Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-07

Leona Morton enveloped herself in cool.
soft wrapper. Then, lying upon her couch.
she dismissed her maid after pressing a
wet handkerchief to her forehead. She gave
orders that under no circumstances was
she to be disturbed that night. She said
she was suffering from a severe headache.
and would ring If she needed assistance.
"Will the judge be home this evening.
Miss Leona?" asked the maid.
mo, father will stay in the city tonight.
He has a trying case to work on. You
may have the evening out If you ike
The maid went out, thanking her; but
not till the door had closed, and the girl
step sounded on the back stairs, did Leona
move. She lay still and apparently IAN
guid-then she sprang up, crossed the room
swiftly and locked the door. She listened
a moment to be sure that no one was In
the hall, then she slid out of the wrapper
and began TO dress rapidly, her mind work
ing feverishly as her fingers hooked ana
buttoned with nervous haste.
She hated elopements, and had always
sneered at them. but what could she DO!
Her father stubbornly opposed her mar
rage to John Burton for no other reason
in the world than that he was not yet firm
ly established in the law, and was not rich.
Well. what did he expect? Did ne want
Judge at twenty-five? Was he hfmse.t rlch
living for two, and statistics showed that
few newly admitted lawyers were doing
that, and no one, even her rather, denied
that John had future before him. her
father was unreasonable, but she relt sure
he would forgive the elopement, for she
was his only child, and strangely IKE her
mother, with whom he had himself run
away.
So in spite of her regard for public opln-
ion, and some slight msgivings, she hao
listened to Johns plea to marry hrst anu
ask permission afterward. He had 1t all
planned. She was TO meet him at the Dig
oak at s, and be married at Ralston'
She donned a shirt waist and a snort
walking skirt, took from her closet some
stout boots, and looked about her. Ihen
suddenly she removed her cloth belt ana
took from drawer a quantity carved one
of Spanish leather with MASSIVE silver
buckle that had been her mothers. she
put it OMIT was the only trinket she cared
to wear. Then she turned out the gas ana
crouched down in the big armchair to wait
till she was sure all the servants snouiu
be at supper in the kitchen.
II was September. and rapidly growing
dark A storm was brewing; the hush that
preceded it and the black clouds mace IL
seem later than 1t really was. Her watch<
Rad stopped but after waiting what seemed
hours. she was sure it was time. She took
her shoes in her hand, and, opening and
closing her door silently, slid into the hal
and down to the library, when she dropped
from the Iow-ledged window to the turf.
She closed the window then pushed it up
again, to make sure that she could enter
that way again if anything should happen.
She dared not go by the front door for fear
her dog would follow her. Leona put on
her shoes and started quickly across the
lawn and into the shadows. Once in the
wood she breathed more freely. feeling her
self safe from detection. But she walked
swiftly half afraid of the darkness and
fearing that the storm would break before
they could get started to Ralston.
The sky grew darker and darker, and
when she entered the thick of the grove she
found her way TO the big oak more by in
stinct than by sight. In its friendly shelter
she felt safe. She was little dismayed
that John was not already there, but little
thought told her that the storm had made
1t seem late, whereas she was really early.
AS she waited she grew nervous and
frightened, fearing many things. Afraid
that the storm would hinder him, starting
at the zigzags of lightning against the black