Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-12
CHAPTER TX.
a r. l. Il NIL

OF all proportion with the gravity of the
assault upon him was her brothers mind
infiamed by recent events. For one thing,
the tide OF college opinion had turned sur
prisfngly in his favor as the result of the
fray, SO why care for the community? For
another thing, professors and professors
wives. who hitherto had seemed to hold
aloof, had come in numbers to call upon
them and to sympathize They left. it must
De owned. less sympathetic than they came.
because poor Mrs. Fame could not forget
his grievance. and received them with a
majesty OF mien quite at variance with the
humble character of their surroundings. For
still another thing. the press throughout
the state had begun to take issue with
the Star, and home letters from students
nnding their way into many a home paper
threw very different and far less lurid
light over matters at college. The brutal
force of the blow, therefore, had brought
on almost as forceful reaction.
Yet her brother seemed tuned to a pitch
or nervous excitement, If not irritablity,
Jane had never seen in him before. He
could not Sleep He was up and about at
all hours of the night He would not ex-
plain. He was scouting a trail" he said
and had no time to talk. He would tell her
by and by. He was sending and receiv-
ing kilograms and letters. Chicago being the
seat of the storm center. He had heard
thrice from Hazlett, whose wires or let
ters seemed to excite him more than ever.
He had thrice asked Jane IL she had been
to call on Miss Hoyt: if not. why not? And
Jane went against her will. though she.
TOO. had heard how her brothers senseless
head. senseless and bleeding had been lift
ed In Miss Hoyts arms. to the ruin of Miss
Hoyts much-admired fall walking suit She
still cherished the story of Miss Hoyt's
many masculine letters. and the memory
of Miss Hoyt's mysterious night interview
with that masculine unknown. She went
because Ronald kept asking her, and came
away civilly rebuffed: Miss Hoyt Is I'M
n can I1are, tDI.
moment. unless Miss Fanes sharp eyes
were mistaken Mrs. Sharpe was with Miss
Hoyt. Mrs. Sharpe, for that matter, had
been with her every day. and some nights,
ana MRS. Sharpe was a woman no other
woman about the college ever spoke of
save in respect. Jane was troubled-puz-
zled-wearied. She thought she had had
reason to stifie Ronald's admiration for that
girl She had staggered 1t. She could see
that. But something had served to revive
his keen and vehement interest He desired
to know when Miss Hoyt would receive
Jane? The next thing. probably. he would
be demanding that she should receive him.
Then there had come wire late one
evening. and by the midnight train he left
for Chicago and on the following day there
called well-dressed stranger who pre-
sented letter in Ronalds hand bidding
her place in the hand of the stranger GER
tain papers In certain pigeonhole in his
desk. She obeyed wondering. She followed
the stranger with her eyes and saw him
join Professor Sharpe down the street, and
somehow, was impressed with the idea that
Sharpe had escorted him almost to the door
then remained in the background The next
hour brought the janitor with the request
from the president that Fame come to his
office at once. and Jane wrote reply to the
erect that her brother was in Chicago and
reminded the president that he had said
he preferred Captain Fame should not dis
turb him when he wished to go anywhere
that. between drills, he was free to go and
Ind fhn l.. 4
though he wished the captain might go
and-stay.
Fame would not return until the follow
ing morning, she wrote the president and
such had been his plan, yet he was home
that very evening. late. and with him came
that stranger, the quiet-mannered. WELL
dressed man. CARRIED like a civilian and
bearing himself like soldier. She could
have rushed upon him with both hands
when Ronald quietly presented him by
name. Captain Hazlett."
Mrs. Fame and the Lady Clare. however.
mOnopOliZed much of the visitors time so
plain Jane" had but scant opportunity to
speak with him. At ten O'Clock Fame had
1aughingly called time and carried him
away to his own room. There. together,
Hazlett and Ronald. they had talked earn
estly full hour. At eleven Ronald came
to his sisters door; kissed her good night
saying 1t might be nearly twelve before he
returned: then escorted his friend and COM
rade to the railway station and saw him
off for Chicago. She looked and saw the
light in his window in the wing as late as
1870, and longed to go down to him, for
she. too. was sleepless. but she knew 1t
would only worry him now. She read awhile
and looked again and the light was still
there. Then she must have doZed little
while. for again the big bell struck its
solemn, single note. following in her mind
so close upon the other that it had the effect
of a funeral toll. and with something like
shudder she found herself counting ten
nty,cy -nf
another stroke. Then, wide awake, once
more she turned down her reading lamp;
once more strolled to the window and gazed
down at Ronald'S.
One O'Clock, and his light was still there.
Moreover. she was not the only watcher
of the light. Somebody else was there
somebody moving stealthily and slowly
close to the dark wall. She might not have
seen the shadowy form at ALL for there
was no moon. the starlight was dim and
the nearest gas lamp but family illumned
that part of the yard. The figure however
at the very moment she gazed forth. had
uplifted hand and arm She could see
them. black against the glow from Within
the hand softly tapping at the window pane;
then down 1t dropped, and by straining
her eyes she could family the figure
skulking back to the corner of the wing
from which point both the lighted window
at the front and the door at the side could
be watched. and there. crouching, it seemed
to await the result of the signal.
But tneTe was no result. Inc shade
not lifted. The window remained closed
The shadow at the corner stirred uneasily
and Jane watched with throbbing heart
Did this mean more mischief or was it
warning thereof? If menace or mischief
would the shadow have retreated to the
corner whence no blow or missile could be
delivered? Unless. indeed, and Jane was
quick to think and as quick to search. con-
federates might be lurking a rod or two
away in readiness to loose shot or stone?
But. though dark. the yard was open. fiat
a miniature croquet ground. affordng no
place for concealment. The shadow had
probably come from the back of the prem
ises, and retired the way it came The
shadow might have pistol 1t certainly
carried no visible weapon. 1t certainly had
sought to attract the attention of the oc-
cupant Of that room, and no one else. 1t
as certainly was awaiting, in obvious i'm
the result. Jane, too, waited. and
presently 1t came again. creeping along the
white painted, dark-looming front of the
wing until once again at the lighted win
dow, and once again hand and arm went
up to the pane and thrice. low. yet dis
tinct, the sharp. vitreous sound was heard.
The hand was then again withdrawn, and
the figure crouched halfway to the cor
ner, and again waited and listened.
Jane. peering through the green shutters
and counting her hurried heartbeats, still
watched and waited. Could Ronald at last
c.l1A v,,f b.