Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1905-05-26
CHAPrnR wv


Hour after hour l lay tossing about
in sleepless, mental agony. Clara was
undoubtedly in the same house with me,
exposed to heaven knows what sufferings
and prosecutions; and yet, for any hope
Of seeing or succOring her, l might as
well have been hundreds of miles away.
At last, unable to lie there any longer,
l rose and dressed myself. A fire was
still smoldering in the huge CRATE, and
night light was burning upon the table.
The nurse, by her hard. regular breath
ing, seemed to be in deep sleep, and l
moved about cautiously. Her face was
turned to the open side of the, sofa. l
crept behind it and inserted my trem-
bling hand beneath the pillow, feeling
further and further until my fingers
touched a hard substance-it was the
ward key. Little by little l drew it
away-she still sleeping profoundly.
fitted it noiselessly in the lock, turned it.
and the next moment found myself in a
large, dark hall, at the foot of an i'm.
mensely wide staircase.
l closed the door softly behind me.
A long window, that stretched upwards
from the first landing, admitted sniff
clent light to guide me, and, with
noiseless step, l crept up the stairs. At
the top of the first fight was a long
corridor, on each side Of which. as far
as l could see, for the further end was
lost in obscurity. was line of doors
Now came my difficulty; the slightest
error would not only defeat my present
OBJECT, but consign me to a stricter sur
Veillance than ever, and perhaps bring
ABOUT Ctara's removal to some spot to
which could obtain no clue. Suppose
Dy chance, that l should go to Judith's
chamber door? l shuddered at tbe
thought JUG
stood for some moments At the had
OF the corridor, irresolute what to do
listening eagerly for the slightest sound
mat might guide me. But the silence
was deathlike. Down the corridor
moved noiselessly. Through the crew
ices OF the third door came faint straal,s
OF light and faint mufied sounds eitbar
means or a low, monotonous singing
.he walls and doors were so thick that
1t was difficult to distinguish which
l Hstened more eagerly, until I fan
cled | could distinguish Clara,s vo;oo
paused Tor a moment, and then with
my heart beating in my throat tsnnaJ
gently. Breathlessly waited for e.,
eral seconds. No answer. Then 49,
PED a second time a little londor
s,I OF moving, and then soft. trem-
ulDus voice, that thrilled my very soni
asked raintly, who is there"
could doubt no longer. Thu 49,
was III the lock outside. tried it-tnrT.
eu lt-opened the door-met ber ~.
sought-heard low CRY of as+onioL
Hlent' and my darling was in INV arms
AT mat moment fancied that -,
sound like the click of a locL - ~
corridor. l suddenly turned. disenaa. .ns
nyseh from her arms, and IooLaS 80
All seemed precisely as / had IoF. :"
- nsut' no object no sound; II must
Lev Oeen FANCY. l gently drew tbe
49, Ley from the outside, and, reversing IL
locked the door from within. We ~
m mo one could surprise us now
10 ner eager questions, how bsd A..
covered her, | scarcely knew ~. uis-
answer; for, the first excitement n va e
meeting over, l repented that ma ouL
sought It Gould l have freed bS - ever
net enemies then, and then onl-, AIOm
II nave been justifable? A. = "0uI1
was FEEDING my own homeless vas
ana engaging more and noro oI,l PASSION
aHecuons Of a simple-heartad 's -; me
i i,u M very roof that sheltered ~
b,,sha.'I woman who claimed as H..
;nnm'A Oh, all this was veal o.iu er
weak ana | felt it so, and Vet