Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1903-01-30


azuong the crowd. :.7..,s.: - ..sr. 9s.'s
The whole of the next day Silas was
Bed with sense of great Importance.
He WITS now sure she was a countess,
am3 when evening came he infinitely
ebeyed her orders and was at the cor
Her Of the Luxembourg gardens by the
Hour appointed. No one was there.
He waited nearly half an hour, looking
In the face of every one who passed or
bftered near the spot. He even visited
the neighboring corners Of the Boule-
ward and made complete circuit of
the garden ratings, but there was no
Beautiful countess to throw herself
into his arms. At last, and most re-
fnetantly, he began to retrace his steps
toward his hotel. On the way he re-
menhered the words he had heard pass
Between Mime. Zephyrine and the blond
young man. and they gave him an in
definite uneasiness.
ut appears" he reflected, "that ev-
cry one has to tell lies to our porter"
He rang the bell, the door opened be-
fsEc him. and the porter in his bed
clothes came to offer him light.
'sAas he gomez" inquired the porter
''Hs? Whom do you mean?" asked
sIlaS somewhat sharply, for he was il
rztated by his disappointment.
- Gid not notice him go OUT" contin-
Esd the porter. ''but I trust you paid
afstA We Go not care in this house to
care dodgers who cannot meet their H.
abilities
What do you mean?" demanded
Sizes suGely. Il cannot understand a
gcUstS OF this famago"
THE short. blond young man who
sczzEse for his debt" returned the other
He it is mean. Who else should it
8s. when had your orders to admit no
tsasr e7se:''
NJf course he never Gamer retorted
SE5as
= believe what believe" returned
Che porter. putting his tongue into his
cheek with most roguish air.
@Yeu are an insolent scoundrel" cried
3itss. And. feeling that he had made
r ridiculous exhibition of asperity, and
ut the same time bewildered by doz-
Cd alarms, he turned and began to run
upstairs.
DO you not want a light, then =
cried the porter.
Eat Silas only hurried the faster and
ezi0 rot pause until he had reached the
seventh landing and stood in front OF
MS awn door. There he waited mo-
osent to recover his breath. assailed by
the worst fOrebodings and almost dread
lfassS. 10 enter the room.
Nhen at last he did so. he was re-
Hired to find it dark and to all appear
a1sce untenanted. He drew il long
zs@FIth. Here he was home again in
safety. and this should be his last folly
as certainly as it had been his first.
Lae' matches stood on Il little table BIZ
tile bed, and he began to grope his way
In that direction. AS he moved, his ap-
prrssensions grew upon him once more,
17tK he was pleased. when his foot en-
eI91mseFed an obstacle. to find it moth
ing naere alarming than Il chair At
sass be touched curtains. From the po-
,aflo1 of the window, which was faint
Pr visible, he knew he must be at the
tesast Of the bed and had only to feel his
WY along it in order to reach the table
Fn question.
Rs iewered his hand. but what it
Dueaad was not simply counterpart
1T was a counterpart with something
underneath it like the outline of hui
attic 4eg. Slas withdrew his arm and
sftRxt for moment petritied
What. what" he thought, "can this
lse1oken:''
He listened intently. but there was
Ed sound of breathing. Once more.
With great effort, he reached out the
su4 At his finger to the spot he had al.
knady touched, but this time he leaped
Back half yard and stood shiyerins
1a& fixed with terror. There was some.
taEng in his bed. What it was he
xzesw not, but there was something
there.
fs was some seconds before he could
a.1~e. Then. guided by an instinct, he
fsH straight upon the matches and,
Keeping his back toward the bed, light.
Se@ - <ssANA$s AAo oOOA 40 lAC AO"C uOO
Esndled, he turned slowly round and
Naked for what he feared to see Sure
enough, there was the worst of his
ftnzgmations realized. The coverlet
was drawn carefully up over the pill
NV, but 1t nodded the outlines of Il
knnan body lying motionless, anG
when he dashed forward and flung
aside the sheets he beheld the blonl
Young man he had seen in the Butler
ban the night before, his eyes open ant
without speculation, his face swollel
and bfackened, and thin stream OF
Btoed trickling from his nostrils.
SiIas uttered long tremulous wall
dropped the candle and fell on hi
Knees beside the bed. Silas was awak
snad from the stupor into which hi:
terrible discovery had plunged him by
a prolonged but discreet tapping at thu
deer. 1t took him some seconds to re
member his position. and when he has
aeDed to prevent any one from enterin:
Il was already too late. Dr.. Noel, il
4 taH nightcap, carrying lamp which