The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-12

1t was just before dawn, that wonderful
hour when the birds wake and stir and the
trees look ghostIy and the air feels more
ETHEREAL than at any other hour IN the Gay
or night. The night had been very hot
but now a faint breeze was stirring, and
IL waved the muslin curtain over the open
window of May wolvaston's room.
She lay on her bed with her head thrown
back and her hands clencned, fast asleep
and dreaming. Now and then she uttered
some incoherent words and clencned ner
hands more firmly, so that the nails cut
the skin of their palms. She seemed Ike
person engaged in awful struggle, and
yet her body lay there, the feet crossed
motionless save for the moving lips ard
the quivering hands
She was a beautiful girl, very pale, her
hair faxen. her skin delicately white Those
who loved her often called her Little
White May" Her very lips were white
now, as IL with intense excitement, and II
was evidently release from some dreadful
condition when the spell of sleep was
broken and the heavy lids were lifted.
Eyes, the blue Of the Russian violet, looked
forth bewildered-very beautiful eyes, nlled
now with a scared look. Tears came into
them-iarge tears-but they only slowly
formed and scarcely fell; the girl was too
amazed at her own visions to weep over
them. She closed her eyes again and
turned her head from the light. With an
effort-not because her memory was falling.
but because her memories were so dread
ful-she went back over every incident or
her dream. She shuddered as she recalled
them.
She had been standing in a street be-
tween her father and her lover, standing
between them and turning from one to the
other. speaking to them, trying to make
them hear or feel her. but in vain. Real
as they were to her. she was invisible and
intangible to them. They were auarreling
bitterly. 1t was about money! How nor
ribIe, How sordid. she thought. as she re-
called II. How could such ideas come into
her mind and poison her quiet sleep? Mon
ey! Her lover had upon him roll Of bank
notes. Strange that in her dream IL did
not seem strange to her that she could see
these bank notes in his breast coat pocket.
The cloth of his coat was transparent to
her sight, the money was large sum. 1t
did not belong to him-he was in charge OF
II, taking 1t for his employer TO person
to whom II was owed. Her father wanted
it-wanted to take It from him! How hor-
rible Ii wasl He had evidently been drink
ing, and she knew he had been gambling.
What did he want to do? That money
would not pay his debts. No, but Ii would
enable him to get away, to leave the coun-
try. to leave his debts, to leave her! Her
sweetheart, her dear George, asked him
IL he could find It in his heart to do this
for May would be left alone-in lodgings,
almost friendless. and very poor. Her IA
Their paid no heed to him; he wanted that
money.
She had seen her father like that some
times-she knew he could be like that.
Then came an awful moment. Her father
attacked George, who was obliged to defend
himself. Her father fought wildly to over
power him. struggled fiercely to tear open
his coat and snatch the notes But George
was younger and he was sober. Suddenly
he escaped from his opponent, and, turn
ing, darted down the street like lightning.
May flew to his side. holding his hand.
Suddenly there was a great noise; she saw
a mail cart tearing down the street they
were crossing. She tried to hurry George
on more quickly out OF Its way, but she
could not; she lost hold Of his hand. and
the next thing she knew was that he had
been run over and lay there In the road
way.
The cart stopped. men came running
back. there was much confusion and excite
ment: and then she saw George lifted upon
q shutter and carried away. She followed
beside him; he was In great pain and un-
able to speak, which he seemed longing to
do. Indeed. she knew what he wanted to
say; he wanted to beg them to take him
to the place where the money was to be
paid. that he might place 1t in safety. But
he could not speak, and she could not help
him. He was carried to the door Of a great
hospital, and she followed him into it and
up the steps into the accident ward. She
tried to add her strength to his mind and
TO help him catch the hand Of the surgeon
who bent over him. and guide to the roll
Of notes. The doctor nodded, and. leaning
over him, said:
'pu take care Of them for you; they are
quite safe"
George sank back exhausted with a gasp
of relief. and II was at that moment that
May woke up. to realize that she was in
no hospital ward. but In her own little bed.
She was quite tired out. What a strange
cream. one lay anu tnOuSnt dDOut IL
long time.
Then came the WEAKNESS Of dragging her
self out OF bed. of getting up and dressing
herself in her shabby dress. Of going down.
stairs to a solitary, dingy breakfast. For
father had not been home all night. That
had very often happened lately, and she
knew It meant misery. She sat and sighed
and wondered what she could do, and
thought. now and again. of her strange
and dreadful dream. What did 1t mean
Did 1t mean anything? No. she told herself,
IL meant nothing-only the distress of her
mind. the confusion OF her thoughts, her
great anxiety.
She had not yet decided how to spend her
day-whether to go out and visit an old
aunt. her only friend in all great London.
or whether to settle down to a morning of
mending. when a loud knock came upon the
door. There was something In that knock
which told her that a dreadful event had
occurred-an event which concerned her
self. She rose and stood waiting. Would
her father be brought in dead, or in some
dreadful condition?
1t was a messenger from the police in a
different part OF London to tell her that he
was dead; that lie had been murdered.
In a few moments May. with her hat and
cloak on. was going TO him-or. rather, to
his body-it was the only thing she could
think OF to do. 1t was a weary. dreadful