The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-04-05

she gave him for some time. AS |,
soon, then, as dared ran out of the
house into the yard. The moon, which
had been under cloud, was now shin
ing brightly, and by it's light l saw
that the space before me was empty |
and that might venture to enter the
street. But before doing so looked
about for, the dagger I had thrown
from me before going in. But could
not find it. 1t had been picked up by
the fugitive and carried away. An
noyed at the cowardice which. had led
me to lose such valuable piece of evil
dence through purely womanish emo
ton, I was about to leave the yard
when my eyes fell on the little bundle
of sandwiches which | had brought
down from the hill and which l had
let fall under the pear tree at the first
scream had heard from the house. 1t
had burst open. and two or three of
the sandwiches lay broken on the
ground. But those that were intact
picked up, and. being more than ever
anxious to cover up by some ostensible
GRAND my absence from the party. !
rushed away toward the lonely road
where these brothers lived. meaning to
leave such fragments as remained on
the old doorstep, beyond which had
been told suchssuffering existed.
SIT was now late. very late, for a girl
like myself to be out. but under the
excitement of what had just seen and
heard / became oblivious to fear and
rushed into those dismal shadows as
into transparent daylight. Perhaps the
shouts and stray sounds of laughter
that came up from the wharfs where
a ship was getting under way gave
me certain sense Of compan1onshlH.
Perhaps-but it is folly for me to di-
late upon my feelings; it is my errand
you are interested in and what hap
pened when l came up to the labels
dreary dwelling"
The look with which she paused, os
tensibly to take breath, but in reality
to weigh and criticise the looks Ct those
about her, was one of those wholly in
describable ones with which she was
accustomed to control the Judgment of
men who allowed themselves to watch
too closely the ever changing express
sion of her weird yet charming face
But lit fell upon men steeled against
her destinations, and, realizing her in
ability to move them, she proceeded
1 with her story before even the most
anxious of her hearers could request
her to do so.
81 had come" said she, Every quietly
along the road, for my feet were light
~ shod, and the moonlight was too
bright for me to make a misstep. But
as | cleared the trees and came into
the open place where the house stands
stumbled with surprise at seeing a
figure crouching on the doorstep j had
anticipated finding as empty as the
road. 1t was an old mans figure, and
as paused in my embarrassment he
slowly and with great feebleness rose
to his feet and began to grope about
for the door, As he did SO L heard q
sharp, tinkling sound, as of something
metallic falling on the doorstone, and
taking a quick step forward, l looked
over his shoulder and saw in the moon
light at his feet a dagger so like thu
one l had lately handled in Mrs
Webb's yard that I was overwhelmed
with astonishment and surveyed til,
aged and feeble form of the man wht
had dropped it with a sensation diff
cult to describe. The next moment b,
was stopping for the weapon with /;
startled air that has impressed itsel
distinctly upon my memory, and when
after many feeble attempts, he sue
ceeded in grasping it he vanished int
the house so suddenly that could no
be sure whether he had seen me stand
ing there orsnot.
s.All this was more than surprising t
me, for had never thought of assoc
ating an old man with this crime. Ii
deed was so astonished to find him i
possession of this weapon that forge
all about my errand and only wondere
how | could see and know more. Fea
ing to be observed where was, | sli
in among the bushes and soon foun
myself under one of the windows. Th
shade was down. and l was about
push it aside when l heard some or
moving about inside and stopped. B,
could not restrain my curiosity, S
pulling hairpin from my hair. I worl
ed a little hole in the shade and throug
this / looked into room brightly
lumined by the moon which shone
through an adjoining window. An
what did see there?" Her eye turne
on Frederick. His right hand ha
stolen toward his left, but it pause
under her look and remained motion
less. "Only an old man sitting at a t;
Bile and Why did she pause, an
why did she cover up that pause wit
a wholly inconsequential sentence
Perhaps Frederick could have toll
Frederick, whose hand had now falle
at his side. But Frederick volunteers
nothing, and no one, not even Swee
water, guessed all that lay beyond tn;
and which was left lowering in the a
to be fnished-when! Alas, had ST
not set the day and the hour!
What she did say was in seeming e,
PLANTATION of her previous sentence. q
was not the same old man l had see
-, &l,> ord yuhiJo 7 xuoe 1nol