The Washington times., 1904-08-07

what it was like. My knees were un-
steady and my. heart beat with truly
alarming force and rapidly. II seemed
TO take away my breath.
How can I go with yOu?" she asked.
in most matter Of fact kind OF way
which somewhat brought me TO myself
again.
Us IL impossible for you TO leave the
house unseen-in disguise, If need be?''
She smiled family.
mo, not even possible" she said. and
looked significantly at the grated win
dows. Then she turned TO me. with
something like a CLEAN OF hope in her
eyes But you will save me-anythiug
rather than a convent"
Il pledge my life that will save YOU"
I cried.
Hist, do not speak so loud she
cautioned me. "Oh. you do not know
what you are saying. and 1 should not
, have asked it of you" she moaned-
1T is impossible, for 1 am too closely
guarded. It was by the rarest chance
that you gained admission here. At no
other time could you have done so
without being discovered. Should I at
| tempt to escape # would be found out
and you would be killed. Oh why did
you come, Why did you GOMEZ"
She cried out passionately. and saw
how unhappy she was. So much was
affected that I would have risked q
| hundred dangers rather than have left
her to De a prisoner where she was, or
to be sent TO the convent, had she been
willing TO accompany me.
"SenOrita Teresa" I cried. trust me.
I will arror,,r,Ifab ezray-yyfh{Do~
Almost instantly she changed. turning
quickly upon me. How do L know that
you are not deceiving me-" she de-
manded.
I was not prepared to encounter this
turn OF affairs. and stammered some
thing about being a gentleman. and that
as her uncle. Philip Melrose. had seen
| fit TO trust me and had assured me that
she would know that he sent me. she
also should be willing to take me on
/ faith
You do not look altogether bad she
replied.
| "On the other hand think that I pre-
/ sent a very poor appearance. l said,
| CHANGING down at my clothes.
Never mind" she answered quickly.
1T does not matter. II would be impos-
I
leave the house unseen. Ny stepfatner
is high in authority. and as soon as II
was discovered that l was gone he would
have the police on our track. We could
not escape them. Oh. it is impossible,
impossiblei I am a prisoner, and these
walls are my prison. You are rash. You
venture upon that of which you have no
knowledge. Even now I doubt not that
/ your presence here is known. You must
have been seen. You must fly. fly for
your life. Who can help you 1 do not
know. Why did you come? You will be
killed. Already I fear il is too late
There. did you not hear the door," she
asked. listening. Don Carlos has re-
turned. and he will find you here. Oh.
tleave me, II you can escape, I beg OF
you Dc rot think Of me, for you can do
nothing for me. Go. go, beg Of YOU
go"'
She spoke fast and earnestly. pouring
out her words in a torrent. pleading tot
me to save myself But I felt no alarm
for my own safety. II was only for her
| 1 touched her hand TO reassure her
that 1 feared nothing, but she shrank
back from me. I did not understand il
so well then. or IL did not occur 10 mt
that the custom with the best families
was that a girl before she is married is
! never left alone in company with 4 gen.
tleman, and Il was probably this, having
been brought up in seclusion. that
caused her to withdraw her hand II
might, too. have been partly from her
anxiety that should escape, but I mis-
took its significance.
You will not let me rescue you
them 1 asked.
"Oh. Senior Harvey. II it were possible
You will rescue me-when-how-
where?'
/ was about to make reply, but wa:
startled by hearing steDs outside OF mer
coming along the gallery. I could tel
they were men by the sound Of then
heavy boots.
''Oh. he is coming. and some Of tbs
guard is with him. They will find you
Your escape is cut on" she cried.
My answer" I said. "Will you trus
yourself to my care II I find a way?''
Yes. If you can find a way, but how
can you escape them?''
j, She did not wait Tor my answer. bu
whispered. hoarsely. Come, come,
reckoning for me TO follow her.
The door to the other room was oper
and the duenna came in. excited and
much alarmed. She would have pre-
vented my passing through the door e
this room. but pushed her gently aside
and whispered for her to hold the outer
door as long as she could.
l had scarcely passed by her wher
there were loud raps; and a mans voic,
demanded that he be admitted to the
room.
Senorita Teresa had preceded me. ant
she now quickly closed the door between
the two rooms and fastened it,
Il may be able to prevent their com
ing in here. It IS my ROOM" she ex
planned, placing her back against tn,
door.
| The apartment was dimly lighted by
wax candles. One swift glance and
saw that it was richly and dainty fur
nished. A bed was covered with a sill
pun. and the pillow cases and cover
let were of embroidered linen and whit,
lace. Beside the bed was a velvet otto
man, upon which lay some gowns. TIL,
floor was covered with soft rugs. anC
pervading all was an atmosphere o.
purity and sweet fragrance which un
der other circumstances. would have re
strained my unhallowed feet from ven
turing within its sacred precincts.
l could have fallen upon my knee:
and worshiped this noble. self-sacrific
ing woman, when realized how mucl
she was riskins to save me. To sta!
and compromise her honor, could not
! would not be found in her room.