Evening star., 1899-12-02


with snow-coyered objects, like Jumps of
wood, Old buckets and other litter. Stun
bling among them as I did, | came To 10
stop but bounding blindly over the last
thing in my path, l brought my knuckles
upon the door with sudden, loud thump.
which | had not the humanity to realize
must bring the heart into the throat Of any
solitary dweiler in that lonely place.
No answer came. | grew furious and
from pounding with my knuckles fell to
hammering with my fists. and then TO
Kicking, all the time shouting for admit
tance in voice so hoarse with fatigue and
excitement that 1t must have sounded like
the croaking of some asthmatic madman.
A hercer kick than all at length brought
the door open, with an explosion of wood
ana nails that made even the fnsensible
girl in my arms start up with a cry of ter
TOT, ana that cry, which told that life had
not deserted her, brought me back with a
rush OF shame to my surroundings.
ruled with misgiyings at my mode OF en-
trance gazed about, at first seeing no
one, and then | spied, drawn up at bay in a
Iaf corner, the gaunt figure of woman
cIutchlng in one hand a huge meat knife
winch she brandished with a slow, par
aiyzed movement Of terror She was
dressed after fashion, having got one arm
through some sort of a coarse wooden wrap
per, but her feet We're bare and her long
toes curled up like talon5
stand back. she called, in a uuayering
voice, and then, as / did not, but crowded
myself yet further in, all spent and dis
staggering beneath the weight of the faint
ing girl, she set up such a series Of shriaks
as drowned every attempt at consolation or
apology, screaming out, and asking 10 be
dar.
Madam I shrieked in an attempt to
GROWN double call for murder and thieves,
no one intends to harm you. Oblge ma
with little wine or brandy" l might as
well have screamed into the face of a
Whirlwind.
Then, in happy Inspiration, l undertook a
dumb show that l wanted drink for Miss
Brandon, pointing to her as she lay in the
chair where | had placed her dra wing my
hand across my throat to indicate that it
was dry, then raising imaginary bottles to
my lips. | cannot think what she i'm
agined, but her terror took a new and this
time silent form. She ceased to Shrek, but
with sudden rush of her bare toes across
the lloOr shot from my sight into a small
closet or pantry. Immediately sanmins the
door, and applying an eye at once to a
SOOd-siZed knot hole just above the, knob
L suppose 1t was the state of my nerves, for
can make no one quite understand the
1eeI1ng II gave me to know that the one
staring eye was upon me. and that. which
ever way L turned, 1t would follow me; fol-
low me as L moved Miss Brandon in her
chair nearer the smoldering fire. follow me
while l wrapped the shawl about her and
hercely poked the sticks of sputteriug
wood. All the time there was a stealthy
rafting sound coming from the closet
which somehow bore in upon me the i'm
preston that with one long arm the woman
was gradually raking everything movable
within easy reach. Why | could not guess
UNTIL happening near the door in my des-
perate search for drink, it was jerked open
few inches and tin skillet was flung at
me through the aperture.
Stop that, woman!" L called, sternly for,
though the action had broken somewhat the
spell of that immoVable eye, the situation
was such disgraceful one.
Then go way and lemme alone or you'll
naY
answer. and 1 could hear her hard-irawn
breath rushing through the keyhole.
There no time TO be lost. 1 was med
itating means of obtaining what | desired
without misusing the woman when a Ian
guid voice recalled me to Miss Brandon's
side, and to my great relief l found her
sitting up wiping the blood from her face
and looking quite herself. "Oh, do take
me out OF this horrid place." she whispered
fearfully, glancing at the closet door with
such an expression of terror that 1 won
dcred If she, too could feel that eye upon
her
Il must get something to refresh you
first, and something to carry us back to
town." l whispered In return and then I
advanced carelessly toward the door only
hurled at me with a right good will Evi-
IDENTIFY our hostess was determined 1 should
parley with her only at a distance and I
saw that l must humor her, for ner-
vous cry from Miss Brandon warned me
to tarnper no farther with her overstrained
| nerves.
Madame" I said pleasantly, retreating
some steps and addressing myself strictly
to the eye, which was again at its post
could you make any use of fiye-dollar
billT And I ostentatiously fiourished one
before the knot holei then placed 1t oars-