The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-10-21

| against utIt il YOU caught hiiht gbu
would blow his brains out For her
You would find excuse; for him none"
In thts there was truth also.
"Talking OF that" he continued,
what arms do you keep about you for
defensep
None" ] replied.
"I thought so. Take this he said,
drawing a long clasp knife from his
breast pocket,
He showed the spring with which
| the narrow blade opened, and the
! catch which locked II at the back Of
the horn handle, and made me prom
| ise 10 use II for my defense, no mat
| ter who attacked me. ] also prom
| jsed 10 close my window, which ! hab-
| itually kept open at night, and to Sc
cure the fastening OF that as well as
the door before going 20 bed. Finally
he exacted that I should once more
inclose the Hcspcr in the leather case
and strap It to my wrist the last thing
at night.
The Judge did not return until dusk.
He was fatigued. and his general APP
pearance indicated pursuit through
rough and thorny ways.
81 hev seen the Kid" he said; "but
she would not listen TO reason; and
not being afeered OF spiling her clothes
she naturally got the best Of the argu-
ment and played 1t low down on her
father"
He advocated starving her into bet
ter behavior, and would have had the
door closed to cut off her communica-
ton with the dairy, but Miss Lascclles
would not listen TO this; she would not
Yield TO fear, and declined to change
her room or alter her ordinary hab-
itudes.
We separated n little before II. The
night was close and stuffy. ] had no
inclination to go TO bed especially as
I had given Van HOeck my word to
close the window beforehand.
There was reading lamp In my
room. ] lii il, put out the candle and
seated myself in comfortable chair
with n book. Not n sound was 10 be
heard after the clock struck II. read
on without moving from my chair un-
iii 10. From time to time | had taken
my eyes from the book and listened
intently-not in anticipation OF hearing
the mysterious tapping at my own win
dow. but i'm apprehension OF its be-
ing repeated upon Edith's-and as the
last stroke OF midnight revcrbcrated
through the still night ! closed my
book and listened again. The silence
without was so complete that the burn
ing OF the oil I'm the lamp at my side
was distinctly audible.
At that moment | heard board
creak IL was SO slight sound that,
had my attention been fixed upon the
book. should not have noticed It.
could not tell where il came from; |
was not sure that il was not from the
floor under my foot as | changed my
position. lnstinctively | looked to-
ward the window. | could SEQ nothing
beyond the circle OF light reflected "
the lamR shade. 1t was also too alb
surd TO take the lamp to the window
there was no board there to crcak. !
waited some minutes, and there being
no repetition OF the sound. ! reopened
my book, but paused with my finger
on the page 10 listen once more \
shuddcring sigh. like that Of child
who IS crying itself 10 sleep, reached
my ear
went 10 the window, drew up the
blind softly. and looked ont; for the
sound had seemed To come from n dis
tance. and | thought il might he the
hutter OF leaves in breeze. But the
night was unchanged heavy and stll,
the moon ohsCurcd. and n thin gray
veil OF mist hanging over the lawn. as
Edith had seen " tho night before. |
opened the door noiSelcssly. All was
dark. could see only the mullon OF
the bay standing out vaguely against
the Crayncss | listened. All night
heavy curtains were drawn across the
head OF the corridor, shutting IL of
from the passage upon which Ii abut-
ted at right angles: nevertheless, |
could hear the stentorous breathing OF
the Judge or Van HocCk from the
rooms beyond. am sure that the
sound | had heard was not imaginary
and determined. il possible, 80 dlscoy-
or the cause. | went back 10 the ia
bic and fetched the lamp
had turned 10 where | stood 10y the
door. when my eyes fell upon some
thing lying at the threshold. Another
step. and should have put my foot
upon II.
In steadying the shade, my left hand
screened the light: rs withdrew IL
! saw that the object a. my feet was
Lola!
she had curled herself upon the mat
within the emhrasure OF the door Her
| face was toward me. and pilloved M.
| on her folded hands she was asleep.
| yet her long black lashes were wet.
and clung 90 her cheek with an undried
/ tear.
Even Van Hocck. IL he could see
YOU now. poor child" said to myself,
could not think IN OF you"
would not awake her; | withdrew
the light until she was in shadow,
placed IL on the table, fetched my
book, and seated myself where could
read and yet watch the sleeper As
did this, the clock I'm the belfry chimcd
the half hour. l looked ne my watch
and saw that II was 1890.
could not fix my attention upon the
book for some time. my mind being c
cupied with conjectures 10 account for
Lola's presence. IL fitted in with Var