and the door then. but 1
didn't sleep. Mrs. b. asked me IN the morning
II / hadn't hoard something during the night.
Of flowers for mo in tho office when we left the
house early the next morning. Frrdt pGlnam
Qui meruit' was written on the card. / could
read 1t, but ! knew 1t meant something hateful.
so / left the bouquet behind.
That is the way l happened to be in your
had better explain all tho circumstances to himi'
The man who had listened TO the story In 81
lence was still thoughtful.
II don't think will" he said at last. "The
fellow knows enough about it, and he's going
back to Old Point tomorrow"
"Well. that Is moro than l ever expect to do
the woman answered, with a smile, "if I live
for a thousand years"