The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-08-05

ONCE he had obtained his degree
~ in science and an appointment,
Stephen Portway had determined 70
leave his poor lodgings in Soho; but
he still delayed.
Az fast he was not frank. even 10
himself. But at length he had TO con-
TESS To the dark OF a sleepless night
that woman held him-a woman
10 whom he had never spoken except
with the commonplace greetings OF the
dag.
She was French: she called herself
Mile Lcmoine; was, perhaps. "a years
OF age. and she lived alone in a room
on the opposite side OF the landing
before his door. She appeared TO be
very poor, very proud and very soli-
tarv.
Without thinking. Stephen had got
10 wait for her going out in the morn
ing. so that he could greet her when
passing In the evening too. when he
heard the light footsteps coming up
the stairs. he would carelessly begin
descending. so as to look into the
tired. quiet eyes and hear the soft
voice answer his salutation
But at last he became aware that
his comings-in and goinfs-out were
but shadowings of her movements,
ard in shame he put restraint upon
himself. But when, at the end Of that
time. he found he had not seen her
face for a week. he threw self-control
10 the winds and watched to meet her.
once there had seemed TO be the
possibility Of archness and coquctrv.
but now il was pale and gaunt, and in
hcr owes were fever end a great
trouble. He could not be deceived:
whatever was her mental anguish. he
knew there was a meaner. a gr:mmer
despair beneath il all-she lacked food.
once he would fiercely resolve to
go TO her tomorrow and bluntly Offer
her help and frien1liness; next mo-
men- he would enrage against the sus-
picious conventions that were reared
about them.
Next day was Saturday. She did
not appear in the morning. and be
went listlessly to his work. Reaching
home quickly in the afternoon, he sat
In HIS room. near the door, and listened
for her. Suddenly the quiet steps
sounded on tho stairs below. acd. seiz-
inc his hat. he strolled. whisiling. out
Of the room. She was crming up the
stairs with basket on her arm, and.
at the sight OF the WEAKNESS in her
face and the frailty in her figure. he
felt implied to speak TO her tenderly.
He thought that for n moment she
seemed shaken before his gaze. and
she hesitated in her reply to his greet
lng. then she responded and passed on
with her usual distant bearing.
As she went by he glanced AZ the
basket A cloth was over something
within IL. and. for the moment. he was
glad and then half sorry with the
thought that she was not in such dire
straits as he had imagined
As she placed her foot on the stair.
he saw the cloth was pulled aside at
one place and piece Of charcoal jutted
up. lie descended, feeling pleased 10
lHlHN Snt NdS GUMS W 'och SpAiNNHAAe
over her stove.
In another ten minutes he came
bounding into the house AID up the
stairs. Halfway toward the museum
terrible suspicion had entered his
mind: perhaps she meant TO destroy
1erself.
lie listened. but no noise came from
me room. He tried 10 think q an ex-
fuse for knocking and speaking: then,
happening to cast his eye 10 the top OF
The door. he caught sight of piece OF
blanket jammed between IL and the
frame. Quickly he b-it: no lisht came
through the keyhole. and at the bot
tom OF 10 door flannel wax thrust.
lie knocked with restrained force.
the blood beating thickly at his heart.
A slight movement came from within
the room. but no reply lie knocked
again and called "Madcmoisellel
Then the voice answered, in sleepy
tones, who Is it?'
1T is l." he rellied. What are you
doug With the door blocked up?'