The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-25
I'm a GbNmder Storm.


Prince. There was one thing wanting to
make the story whole. One thing.
Somehow felt that 1t would not waken
her; otherwise, perhaps, I should not
have dared But her slunlber was sound,
and I was strung to the highest pitch OF
reckless excitement. No, 1t would not
waken her 1t would be but touch.
With intense caution I drew nearer.
There was no difficulty whatever, for her
face was turned toward me. l trembled
as 1 bent down; the fragrance of her
breath was in my face; and then =
1t was just touch, and nothing more.
But it sent tremor through her frame
as from a shock. For q breathiess mo-
ment I stood still behind her chair, and
then I saw the madness, the utter folly,
Of what I had done. I had a vague
thought of police, and turned cold with
fear.
But she did not wake, and passed out
like shadow. Some instinct impelled me
to close that awful album as l turned
away. In another hree-seconds, 1t SEEM
ed, 1 had climbed the waiting ladder,
drawn it up after me, and placed 1t in It's
first position. was back in Aunt Es-
theirs garden, tremulous with mingled
dread and triumph.
GOOD heavens!" said to myself. "that
was the maddest thing man ever did"
1 walked twice round the garden to
quiet my nerves, and then went indoors.
With the relief of my sudden panic came
the desire to know more about my Sleep
ing Beauty. The romance had begun well
and now 1t should move forward i had
some twelve days in which to work 1t
out.
Naturally had forgotten all about the
thunderstorm; but now I found that 1t
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 I
opened the subject.
"Aunt Esther" I said, "whose Is the
garden next to yours3 When l looked
over the wall I saw a young woman sit
ting in little summer house fast asleep"
My aunt seemed surprised. "Asleepf'
she said. '"That Is strange. But 1t must
have been Mrs. Portingdale."
Mrs Portingdale?" gasped. MRS"
YES" said Aunt Esther. quietly. She
is the person was about to tell you OF
this morning. When there Is thunder
about she dares not stay in the house,
because there are so many steel articles
in it. She goes to that ridiculous little
summer house until the storm is over.
But she could hardly have gone to sleep
there; she would be too nervous.
I felt horrible sensation Of bewflder-
ment.
''But-but," cried helplessly. "this was
quite a young girl. She was not twenty"
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 a question when g.
noisy interruption took place. The front
door bell was rung with an alarming
clang, clang, clang, eloquent OF haste and
urgency. We heard the houSemaid run
ming to the door, and then there was a
sound Of voices. We listened and waited,
my aunt in surprise, myself in growing
guilt and fear. 5&si@. e..s - s
In q moment the housemaid Knocked
and entered. 'If you please. ma'am," she
said excitedly, "Mr. Portingdale's COM
pliments, and can you run over to see
Mrs. Portingdale2 She has had a fright
in the garden and fainted!'
My aunt arose in agitation, but she was
not the one to delay kindness for the
sake Of asking questions.
Dear mel dear me!' she said In dis
tress. sit must have been the thunder.
ASK the gil TO Wd1Cb MdtyJ dilu II 81
back with her"
The messenger was taken to the
kitchen, to tell her story at greater
length, while Aunt Esther hurried up
stairs for her bonnet 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, said hastily, what did the
girl tell you? What Is wrong with Mrs.
Portingdale2"
And Mary told me. pleased to find an
interested listener. The first part Of the
It. Mrs Portingdale had gone to the
summer house because of the thunder
storm and had taken a couple Of books
with her. The heaviness Of the air had
given her headache. and she had closed
her eyes for while to rest them. Pres
emily a slight sound had disturbed her,
and looking up she had seen a most ter
rifying sight
ct was lunatic, SIR" said Mary, "sit-
ting on the wall, and looking round the
| garden so eager and fiercelike, 1t 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 Is happening continually. So she
| shut her eyes fast, knowing as her only
| chance was to pretend to be asleep.
| Then he got down off 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 mad
man grinning, sillylike, over her books.
After that he was still 50 long that she
expected every second that he would