The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-05

|
ing all about everybody else in the house.
For the fourth meeting I fortified my soul
with black coffee at dinner and strong cigars
IN the course of the evening. I had begun
to realize that the club would be the ruin of
my health if it continued to flourish and
yet was willing to make even that sacrifice
Tor the sake Of those delightful hours with
Frances Caverly.
| couldn't get any other chance to see her.
She taught summer school and spent her
evenings in study that the work required,
most laborlous life. How she could bear it
without sleep by night was problem that
began to engage my serious attention. On
the occasion of the clubs fifth meeting I sug
gested to her about o'clock in the morning
that she ought to retire. speaking of her
| health in most solicitous terms.
/ Il couldn't sleep anyway" said she. 81
might be better here, where 1 enjoy my
| SELF
! She laughed nervously as she spoke and
her manner made even more anxious
about her than I had been before. Though
was deeply sensible of the obligations of deli
T acy, l could not help regarding it as my
duty to offer some advice ana aid but
couldn't do it without knowing what was the
matter. She did not resent such efforts
made to solve the problem, yet she would tell
me no more than that there secret at
the bottom of it. What that secret could be
was unable to guess.
| felt very confident, however, that she
would reveal it to me if could get chance
| to talk with her alone, but the Insomnia Club
did not provide that opportunity. Mrs Gale
was the most efficient chaperon that it ever
was my i'll luck to encounter. She would not
have me lead Miss Caverly into any nook or
corner. for a tete-a-tete.
| Every New Yorker must remember the ex-
traordlnary succession of hot and cloudless
days, with nights of breathless calm that
made this particular September a meteorolog-
lcal phenomenon. My recollection does not
supply me with a time when the Insomnia
Club could have met for so many consecutive
nights. In whole week we did not miss one,
and it was upon the eighth night that the
incident happened which brought affairs to
climax.
The meeting was proceeding as usual
There was one guest, a young lady to whom
assiduity as the vigilance of Mrs. Gale would
permit Miss Caverly and I were sitting on
the edge of the hatch that covered the stair
way leading up from the garrett
| Suddenly I felt it tremble under us
thought at first that it was giving way Then
I heard the rumble of human voice below.
We all heard it, and the Insomnia Club was
in a. panic.
Hold the villain down." cried Graves
and, gathering the belongings of the club
with wonderful celebrity, he hurled them upon
the fire escape balcony Thither the Gales
and the guest had already fled.
: GO it, Graves!" said I. We'll follow"
Miss Cayerly had remained Loyalty by my
side. e. q
We'll never get to that balcony after we
let go Of this thing" she whispered .'We'll
be discovered
Run for it now" replied "I1l take my
chances"
Il will do no such thing" she returned,
with energy.
Then Wen both try run for that chin
ney,' whispered. "Now!"
We released the hatch and fed on tiptoe
for the shelter had indicated. It was lucky
that we didn't try to go farther for within
three seconds that hatch rose into the air as
if a bomb had exploded under it.
A head appeared. and voice said, each!
Gut!
A man climbed out upon the roof. He was
Of ample proportions and of German type so
pronounced as to be unmistakabIe even in
the faint light Of a waning moon. He brought
camp chair and huge pipe with him. and
Immediately proceeded to make himself COM
Portable.
| Miss Caverly and I were prisoners.
1T is perfectly dreadful" she whispered
1T is the first chance I've ever had to say
word to you Alone I replied. THANK
chaperons!"
And I Immediately began to attack the
secret of that trouble which was the root of
her extraordinary sleeplessness It was neces-
sary to show at the outset that nv interest
in her was deep and sincere and so far as
the secret was concerned, did not advance
beyond that point. When had finished prov
ing to her that her welfare was NV dearast
concern in the world her head was on nv
shoulder. Then our lips touched, and forgot
that there had ever been a secret
| The German went to sleep at quarter af
ter T. and we crept by him unobseryed Tho
other insomniacs were anxiously awaiting nc
We all agreed that this incident dissolved the
club, and we parted for. the night with ex-
pressions of deep sorrow and regret
For my own part, aside from the natural
joy which filed my soul, I was greatly re
lieved by the thought of the clubs demise
owed that German double debt of graft
tude. NO longer would it be necessary for
me to steep myself in black coffee A fellow
can see the girl that he is engaged to 1yitho,,.