Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-20

away, a village sprinkled on the hills. But
looked upon it all with sightess eyes-eyes VIII
turned nstinctively toward the light the bll
ever seek ray through their enshroudlng gloo
grateful tang of salt air drifted in and he breath
deeply of its fragrance.
For long time he sat thus, silently, then fir
a distant room came the trill of song. His s11
grew into an expression of infinite tenderness as
listened and then the closing OF a door broke
melody. He sat expectantly for minute or
and gradually his mind wandered back into
dreamy thoughtfulness which the voice had int
rupted. After awhile he heard light step in
hall, and then other sound which he col
not interpret The steps approached the door
the room where he sat, and paused.
is that you, deary? he asked gently.
There was no response, and he turned his sig
less eyes expectantly toward the entrance.
What is it, Mildred?" he inquired.
Again he heard the peculiar sound to which
had been unable to attach meaning, but S
there answer.
Mildred" he called sharply. He turned quicl
in his chair, with vague uneasiness IN his mann
and gripped the arms If to rise. - lldred!
repeated Why don't you answer me"
Suddenly there came answe---a heart racki
terrifying answer-shriek after shrek of
agony, terror, helplessness. 1t was here, in
this very room in which he stood, but the
impenetrabe pail of blindness yelled it all,
There shutting of feet for an in
slant, gurgling, despairing cry, then the
Mildred Mildred Mildred!' he called
despairinglv What is it. child"
There was sound as of a soft body fall
ing then came utter silence With stralnlng
heart and cropping hands the old man kept
on blindly seeking. Again he caught the
meaningless sound, which he had heard
before. One outstretchea hand brushed
against something which was instantly
removed beyond his reach. Intuitively he
knew that body-menaced
him, that Mildred his granddaughter
now or had been in Perl--perhaps it was
worse There was some quick movement to
his right, and the old man stretched cut
his quiverjng hands straight before him with
a pitifu helpless gesture
/ am blind he said simply.
For moment he stood there, with hands
still outst1 etched. waiting. For what? He
didn't know AT last from the hall outside
came sliding, whispering sound and the
front door closed noisily. Instantly he
started in that direction. Despite his
blindness, he knew his way here in the lit
tie house where he had lived for years alone 4
with his granddaughter. N
In the hall another thought came to him q
Whoever-whatever- was, had come and
gone And Mildred? He turned and started
back toward the room he had just left q
One aged hand slipped along the wall to the
door frame, and he turned in For in
slant he listened. He heard nothing. Il
Mildred?" he called. My God, child!
where are you? What has happened!"
Still silence He entered and began cropping arou
pitifully. Mildred must be there, somewhere. A
finally as he groped on, ne came upon her I
foot struck some yielding obstacl lie, and he dropI
on his knees beside it. A touch of his fingers
the face told him it was Mildred She was breath
faintly-a gurge, which as he listened grew fainte
His brain was instantly awake to the full POI
bilities She had been stabbed. or struck doy
perhaps There had been no shot, and yet, as
hands moved rapidly over the slender form,
found no wound on head face, or body. The ia
gasping breath grew fainter as he lstened-she v
dying under his hands, and he helpless, una
to see even what was the matter.
Mildred, Mildred, Mildred" he repeated, and
shook the inert body in frenzy of fear and ankle
And then came the end There was a last ia
gurgle,. sPasmodic twitl hing OF the body, and
lay rigid. And there crouchng on the floor bes
his dead the aged grandfather was found few m
later His SiphtleSS ewes were drV and starr