The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-09-28
THE SHADOW
ON
THE BLIND

As hospital nurse of many years
snding, I have been through
me strange experiences, but per-
sps none quite so thrilling as the
le l am about to relate.
was nursing a private case In
q vicinity Of Bloomsbury Square,
ID on this particular occasion !
as on night duty. My patient, who
~ nothing to do with the story.
as asleep, and / stepped into the
Joining room intending to write
me letters The room was not
yhted, and feeling all at once dis
clined to write, drew a chair up
b the window and looked out into
q night. The window faced one
y the side streets off the square,
ID tonight the place seemed
lite deserted. 1t was terribly blus-
ring, and the street shone wet in
9 yellow light OF the lamps. 1t was
It q particularly cheerful outlook,
I'd I was on the point of drawing
,e curtains when my attention was
,trncted by the solitary figure of
an. He was well dressed, and
ore an opera hat.
The collar of his coat was turned
o high so l could only catch a
tmpse of his face as he passed by
10 lighted lamps near, but he
ruck me as being Ill or excited.
tould have thought no more about
m, however, had he not paused
lddenly in his walk and looked
ispiciously up and down the street
,pparently satisfied that he was
{one he crossed the road and let
inself into the house just opposite.
q struck a light and proceeded to
raw off his boots. Then the door
;osed noiselessly and l could see no
tore. Vaguely l wondered why l
lould feel so interested in the mys-
srious stranger.
So strong was my curiosity in the
ouse across the road that after sat
aying myself that my patient was
i'll asleep / again took up my po-
tion near the window, taking care
St to be observed. l had scarcely
,ttled myself when l saw one of
20 rooms lit up suddenly. l saw
10 man pass before the window and
irow himself into a chair. He was
ot long alone. The door of the
som opened and / saw young wo-
IAN, much beJeweled and in even
could nnly hnr
ie and a mass of yellowish hair.
ne was evidently agitated, for she
rsquently raised her hands either
entreaty, or expostulation. He
HON | supposed to be her husband,
semed entirely to ignore her.
PRESENTLY he rose and poured out
lass of what looked like spirits of
3me kind, which he swallowed at
ulp. Then he pulled the blind
own sharply. Did he feel my two
yes watching.
/ was on the point of rising to
cave the room when something
appencd which held me riveted to
ne spot. The shadows Of the man
md woman were clearly cut against
ae blind, and what | saw sent
old shudder through me. They
;ere both standing now, she erect
nd stiff, and he with an arm raised
If to strike. Would the blow fall?
intoxicated as l felt sure he must
% i trembled for the woman. Fool!
I'D he but know that his move
lents were telling their own tale to
eager watcher across the road.
ne blow fell, and 1t must have been
'eavy, for the woman staggered un-
.er it. She put out her arm to stay
he second blow, which fell with
aorrible precision. l thought |
card a faint scream above the
ound of the wind and the rain, and
my excitement I raised the win
.ow. Should ! call for the police?
Then | reflected that after all it
yould be wiser not to mix myself
sp with domestic brawl. Perhaps
he blows which had seen fall
we're less severe than the shadows
.eemed to indicate. But see! they
re there again-the woman is on
Ter feet; he seizes her by the wrists
md presses her slowly backward
nto the shadow of the room, and /
an see no more. Presently the
lights are extinguished and silence
,eigns. Cold and sick with what
lad seen, was on the point of shut
Ing the window when l saw the
house door open, and the man step
out into the street. This time
made no effort to conceal myself.
My blood was fairly hot with indig-
aation against the man for his
cowardly and brutal assault. AS
he passed the window / said in a
clear voice, You brute!"
The following day the papers
gave an account of a murder. 1t
had taken place In the house across
she road. With feeling of horror
| realized that | had witnessed the
Derpetratlon of the crime by the
shadow on the blind, and the mur-
derer had escaped. | had seen him
pass and made no effort to bring
MIN to justice; but then / did not
know the truth. The man was of
medium height and slight of build