The Ravalli Republican., 1898-02-16

ed tu ulul one of these last nights
suppose he slipped CT his horse took
fright! Supposo'-
Perhaps l had taken step uncon.
sciously, | don't know, but Maggie
gave Il little cry and rush and
stood there against the door, white
and trembling.
"Stand still" l recollect her
whispering. You are mad-you
will not 60 out again tonight.
There, there, now you are calmer
Why, Wilfred, whatever were you
thinking Off"
That night l did not close my
eyes lay staring up at the ceiling.
Did l hate, 4,hiln} No, no! But that
dreadful thought had come into my
head, and it would not go. To think
that, should the little accident hap
pen, l might be able to take his
place, if only for the onceI The
once! It made my poor brain reel.
| felt must get up and rush away
from it or something would hap
pen. I could see the blazing foot
lights and the blurred row upon row
Of pale faces, hear the shouts, feel
myself drunk with the triumph, so
great the play had proved. You
see, SO long l had dwelt on tho
thought | could not realize it was
not a possible reality. And Maggie
in her sleep she seemed to know
Several times | heard her sob.
All that next day, too, she hung by
me like my own shadow. The least
movement on my part seemed to
frighten her But | did not realize
that day doings till afterward He
lived at Hampstead, in big, lonely
house l had been to look at it.
There was a gravel sweep from the
door between two rows of tall ever
green's down to the gate. He always
stepped into his brougham, they
said, at about q quarter to 2 Sup
posing that this very evening a man
ran out from between the ever
greens-a man with a knife or some
thingl Who would be able to play
Julian thenS
| dared not look into Maggie's
eyes. | knew vaguely, although |
tried to disbelieve it, that only
waited for her to turn her back one
moment | was mad Four O'Clock
canes clock. 1t had grown dusk
She had Leen sewing while l lay on
the couch. --as.. ......-... ......
Presently she put aside her work,
tiptoed across and looked down at
me. My eyes were closed, but l
knew-l brcathed hard.
He's asleep heard her whis-
per- "Thank heaven!' and she
crept out OF the room. ..-o.
Was it to be? It seemed So / re-
member that sat up, both hands
to my head, afraid Of myself. Next
minute, holding my breath, had
taken my hat and slipped out Of the
house. To do whatl did not know
Afterward it all seemed like a
dream. Hampstead A hand
seemed drawing me on, and that one
word beat in and out of my brain.
| must have obeycd both without
attempting to realize. Hampstead
was two miles away, but just before
the clock struck found myself
standing outside Franklin Hyde's
house.
His house! All silent, but soon
his carriage would drive out to car
ry him to the scene of his nightly
triumph. Measured steps-a police
man coming Hot all over, crouch
ed back among those overgreens.
What was | doing2 God knows l
tried to drag myself away from the
fascination, but suddenly light
shot out from window on the left.
All, there was balcony running
along that wall of the house, and a
shadow kept wavering across the
patch of light. Never pausing to
think, | went up the steps, tiptoed
along and was pee1ing between
some ivy boughs into the room.
The shadow
It was Hyde himself-and alone.
A billiard table ran the length of
the room, and he was leaning over
the far end, his cue tip feeling the
way for some stroke All, that was
a minute! AS if it were only yester-
day, | can see that picture now-the
green baize, the pointed stick and
Hyde's impassiye face craned for
ward, his wide eyes unconsciously
staring straight toward me- Spell
bound, without knowing why,
hung breathlessly on the stroke of
his cue-and it never came
He turned suddenly half round,
then Strengthened up The door be-
hind him had opened, and servant
was saying something. Next mo-
ment woman was standing in the
doorway, one hand put out as it she
were frightened. She pulled the
door to, took one step, and then lift
ed her veil. My heart gave one
never forgotten jump. It was-it
was my wife!
"Oh, forgive my comingl' heard
| her saw faiot1v Sho had , b,r1 r.