The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1903-05-07

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to see TIE shabby girl who shivered
back on the second landing, and Gyp's
own staring eyes merely focused .
strange nist.
Gyp knew all now; knew in her
cruGs way that that book had come
TO seem a matter Of life and death to
the man. The werGs he had dropped.
the way ne came out and listened
when the postman knocked, the gray
fear on his face, that vanished as she
came up with only long envelope.
And here-here she was, carrying the
parcel up the endless stairs, with n
nunbed sensation. 1t had come bacl.
to him. She had taken it from the
carriers hand. The publishers print
ed address was on it. She had only
to lag it down beside his door, tap
once,. and creep down again as fast
rs possible. How right down silly
of her,
She was nearly up to his landing.
She had paused. ''If-if a parcel
comes" he had said dozen times,
you might let me have it at once"
She had paused, she knew net why.
The silence of his room awed her.
Into her head came that queer recol'
lection of the man down the street
the man who, out of work and des-
perate, had swallowed dimes worth
Of carbolic acid. And she heard a rus
tie soft, siiken, slow rustic on the
stairs behind, as if some great lady
were feeling her way up. Gyp looked
end looked. A sweet oval face
framed in fI-r, came above. the land
ing, the dark. velvet eyes in it were
looking beseechingly, fearfully, up
into hers. And Gyp knew what had
happened. 1t was the woman-thc
woman whose heart was his, the
woman who had come to find and take
him away. And Gyp's red hands
clutched the parcel in "a spasm of
jealousy.
mir. Meredith? They told me he
-" The whisper broke off.
"Yes, | know you. He's here, y
Cyp breathed back. That's his room,
up there. And this-here's his book,
come back MS it went. VIII you take
it?"
A pause. His door had opened
He knew nothing of the tragedy
breathing outside, of the two women
who looked into each others eyes.
lie never knew, and never would
know, of the last whisper.
"IIis-his book! And he does not
know? o, thank you! Bless you for
telling me! Give it to mc-his book.
/ came to the minute. lit was to
be. | waited till / dared wait no
longer! Not word. He need not
know now. God-by, good-by!"
She had taken the precious parcel
close against the furs of her breast
and was gone.
Just week later, when Gyp lnelt
wearily down to wash the top stairs
the mans door opened. In the mans
eyes was wild light. in his hand
that mornings letter. For one of the
most wonderful things in life had
happened. And it seemed so natural
that it should happen!
"Gyp," he said, II knew you'd be
glad-l know you will. They've taken
my book. You shall have copy.
shall hG-.sa.oiJRg G:-.s. so9n,,. TseS s''' ~
or send. 1 ca y. s.-s.t, -.. Them
know this address. You've been kind
-ah, but you have! I wanted-I
meant all along to give you a little
present. You must-you must; you
have been so thoughtful"
1t was an envelope with gold
piece inside. He went hurriedly down
the stairs For him new life had
begun. He was treading golden,
dancing path, with woman's sweet
oval face at the far end of it. His
book had been taken! He could not
be expected to know of the huddled,
dreary figure on the top of the land
ing there; of the red, twitching
hands that covered face. He had
given her an eagle. Women like Gyp
have no hearts to break.-Chicago
Tribune.