The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-01-19

Ing, and that morning when ne hau
written her note asking If she would
be good enough to save him a dance at
the Tremont-Ford's she had written
back that she was afraid she would not
be able to do so because Of the men on
! the steamer whom she had promised.
She said, too, that in the event Of her
, not seeing him, she would just bid him
goodbye for herself and her mother.
She would leave New York by an early
train the next morning.
1t was the hope that after all she
might have remembered him and saved
him a dance just for old times sake
that spurred Huntington all day; it
was the knowledge that he had lost
even the chance Of seeing Helen again
before she left that hurt him.
He was thinking Of this as he sat
there in the little entry thinking that
he could not give her up; thinking
that he should like to have chance
to make one more effort at winning
her before it was too late; thinking on
and on till by and by he fell asleep.
When his eyes closed he went on
dreaming about her, and, presently,
when the sound of key in the outer
door awakened him he started up, feel
ing in a vague, halfconscious sort of
way that it was Helen coming.
''GOod night" He heard the voice,
her voice, and the door opened slowly,
letting her into the dim, halflight.
''Helen ~ he cried, staggering for
ward his feet and limbs were numb
with cold and the long confinement
"You n the girl cried, shrinking
away from him, suddenly slamming
the door behind her. The horrible sig
nificance of her tone struck Hunting
toms quick ear.
81 am not drunk" he said. with
laugh, Though l don't wonder that
you thought so. l simply wrenehed
the knob from the outer door and in
tossing it over the transom sent my key
along with it. l should probably have
been here all night if you had not come
to rescue me. am glad Of the impris-
Onment, however, since it has given me
an opportunity to say goodbye to you
at least"
He spoke quite calmly, and the girl
waited.
"If you will let me-" she said, hold
ing out her hand, 81 shall open the
door for you"
"Oh," she said, and there was a
strange sort of intonatiOn to her voice,
"and l have left my key in the latch
outside ~
Huntington's heart gave a sudden
bound; then the thought of the un-
pleasantness of the situation for her
made him ashamed of himself.
''Fhen we are both Prisoners" he
said, gently; "but day is breaking, and
the servants will soon Upen the doors.
Do you think you can hold out until
then if | fold my coat into a seat for
you over there in the cOrner?p
"Is there no possible way Of getting
n?i Helen asked.
'No," he said, "I am afraid not, IN
til morning. Bat it can be arranged
without any trouble then. The hoy
will open the door before the other ser
wants are out, and can take him up
stairs to carry my coat"
THANK you" she said. He had not
told her that she could get to her own
room before the boy came down, but
she understood Helen wondered her
self at her own calm acceptance Of the
situation, but somehow she felt as if
harm or fear of harm could never come
to her again.
al am afraid you will be cold with
out your coat" she said, as Huntington
folded it for her.
'tNo," said he, ''I shall be right as a
trivet."
He folded his arms and stood leaning
in the corner opposite, looking down at
her. Somehow he felt strangely at
peace with all the world. All the pain
and longing Of the past two months
had rolled away, aud at last he was
happy. He felt perhaps as the dying
Christian feels who kisses for the last
time the blessed crucifix. Tomorrow,
in few hours, Helen would be gone
away from him forever, but now she
was there beside him, 50 close that he
might reach out and touch her hand.
For long time the two were silent,
a silence that seemed somehow strange
ly vocal. But by and by they fell to
talking. He asked her about Europe,
about her travels, and almost before he
knew it they were talking about old
times, the first days of their meeting,
the walks they had taken together, tine
books they had read, and suddenly day
light was peeping in over the transom.
Something else was happening, too.
Without on the steps was the sound of
a heavy step and thick voice.
sit is old Mason coming home little
later than usual" said Huntington.
"Get up and put my coat about you. It
is darker than your dress, and he will
not see you in the shadow"
"Losht my key" calculated the voice
without.
$50 he will not disturb u.s." said
Helen.
"Perhaps he will ring the bell"
Huntingdon said.
"No, here It's in key-hnle,n and a
clumsy hand thrust in the key and the
owner stumbled within the entry.
Huntington stood before Helen, fend-
ing her, but old Mason was too far gone
to see. He managed to slip the key
il the next bolt, however, and stagger-
ed through t he door.
Now" whispered Huntington,
thrusting his foot into the opening, as
the old man swung the door back and
stumbled upstairs.
"Now you may" Huntington be
gan again, standing aside to let Helen
pass him. But in that sudden moment
the strange sense of peace seemed slip
,.;,.. f-o,,, him aud bfs Io,ya rnao uY,