The San Francisco call., 1904-08-14

Nler, nor DelleNe ulIIl 10 DS HeT nus
bands enemy. She was so supremely
happy herself that she desired the hap
piness of others and Of all who had be-
friended her loneliness.
Such reflections caused her to be a
little preoccupied and to undress at her
leisure. She awoke from them sud-
denly to remember what a long time
she had been, and was about to make
greater haste when, looking from the
window by chance, she beheld some
thing upon the mountain path which
instantly arrested her attention and
she knew not why, excited a swift sus-
picion. But a quarter of an hour ago
the utter loneliness of that road and
the solitude Of the pass spoke elo-
Quently of the winters night; but now,
observing 1t for the second time, she
perceived that there were horsemen
upon it, a struggling company riding
up in single file and making, as far
as she could judge, for the postern of
the castle. The moonlight showed her
these figures with great distinctness
Effulgent beams scintillated upon the
bright barrels of their rifles and sill
vered bit and spur and all their stern
accounterment. She thought that she
could place their captain, a cautious
horseman, who turned from time to
time to address a trooper near to him,
or who halted for whole minutes to-
gether to observe the gate he approach
ed. Esther could not imagine why
those men came to st. Girons or what
their business there might be. If she
leaped to some wild idea of the truth
hoY- rio OF ol
together unconcerned with it, From
the first she could not believe that such
happiness as had come to her could
endure. There must be price, sur
prise and a rude awakening. Here,
upon the road to Folk was the witness
to the justice of that skepticism The
silent cloaked horsemen, the untrod-
den snow, the glittering peaks above
towers and turrets in the gloom below,
helped her imagination in it's new
alarm. She was sure that danger
menaced her. Nothing could Danish
that premonition-and stubborn in her
submission she began quickly but with
some composure to dress again. When
next she looked from the window, the
barbican tower hid the men from her
sight Esther bound up her hair, pinned
IL loosely, and trying to tell herself
that she was foolish to be afraid, she
went to her bedroom door and opened
it. The narrow winding stair by which
she had ascended was in darkness now
She distinguished voices-that of her
husband and, as she believed, of the
steward Martinez-and somewhat re-
assured by these she withdrew into her
room, and for little while heard moth
ing but the sound of her own heart
beating.
These suspicious ons-unjustified, but
girlish-endured for full five min
utes. Esther was quite ready to tell
herself that her acts were very ridicu-
lous. and that the horsemen were no
other than travellers crossing by night
TO Spain, when a quick step upon the
stair turned her eyes to the door
again, and she was about to open it
when her husband burst in uncere-
moniously and by word and manner
at once confronted her doubts
Where are you, Esther?" he asked; ;
and then perceiving her, exclaimed,
why, you are still dressed"
She told him everything. without
disguise
1T is very silly of me. but have
been frightened-and, Arthur, what
does it mean-why are those men at
st. Girons?"
He asked her what men?" pre-
tending to be ignorant of it; but she
persisted:
Il went to my window and the snow
was untrodden-then 1 looked again
and there were soldiers riding up!
What is it, dear? Please tell me?"
He made a brave effort, but he
could not conceal his apprehensions
from her, and so, holding both her hot
hands in his and kissing her. he put
the best face he could upon it.
Something has happened-perhaps
IL is Gaudarez who has news for me. l
have sent Martinez to the gate. You
must lock your door and wait until 1
come UP. OF course, there is no dan
ger, but it is as we'll to be careful in
this wild place. You must not be
frightened, Esther. The people about
here are all my friends; they would
do anything for me"
He broke off abruptly and dropped
her hands. A woman's wild Scream,
him the lie and left in his eyes the wild
look of a hunted man. He kissed Es-
ther passionately, his pulse throbbed in
every vein.
Il will soon settle this" he cried
wait until 1 come" And without an
other word he went down the stairs
and she was alone again.
She did not lock the door, it occurred
to her even then that he might be
driven and return to her Holding a
candle in her hand she took up a posi-
ton at the stairs head and waited
more fearfully than she had ever done
in all her life. The suspense was in
tolerable; the shadows upon the wind
ing stair she peopled with dreadful fig
ures The worst was known now-the
swift cataclysm in which life, happi-
ness, all might be lost. From the hall
below came the sound of angry argu-
ment and of swords trailing upon the
boards. Arthur's voice, clear and dis
tinct above the others, was raised from
time to time in command or entreaty;