Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-02-06

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himself that he would wait, though
the next moment he found himself
frankly owning that chill of dread
had frozen his powers, and that he
could not have moved to save his
life.
A minutes reflection told him that
it could not be burglar. No one
would come singly upon such mis-
sion, and the marauder would have
been provided with a dark lantern or
matches. 1t must be some one in the
house. The superstitious fancies were
cleared away as his heart gave a throb
with the hope that he might now find
the clew to the mystery that was
hanging over the place.
Thought after thought flashed
through his brain; and as they dazed
him with the wild conJectures, the
person, whoever it was, gliding nearer
and nearer; and all doubt fed, for
whoever it was had stretched out a
hand and touched the silver candle
stick upon the table where he had set
it down.
There was again silence, and then it
seemed to Capel, as he sat there, that
the nocturnal visitor had made the
table starting-point for fresh de-
parture in the dark, and was going
from him toward the back drawing
room, in the left-hand corner of which
the old lawyer had sat that night
Doubtless there are people who can
act before they commit themselves to
it; but the majority Of us, even the
most thoughtful, go on weighing
great many, and then in the most
important moments of our lives forget
all about the balance or the mental
weights and scales; and so it was that
all in an instant, Paul Capel, unable
longer to bear the mental strain, rose
quickly from his seat, took two strides
forward, and grasped at the intruder,
exclaiming:
''WhO's there?"
He touched nothing, he heard no
thing, and the old chill came back for
a moment or two with it's superstitious
suggestions, but he drew out little
silver matchbox, which ratified as he
opened it, shook a match into his
moist hand, struck it, and the faint
little star of light flashed out.
''Katrine, you here?" he exclaimed.
There were candles on an occasional
table, and he lit one before the little
wax match burned down; and then
he remained speechless for the mo-
ment, gazing at Katrine D'Enghien,
who stood within the back drawing
room, her long hair loosely knotted on
her neck, her white arms outstretched
before her, and half away from him.
She stood motionless, as if turned to
stone.
"Katrine!" he cried again.
He took a step or two toward her,
his first impulse being to clasp her in
his arms; but as she stood motionless
before him, draped in a long gray
peignoir that swept the ground, there
there was something about her that re-
PEELED him, SO that he stood staring at
her unable to speak.
Suddenly she turned from him, and
stood gazing at the corner where the
piano stood; walking slowly toward it
and rested her hand upon it, remain
ing there motionless for few mo-
ments till, catching up the candle,
Capel went toward her, his pulses
throbbing and his temples seeming to
flush as if hot breath from a furnace
had passed over them.
But before he reached her she turn
ed slowly and walked straight toward
him, her eyes wide open and gazing
intently before her.
She would have walked right upon
him had he not given way, and then
stood holding the candle while she
rested her hands upon the mantle
piece, and stood there holding one
bare white foot toward the extinct fire
as if to warm it.
Capel set down the candle and adj
vanced toward her, when once more
she turned and came straight toward
him; and this time he took her in his
arms and kissed her quickly and pas
sionately upon her cheek and lips.
His arms dropped to his sides,
though, for he felt that she was Jelly
cold; and as, involuntarily, he gave
place, she walked slowly past him to
the open door out on to the broad
landing; and as he caught up the
candle and followed, he saw the tall
gray figure go slowly on up and up
the stairs; and when he followed it to
the first landing it was on the one
above, going slowly on to the bedroom
at the end, through whose door it
passed, and the lock gave a low, soft
click.
Paul Capel went back into the draw
ing-room feeling half stunned; and
when he reached the middle of the
room he paused, candle in hand, think
ing.
! "Asleep!" he said, at last. Asleep
and I dared to take her in my arms
like that"
Then, with an involuntary shiver
the young can turned quickly round
and went hastily up to his room, to
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