Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-02-03
CHAPTER vI.-(continued1

After 1 had sat thus meditating for
about ten minutes, began my work.
wrote very quickly, and in less than an
hour l had finished my task. l opened
my door and as quietly as l could, with
out an appearance of stealth, descended
the stairs, hoping to reach the kitchen
unobserved. But my master was watch
ing too vigilantly; he came out of the
parlor as l reached the landing place.
"What do you want creeping about
the house at this time of night?' he
asked, sharply.
81 was going down into the kitchen
t. get a glass of water" [ answered.
ST have finished my work"
"You can't go into the kitchen; Mar
tina has gone to bed. You can go into
my room and get water, and then go to
bed"
Without answering him, l remounted
the stairs and heard him following Ine. l
went into his room and drank a glass
of water, for | was really parched with
thirst While l was there l heard him
ascend the second fight of stairs and
go into my room. AS I reached the door
met him coming out, with the envel-
opes in his hand. l wished him good
night, but he did not answer me. l
watched him over the bannisters, heard
him pass along the passage, lock the
street door, take out the key, and then
re-enter the parlor.
Il am a prisoner" l thought; "and he
will take good care that [ have no COM
munication with Martha"
Suddenly l remembered the way l
got out of the house on that memorable
October night. AS soon as all were abed,
/ would creep up to the boys room
they might all be asleep, and not hear
me; and if they should, Gid not be-
lieve that they would betray me; had
always been as kind to them as I had
dared, shielded them from punishment
when I was able, and I believed that
they liked me.
l felt renewed confidence after this
thought. 81 had better lock my door,"
l thought, ''in case he should come up,
and find me not in bed"
The key was not in the lock! 1t must
have been taken out while l was getting
that glass of water. This last incident
shook my courage severely. Perhaps
they want to enter my room, and smoth-
er me in my sleepI' was my first thought.
Then l remembered that had heard my
master say that he should not resolve
upon any course of action until he had
satisfied himself of what l knew.
While / was thus revolving in my
mind every imaginable horror, 1 heard
footsteps ascending the stairs. 1 put out
my light and tore off my boots and coat,
and then jumped into bed. The foot
steps stopped outside my door, paused
for several seconds, then | heard the
handle cautiously turned, and a light
began to creep through the slowly OPEN
ing door. The agony l endured at that
moment I shall never forget. | could
not move nor speak. but lay watching
the stream of light gradually broaden,
until it was darkened by the figure of
Mr.. Porter standing upon the threshold.
The, rays of the candle fell upon his face;
its blotches were infamed with drink.
but otherwise it was very pale, and
there was a haggard look upon it. As
he caught the expression of my face, he
started back. l am certain it must have
been very ghastly. AS he stood thus, I
fancied ] saw a black shadow fit sud-
denly behind him.
Saint you asleepT' he said, in thick
voice.
No, sir. Oh, now you frightened
me!' cried. 1 could not help it.
THAT shows you have a sinful con
science; the righteous are never fright
ened. l am never frightened. Pray
pray, and then go to Sleep"
He was more intoxicated than l had
ever seen him before. He closed the
door: then 1 heard him put the key in
the lock; then, click The key was
turnedi
My last hope was gone. I was power
less, helpless; prisoner utterly at the
mercy of this man. l sprang out of
bed; l searched for a match-there as
not one i'll the room. l drew UP my
blind. but the night was moonless and
cloudy. l opened my window. and look
ed out All was deathly still; not a
leaf rustled; not a ray of light any
where: naught but black shadows. 1
was looking down upon a gulf to which
there seemed no bottom.
Once, in my desperation, | half resolv-
ed to cast myself out. but the depths
looked too awful I closed the window
again, lest the temptation should be too
powerful to resist. Bathed in perspira-
tion, yet shivering with cold, utterly
Frustrated by the brooding horror that
was upon me, | threw myself upon the
bed, and waited my fate.
CHAPTER VII.
How or when l fell asleep ] could
never remember. But I did falr asleep.
Neither can l remember how long I
slept. From the time that threw my
self despairingly upon my bed, all is
hazy. l can never precisely separate the
vision from the reality.
First, the dream. | was living back
in the past. 1t was the very October
night that l have SO minutely described.
1 was standing at the window of, the
boys bedroom; was surrounded by the
old faces that had departed long ago;
the moon was shining brightly, as it did
on that night. l thought that 1 had
just shaken hands all round, and was
looking below, half fearful of the peril
ous descent l was about to make. Stand.
ing out clearly in the broad light, with
her face upturned towards mine. was the
child of the Norman gate, her face color
less and statuesque, her hair glistenine
in the moons rays, just as l had seer
it once before. She was waiting for me
We were going to fly together, whittier
know not. / had begun my descent, anG