The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-06-22

suppose little some1nlng happen
ed to him one of these last nights
suppose he slipped or his horse took
fright SUPPOSE
Perhaps 1 had taken a step uncon-
sciously, don't know, but Maggie
gave a little cry and rush and
stood there against the door, white
and trembling.
"stand still" recollect her
whispering. "You are mad-you
will not go out again tonight.
There, there, now you are calmer
Why, Wilfred, whatever were you
thinking off,
That night l did not close my
eyes. 1 lay staring up at the ceiling.
Did hate hima No, mol But that
dreadful thought had come into my
head. and it would not go. To think
that, should the little accident hap
pen, might be able to take bis
place, if only for the oncei The
oncel It made my poor brain reel.
I felt / must get up and rush away
from it or something would hap.
pen. Ioould see the blazing foot.
lights and the blurred row upon row
of pale faces, hear the shouts, feel
myself drunk with the triumph, sc
great the play had proved. You
see, so long l had dwelt on the
thought could not realize it was
not possible reality. And Maggie
lin her sleep she seemed to know.
Several times l heard her sob.
All that next day. too, she hung by
me like my own shadow. The least
movement on my part seemed te
frighten her. But ! did not realize
that days doings till afterward. He
lived at Hampstead. in big, lonely
house. l had been to look at it.
There was 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 a quarter 2. Sup
posing that this very evening a mar
ran out from between the ever
greens-a man with a knife or some
thingi Who would be able to play
Julian thens
/ dared not look into Maggie's
eyes. knew vaguely, although
tried to Gishelieve it, that only
waited for her to turc her back one
moment. Twas mad. Four o'clocs
came-5 O'Clock. Ithad grown dusk
She had been sewing while / lay OF
the couch.
Presently she put aside her work
tiptoed across and looked down al
me. My eyes were closed. but
knew-l breathed hard.
Hes asleep" heard her whis
per. "Thank heaven!" and she
orept out of the room.
Was it to bea It seemed so. l re
member that / sat up, both hands
to my head, afraid of myself. Mex
minute. holding my breath, l hat
taken my hat and slipped out of the
house. To do whats did not know
Afterward it all seemed like {
dream. "Hampsteadl" A hant
seemed drawing me on, and that ont
word beat in and out Of my brain
I must have obeyed both withou
| attempting to realize. Hampstead
was two miles away. but just before
the clock struck 6 / found myselt
standing outside Franklin Hyde'i
house.
His house! All silent, but soo1
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, Icrouch
ed back among those evergreens
What was doingf God knows.
tried to drag myself away from thu
fascination, but suddenly ligh
shot out from window on the left
| All, there was a balcony running
along that wall of the house, and
shadow kept wavering across thu
| patch of light Never pausing t.
think, went up the steps, tiptoet
along and was peering between
some ivy boughs into the room
The shadow
| 1t was Hyde himself-and alone
A billiard table ran the length o
the room, and he was leaning Owe
the far end, his cue tip feeling, tn
way for some stroke. All, that wa
minutel AS if it were only yester
day, l can see that picture now-th'
green baize, the pointed stick ant
Hyde's impassive face craned for
ward, his wide eyes unconsciousl.
staring straight toward me- Spell
bound, without knowing why,
hung breathlessly on the stroke o
his cue-and it never came.
He turned suddenly half round
then Strengthened up. The door be
hind him had opened, and servan
was saying something. Next mo
ment a woman was standing in tn
doorway, one hand put out as if sh
were frightened. She pulled tn