Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-04

written lOF To- Evening STAR.
Chapter NAX-Ccniinued From Last
saturday, Star.
1 did not remember that she. surprising
1 had informed, and ignorant of the scene
which had bound me to the Duke of
Shrewsbury, would see nothing surprising
in my presence in his house; and more
possible by her deneanor. / bent over her.
Don't you know me?' 1 whispered.
MARY
She shivered but retained the same at
titude, her eyes on the floor.
Can l do anything Tor your persisted
but this time / spoke more coldly; her 81
lence began to annoy me.
She looked up then with i wan smile
and with lips SO dry that they scarcely per-
formed their Office. spoke. You can let
me escape" she said.
THAT is impossible. I answered prompt
ly. to put an end to such notions. And
then TO comfort her, Besides. what can
they do to your 1 said confidently. Moth
ing! You are not man. and they do not
burn women for treason now unless it is
fer coming. Cheer up! They
They will serd me to the Compiler. and
whip me-, she muItered, shuduering so
suddenly and violently that the chair
creaked Under her. And then. III YOU can
get away, she continued. moistenng her
lips and speaking with her eyes averted.
well! But If not. you had better leave
me. You do me good she added after
a slight pause. and with u sob of iInpa-
thence in her voice.
l knew that it was not unlikely that the
house OF correction would be her fate. and
that such a fate. even to decent womari-
and she vas n girl,-might he less tolera-
bile than death. And l felt something Of
the horror and burning apprehension that
rarched her mouth and strained her eyes.
The hall was growing dark round us and
the thronS OF persons of all sorts that
hiled ii. poisoning the air with their breath
ing and the odor of their clothes. / expert
thced an astonishing loathing of the con-
finement and the place. 1 saw this. the be-
ginning; of the dre..ry read which she had
20 travel and. my heart revolving with the
pity of 1t and the future of IL. ] fell int ,
a passion and did a thing l very seld pm did
/ Swore.
And thcn-heavcrs knows low / went on
10 a Ting 50 unwise and reckless and in
every way unlike me, Certainly il was not
the mere opportunity tempted me-thougil
u cHance more favorable the general at
iention being completely enrrossed by the
TWO nobiemen. could rot have been con-
ttlNed-yet ii was certainly rot that. i SAY
for ] did it on the impulse of the moment.
m sheer blind terrier. not looking 10 see
whether / We're watched or not. Nor did Il
arise from any farther suggestion on tn
girl part In fact. all remember of il is
that. in Il paroXysm of pity feeling rather
than seeing that the people round us COM
rlctcly aid us, | touched the girls ShouIl.r
ana mat she looked up with will look IL
her e|eS-and that that determined me. So
that without more ! unlocked TIE door in
trembling, fumbling sort of manner and
PASSED Fer through it and followed her no
enc except CasSel, the prisoner who sat
feXt her. being the wiser. Had / been
prudent. or acted under anything bu; tie
impulse of the moment. l should have let
her go through. and. trusting To her v-o-
man wits to get her clear of the house
have remained ri my y r h
ing had happened; and certainly this would
have been the safer way since / could
have sworn, when i was challenged. that
no one had passed through the door But
] had not the nerve to think of this or re-
main. and ] went with her
The thing once done my first thought and
the natural if foolish. impulse which 1
acted. was to take her To my room; hers
to follow whore I led The passage beyond
the Ccor was dark. but taking no thought
OF slip or stumble, iii nl"mcnt | had her
up the small staircase, which led Il the
first floor and through the door at the head
OF the Fight into the lOrg corridor. which
spaciouS. lofty and comparatively light-in
every way the stranFest opposite to the
crowded hall below-ran from the. well of
the great staircase into the depths of the
house BY involving her in this upper Part
o. the house. whence escape was impos-
Sit!c, and where prolonged search must
Inevitably discover her. | was really doing
a NEST foolish thing. but in the event il
Hattrred nothing, for as we reached the
corridor and paused to east a wary glance
Gown its length this way and that-I for
my part shaking like an aspen and Gcuht
not rs white as 4 sheet-a single footster,
rang on the marble floor that edged tine
h'ttlhs ~ the passage. and the next mo-
neft tie Guke himself. issuing from a door
way no more than fse PAGES away, came
plump upon US.
The surprise was SO complete that we
fad no time TO move. ana we stood as if
turned to stone: Vet even then if had
retained perfect presence of mind and be-
thought me that he might not know the
girl and would probably deem her one of
MS household, Il still-room maid or
seams'ress. all might have been well For
though he DID in tact know the girl. having