The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-25

excitement. No. it would not waken her
II would be but a touch.
With intense caution I drew nearer.
There was no difficulty Whatever. for her
face was turned toward me. l trembled as
bent down: the fragrance Of her breath
was in my face: and then. 1t was
just touch and nothing more.
But it sent a tremor through her frame
as from a shock For bresthless moment
stood still behind her chair. and then l
saw the madness. ihe utter folly Of what
L 5lad done had a vague thought of po-
lice, and turned cold with fear.
But she did not wake, and passed out
like shadow. Some instinct i5npelled me
to close that awful album rs l turned
away. In another three seconds, it SEEM
ed. | had climbed the waiting ladder.
drawn it up after me. and placed it in its
first position. / was back in Aunt Es-
TIERS garden. trernulous with mingled
dread and triumph.
Good hsavensi" ! said to myself. that
was the maddest thing man ever did"
| walked twice round the garden to quie;
my nerves. and then went Indoors. With
the relief OF my sudden panic came the
desire to know more about my Sleeping
Beauty. The romance bad begun well. and
now it should move forward. had some
twelve days in which to work it out.
Naturally. 1 had forgotten all about the
thunderstorm: but now l found that it
had passed over without breaking. The
skies were clearer, and my aunt had gone
TO the kitchen to make arrangements for
luncheon. AS soon as she came back |
opened the subject.
Aunt Esther 1 said, whose is the
garden next to yours? When l looked
over the wall l saw young woman sit
ting in little summer-house fast
asleep"
Ny aunt seemed, surprised Asleep"
she said THAT is strange. But it must
have been rs.-Portingdale.
Mrs. Portingdale?' gasped.
airs
y Yes said Aunt Esther. quietly. 'She
is the person | was about to tell you Of
this morning. When there Is thunder
about she dare not stay in the house. be-
cause there are SO many steel articles in
il. che goes to that ridiculous little sum-
mer house until the storm is over. But
she could hardly have gone to sleep there;
she would be too nervous"
| felt horrible sensation OF bewilder
ment.
''But-but." cried. helplessly this
was quite young girl. She was not TWEEN
ty-"
Mrs. Portingdale." said my aunt. nod
ding sis just twenty. She was married
six months ago. There is no other young
woman there"
These measured words struck me with
dumbness. Aunt Esther looked at my
face with increasing surprise, and seemed
just about to ask question. when a noisy
interruption took place. The front door
beel was rung with an alarming clang.
clang clang-eloquent OF haste and ur-
gency. We heard the housemaid running
TO the door, and then there was sound
of voices. We listened and waited, my
aunt in surprise. myself in growing guilt
and fear.
In moment the housemaid knocked and
entered IF you please, ma'am." she said,
excitedly, "Mr Portingdale's compliments.
and can you run over to see Mrs. Porting
dale? She has had a fright in the gar
den and faintedi"
My aunt rose in agitation but she was
not the one to delay a Kindness for the
sake of asking questions.
Dear met dear mei' she said In distress.
lit must have been the thunder Ask the
girl to wait. Mary. and I'll go back with
her.
The messenger was taken to the kitchen
to tell her story at greater length. while
Aunt Esther hurried upstairs for her bon
net and mantle. Five minutes later she
came down again. and left the house with
the girl. AS soon as she had disappeared
went to find the housemaid.
Mary" l said. hastily. what did the
girl tell you? What is wrong with Mrs.
Portingdale?"
And Mary told me. pleased to find an
interested listener. The first part of the
story was exactly as | expected to find it.
0rfI dal haI IN 10
house because of the thunderstorm. and
had taken a couple OF books with her. The
heaviness of the air had given her head
ache, and she had closed her eyes for
awhile to rest them. Presently slight
sound had disturbed her, and, looking up,
she had seen a most terrifying sight
1T was Il lunatic, SIR said Mary. sit
ting on the wall and looking around the
garden so eager and lercelike ii made the
poor lady's blood run cold to see him. She
knew at once that he must have escaped
from the Blessing Asylum. because he was
a strange face. and such things are hap
penins continually. SO she shut her eyes
fast. knowing her only chance was to
pretend sleep. Then he got down of the
wall and came and stared at her for ever so
long. she almost dying OF fear. 1t must
have been awful, Then she peeped again
between her eyelashes, and there was the
mailman grinning. silylike. over her books.
After that he was still SO long that she
expected every secS@d that he would spring
at her. but he didn't What do you think
he did. SIR
who knows" l gasped. falsely and
painfully.
well. sir. he-kissed her." Mary
blushed at that point, even in her excite
ment. Fancy being b.ssed by lunatic!