Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-11-23

tnere was no door except the one by
which / had entered, and the WON
ans bed stood in a corner. The window
must be one looking outdoors, though
1t did not seem to admit any light
looked 1T struck me as odd that there
should be a curtain on the outside of
the window. This curtain consisted
evidently of piece of calico or some
material about that thickness
| remembered her injunction not to
leave my seat but curiosity at last
gained the mastery. After | had sat
little while longer, wondering and
specializing about this curious little
window. | arose and tiptoed across
the room toward 1t.
| / tried to peer through the curtain,
but it was too thick. I could see moth
Ing. examined the sides. They were
close and admitted no glimpse Of what
/ was beyond. The top was above an or
/ binary persons reach; but. being tall
and supple, l could. by clinging to a
i peg on the wall and raising myself on
tiptoe, bring my eyes to level with
the top Of the window. where the cur
tain sagged slightly, leaving narrow
crack Peering through this crack,
found myself looking into another
room. small room. so dmly lighted
that at first l could scarcely make 1t
out After a minute, however, as my
eyes grew accustomed to the darkness,
l saw q long, narrow apartment. evil
IDENTIFY q strip partitioned Off the end of
I the cabin and running oil the way
across it, The floor was covered with
some sort of carpeting and rug,
could hardly make out what, and,
stretched full length upon it, was a
naked form.
| drew back for moment In terror;
then, regain!ng courage, I once more
placed my eye to the window. This
time | could see more clearly. The
form was that of the negress. Her
black body was stretched rigid, mo,
tionless, upon the floor For moment
] gazed at her with a strange terror
creeping over nle and then again with
drew my eye from the window. AS !
reached my ear from somewhere out OF
sight, l went hastily to the door and.
opening It, looked out. There was no
one about. The voice had come ap-
parently from the clouds. Could it pos
sibly have been the wind. which was
blowing hard now? No; felt positive
1t was not
1t had suddenly grown darker. Stormy
looking piles of clouds doomed up ON
the horizon, and the rain had begun to
fall. I made up my mind to leave the
hut and go home as quickly as posi-
bic, bit anxiety to hear what the wo
man might tell me concerning Tom.
after having come so far and waited
SO long, made me turn back into the
cabin, close the door softly and slip
into my seat again.
In minute the door opened, and
the negroes entered. Her piercing
black eyes looked so wild that my
fright returned and heartily wished
myself safe, out of the place. her
clothes seemed to be tossed about. as
though she had been out In the wind.
but save for drop or two Of rain she
was not wet, SO 1t was impossible
that she could have come far Again
the sight of her naked form, stretched
only few feet from where sat rose
up before me, and felt the creeps go
up my spine.
'You disobeyed me-" she said com
ing quickly toward me. Her look,
voice and manner betrayed great agi
tation.
"Your dlsobedience nearly cost me
my life." she continued. why did you
leave your seat? If you had not taken
your eye from that window just when
you did I should have been killed"
II am SO sorry" I began, but she
continued, without appearing to hear
me:
II had to go long distance to find
him-a long distance-and I am tired,
for dangers beset me. But found
your lover. He is safe and we'll on
board vessel becalmed in the Carib-
bean sea-
'.His vessel, the Kitty Kelly?' cried.
"No; not his vessel. That was wreck
ed off the coast of Trinidad. You will
see him soon If he escapes the nery
mount" i
1.-The fiery mount?" echoed.
Eyes. Danger awaits him. 1t is
near, very near. If you do not hear
from him within the month you will
know that he is dead"
"Can nothing be done to save him?"
l cried.
The woman looked at me in silence
for moment and then said:
Nothing, unless I again risk my
life"
"But I will not disobey you again."
/ said earnestly.
"It will not depend on you this time,"
she returned
81 will pay you whatever you ask;
only save him. l found myself trust
ing implicitly this woman whom l had
not before believed in.
The negress gave me a strange look
and said, go home and wait"
l would have urged her further, but
she waved her hand.
go now. / am worn," she said wea-
rily, and, passing her hand over her
forehead, she sank down on rough
seat beside the table with the air of