Rock Island Argus., 1902-12-16
DAILY SHORT STORY
When the Door Opened.

"Oh," she smiled. Il beg your par
don. 1 was just going out. You came
TO see Elizabeth, didn't you? Will you
enter? l will call her.
He entered, walking straight forward,
but with eyes turned toward the girl.
following the glimmer of her sash and
skirts as she ran, swift footed. up the
stairs to EliZabeth's room.
A far door opened and shut, opened
and shut once more, and other foot
steps descended the stairs. They ran
across the hall and into the room. Eliz-
abeth stood before him Elizabeth, tall
and dark haired and beautiful, putting
a slender hand on his shoulder. looking
up into his face and saying:
I've been waiting for you. l thought
you We're never coming. Let me take
your hat and your gloves. Sit down
here by me. 1t seems an age since
saw you-an age, an con-
He sat down by her. He took her
hand. He separated her fingers in his
old way. toying with them. He looked
at them absently. one at Il time, at their
tapering, ut the tender pink of the nails.
BY and 10y. who was it opened the
door," he asked and waited. eager eyed,
for her answer.
The little girl? 1t was Bertha. my
cousin. She is just home from school.
She is pretty little girl. isn't she?"
His eyes took OH Il look of remember
ing
Yes" he answered after long time;
"she is-a very pretty little girl"
\ week later Elizabeth sat in her
room waiting. His usual hour of com
ing was half after s. 1t was now s.
Presently rising. she moved about,
arranging the flowers in Il vase. touch
ing picture into place and straighten
ing out the gilt edged books lying here
and there ana everywhere. She sat
down again, thinking those long
thoughts of youth that go to ill up the
hours of waiting. The minute hand
pointed to half after =. The clock
struck with II tiny tinkle. She arose Il
second time and walked up and down.
Once more she stood before the little
clock. Nine, almost.
Perhaps something had detained him.
Perhaps. after all. he would not come.
She crossed the room; she opened the
door: she trailed down the stairway si-
lently, not with intention. hut from
force of habit. Absorbed in her own
disappointment she was within ten
steps of the door before she saw him
standing there with her little cousin,
laughing lightly. both of them. their
faces asleam with the flare of the light
in the hall siIhOuetted against the
night.
He looked up-the girl also.
Il was just coming to tell YOU" she
said. showing two rows of small white
teeth in Il radiant smile, that Mr..
Reynolds was here
Elizabeth began to look upon her
cousin with new eyes. She perceived
the beauty of her through the magni-
flying Iorgnette of his regard. She had
thought her a child, removed one stage
from the playing with dolls. She
found her 4 woman. well into the stage
of commencing to play with hearts,
and skillfully. She observed the slim
height of her the charming rOundneSS
withal, the delicate curve of cheek. the
length of eyelash. the calm young blue
ness of eye.
Then she took TO long hours of prac-
tice. The keys of the piano sometimes
vibrated with Il sound like Il sob.
Her nights were divided into two va
rieties-white nights when she expect
ed him and dark nights when she did
not.
That was black night. She was not
expecting him. For the passing of the
interim she had gone to IL ncighbor's
house, visiting friend. 1t was late
when she came back along dewy walks
on either side of which flowers nodded
Sleepily. Above the house the new
moon peeped, golden crescent dan
Cling from the twinkle of 81 star.
The house was hushcd. half dark.
One light only burned in the hall, and
near the piano i'll the long parlor.
through whose open windows waited
ralolent breathS of the nodding flow
ers, another. Glowing electric tulips,
those lights We're, burning on slender
stems.
The han door was open. Entering
she hung her wrap on the rack and
started toward the parlor Often it
happened that upon those dark nights
of hers she was able to leave part of
her loneliness upon the piano keys
SHe HalCeu on Jne IDfeSnOlu, nef IOOt-
steps arrested by vOiceS-cOOing. whiS-
pcring voices that she knew-his and
hers
Turning falteringly. very softly, for
fear they would. hear, she commenced
her ascent of the stairs. She Jagged
suddenly. 1t was as if she had run
long way and was tired. Nevertheless
she set her face steadfastly forward,
not daring to look back.
Never had the stairs seemed so many.
so endless. so high. 1t was as if she
tried to climb to heaven, leaving heav-
en- behind.
At length she reached her door. She
opened it. The emptiness of the room
was like the emptiness of cave.
She crossed il in the dark and stood