Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1902-05-01

though he were executing a geomet.
rical figure. A sudden sense Of in.
sidious pursuit crept over Mordaunti
he shuddered, he knew not why; his
resentment gave way to a swift and
meaningless apprehension. With thi.
new sensation dominating him, he
hurried forward, and presently
plunged down a side street, thinking
to elude his shadower by a quick
maneuver.
To his surprise-even to his alarm
he was the next instant aware that
the man in the fur coat was again
walking exactly opposite to him Or
the further pavement.
The continued propinquity Of this
man commenced to affect Mordaunt
strangely; a nervousness quiteforeigr
TO his ordinary nature assailed him,
and he FASTENED his pace.
But the quicker he walked, the
quicker walked the stranger. Nor
daunt, exasperated out of patience.
crossed deliberately, with the inten-
ton of addressing the man, and de-
handing some explanation Of his per-
sistent intrusion. Again, however,
the other at the same moment pro-
ceeded to cross also. and the two met
in the middle of the narrow street
Mordaunt stopped.
Excuse me" he began.
The figure, arrested in his progress.
paused for the fraction Of a second
and glanced at Mordaunt His face
was mufiled in the collar Of his coat.
his features hidden; but Mordaunt
instinctively shrank back. and a Gu
rious fear gripped his heart. What
words he may have intended to ut
ter froze on his tongue. With silent
gesture the figure moved on, and
reached the opposite pavement.
Again Mordaunt struck sharply !
round a corner into wider street; |
not for an instant did he dare to look |
over his shoulder. AT length he haz-
arded a quick side-glance, and shiv-
cred. In spite Of his fur coat he felt
a sensation of cold. Resolutely set
ting his face toward the college walls,
which now loomed grayly out Of the
darkness in front Of him. he fastened |
forward Then, as he approached the
college, a sudden uncomfortable i'm
pulse of flight caused him to break
witty into a run. He hammered,
painting, at the college gate.
"Quickw he cried. "Quick" And,
s the door swung open: Don't lex
hat man in!' he added TO the aston
shed porter, and fled across the quad
angle.
At the staircase leading to, his
rooms he paused to take breath, and
'or the first time the abSurdity Of his
conduct struck him in its practical
light.
To take fright at the figure of a
harmless pedestrian whose way had
CHANGED to lie in the same direction
as his own was indeed a comical cir
He assembled the narrow stairs, still !
to himself at his own re-
markable exhibition of weakness. He
reached the landing upon which his
rooms were situated, paused again at
The threshold of his sitting-room.
threw back the great fur collar Of his
coat, and, with the laugh still on his
lips, flung open the door and walked
in.
The mellow light of large shaded
amp shed a pleasant and soft radi-
lnce over the apartment. At the fur
her end of ii another door commu-
heated with Mordaunt's bedroom. Be
ween this door and the lamp stood a
zig armchair, in which it was his
labt to read at night. Mordaunt
and the smile faded from his
Ups. He took one step only, stopped
hort, and his jaw fell, for in the
directly confronting him,
at the figure of the stranger from
whom he had just fed.
The stranger looked up, and their
dances met. The room in that in
tant seemed to reel before Nor
.aunt's eyes. He stared through a
mist at the face of the person sitting
n the chair. The recognition was
the stranger was
tranger no longer, and, with panic in
is heart, Mordaunt uttered a stified
ry, and, turning, rushed headlong
rom the room.
Down the long flight of stairs, out
nto the darkness, and across the
nowy quadrangle he ran, pausing