The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1900-11-10

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ITS his landlady that I'm interested
il just now" said Ford. "I'vc met her
in the daytime, but don't know what
her disposition is like ut o'clock i'll
the morning.
1t proved to be quite exceptionally
amiablc. When aroused from her
slumbcrs she informed Ford most
agrceably that there wasn't vacant
room in the house. This was after he
had told his story to her through Il
crack of the door. The groan which
her announcement elected from Ford
must have touched her heart, for she
suddenly solved the problem in a word
"Wcll put the young lady in Mr.. Jar
Wis ROOM" said she. lie won't be
home tonight. He's gone to Albany"
1t was a case of "any port in a
Storm" and Flora accepted this singu-
lar hospitality.
When she was alone in Mr.. Jarvis
little suit at the top of the house, she
felt like Il burglar breaking into an
almShouSc. She was availing herself
of charity without asking permission.
If she hadn't known anything about
Mr.. Jarvis, it would not have been SO
bad, but she had really almost fallen
in love with him as he revealed him
self in his stories. She pictured him
dreamy and romantic, given to 4 gen
tie melancholy, but fine and chivalrous
ut heart.
There was Il manuscript story on the
table. 1t was written in n fine and
delicate hand upon sheets of the finest
paper. She felt as mean as if she had
been pccping through keyhole, and
yet she could not help reading the in
troductory paragraph. Then she had
to read the next, one in order to find
out what the first one really meant
BY similar process she arrived, in the
course of an hour, at the thirty sixth
page of the manuscript, where the sit.
uation was exceedingly thrilling as ii
approached its climax.
At this moment Flora was aware OF
Il noise outside the door. 1t seemed t.
be very high up-aboyc the door, ii
fact. There was Il faint rafting sound
and Flora knew what it meant. Mr.
Jarvis had come back. and he was talk
ing down the key of the door from its
hiding place on the transom.
There was click in the lock. The
landlady's bunch Of keys fell rattling
to the floor. The door opened and il
strobe tall, heavily built young man
with a square jaw, Il determined eye
and general aspect very much the re
verse Of romantic. 1t would have beer
hard to imagine man more different
from Flora's ideal of the gentle author
Of love stories.
Flora was so utterly at 4 loss what
to DO that she did not even lay down
the pages of the story which she haC
been reading. She remained in the first
attitude of alarm. her mouth open anC
her eyes as round as two coins.
The young man showed surprise
quite equal to hers, but he did it in hi,
own bold way. He looked like a man
who sees q ghost and wouldn't run il
he saw two more.
Il beg your pardon" said he. 81
didn't know there was any one here"
MI. Jarvis" replied Flora "this i,
the most awful thing that ever hap
pcncd."
And she told him all about it.
"Somcbody ought to kill Bingham
said he when she had finishcd-"oI
general principles, l mean. In the pres
ent instance no harm is done. You mus
consider yourself perfectly at home
III stay only Il minute. l want to fine
a-a- document that l think l lef
here"
lie hestitatcd rather strangely, as i
he We're not telling the truth, but h
proceeded to look for the document il
the pockets of the clothes that were
hanging in the closet in the bedroom
Evidently the search was unsuccessful
for he came into the larger room pres
emily and opened Il drawer in the writ
ing table. 1t contained nothing but ;
revolver The contents of the other!
seemed to be equally unsatisfactory
though not quite 50 alarming.
Pm afraid l can't find it," said he Il
last. Good night, Miss Ford. | an
very sorry to have disturbed YOU"
lie went out rather abruptly, ant
Flora hurriedly but softly locked tn,
door behind him. She stood there ;
moment listening. She heard him wall