The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-06-05

| NV sitting-room window was wide open,
and ] leaned out, listlessly, 10 look at the
| night
IL was dark and quiet Neither moon
nor stars were visible There was a
smell like rain I'm the still. heavy air, and
| I put my hand out Of the window. No.
/ The rain was only threatening: II had
/ not come yet
remained leaning on the window-sll
! for nearly a quarter OF an hour looking
out absently into the black darkness, and
hearing nothing except, now and then
the voices OF the servants, or the dis
tant sound Of n closing door In the lower
part of the house.
Just as I was turning away wearily
from the window. To go back to the bed
room. and make a second attempt to com
pete the unfinished entry In my journol
I smelied the odor OF tobacco smoke
stealing toward me on the heavy night
air. The next moment / saw tiny red
spark advancing from the further end
OF the house I'm the pitch darkness.
heard no footsteps, and could see moth
ing but the spark II travelled along I'm
l was standing, and stopped opposite my
bedroom window. inside which | had left
the light burning on the dressing table.
The spark remained stationary for
moment. then moved back again In the
direction. from which II had advanced.
red spark. larger than the first, approach
ing from a distance. The two met to-
gether I'm the darkness. Remembering
who smoked cigarettes and who
who smoked cigars, | inferred immedi-
ately that the Count had come out nrst,
to look and listen. under my window, and
that sir Peroival had afterward joined
him. They must have been both walking
on the lawn,or I should certainly have
heard sir Percival's heavy football though
the Counts soft step might escape me.
even on the grave walk.
waited quietly at the window, certain
that they could neither OF them see me,
I'm the darkness OF the room.
Whats the msster7" ] heard Sir Per
civai say, In low voice. why don't
YOU come in and sit DOWN
II want TO see the light out OF that win
dow" replied the Count. softly.
What harm does tho light do?"
"It shows that she Is not In bed. she
is sharp enough TO suspect something.
and bold enough 10 come down stairs and
listen, II she can get a chance. Patience.
neutrality-suspicious."
"Humbug You're always talking or
patience"
II shall talk of something else present
Iy MY good friend. you are on the edge
OF your domestic precipice: and IL let
you give the women one other chance:
on my sacred word OF honor they VIII
push you over it,
What the devil do you mean?'
I'VE will come to our explanation Per-
civai, when the light Ia out of that win
dow. and when have had one little look
at the rooms on each side OF the library
ard peep at the staircase as well"
They slowly moved away, and the rest
of the conversation between them twhich
had been conducted throughout the same
low tones) ceased TO be audible
II was no matter. l had heard enough
20 dete eEnine me on justifying the count $
opinion .of my sharpness and my courage
Before the red sparks were out OF sigw
In the darkness. I had made UP my mind
that there should be a listener when those
two men sat down TO their talk. and that
the listener. in spite OF All the count
precautions TO the contrary. should be
myself wanted but one motive TO
sanction the act TO my own conscience,
and to give me courage enough Tor per-
forming IL. and that motive ! had
Lsura's happiness-Lauras life itself
might depend on my quick ears and my
faithful memory tonight. had heard
the count say that ne meant to examine
the rooms on each side OF the library. and
the staircase as well. before he entered on
any explanations with Sir Percival This
expression OF his intentions was neces-
sarily sufficient to inform me that the IL
brary was the room In which he pro-
posed that the conversation should take
place The one moment OF time which
was long enough TO bring me TO that
conclusion was also the moment which
showed me means OF battling his pre-
cautions--or, I'm other words. of hearing
what he and Sir Percivai said to each
other without the risk OF descending at
ali into the lower regions Of the house.
In speaking OF the rooms on the ground
floor, | have mentioned incidentally, the
veranda outside them, on which they all
opened by means Of French windows, ex-
tending from the cornice 10 the moor The
top OF this veranda was fiat. the rain
water being carried OF from II BY pipes
into tanks which helped TO supply the
house On the narrow leaden roof.
which ran along past the bedrooms. and
which was rather less. ! should think,
than three feet below the sills OF the win
dows. row OF hower-pots was ranged.
and wide intervals between each pot. the
whole being protected from falling. In
high winds. by an ornamental iron railing
along the edge OF the roof,
The plan which had now occurred to me
was to get out at my sitting room win
dow on to this roof to creep along noise
leseiy till reached that part OF II which
was Immediately over the library window,
and to crouch down between the flower
pots. with my ear against the outer rasl-
ing. II Sir Peroival and the count sat
and smoked tonight as | had seen them
sitting and smoking many nights before,
with their chairs close at the open win
dow and their feet stretched on the zinc
garden seats which were placed under
the veranda. every word they said 20 each
other above whisper Cand no long CON
verration. as we all know by experience.
can be carried on in whisperl must
inevitably reach my ears II. on the
other hand they chose, tonight, 20 SIT
far back inside the room. then the
chances were that I should hear little or
nothing; and. In that case I must run the
far more serious risk Of trying to outw1t
them down stairs.
Strongly az | was fortified In my reso-
luton by the desperate nature OF our
situation, J hoped most fervently that
might escape this last emergency. Ny
courage was only a woman's courage.
after all; ana IL was very near 10 falling
me when thought OF trusting myself on
the ground noor NJ the dead of night.
within reach ~ SIR Percivai and the
count.
fr.wenf softly baCk "a ny hndroatn ~