The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1907-03-07


| looked II struck me us odd that there
should be a curtain on the outside nf
the window This curtain consisted
evidently Of n piece Of calico or some
material about That thickness.
I remembered her Injunction not to
leave my seat. hut curiosity Mt last
gained the mastery. After had sat
little while longer. wondering and
speculating about this curious little
window. arose and tiptoed across
the room toward It.
/ tried to peer through the curtain,
but II was too thick. 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, could, by clinglng to n
peg on the wall and raising myself on
tlptoe bring my eyes to level with
the top of the window, where the cur
tain sagged slightly. leaving a narrow
crack. Peering through this crack,
found myself looking into another
room, a small room, so dimly lighted
that at first could scarcely make 1t
out After minute, however, as my
eyes grew accustomed to the darkness
saw a long, narrow apartment, evil
IDENTIFY strip partltioned off the end of
the cabin and running all the way
across 1t. 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.
l drew back for moment In terror;
then, regalning courage, l 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
tlonless, upon the floor For moment
l gazed ut her with strange terror
creeping over me and then again with
drew my eye from the window. AS
did so muffied shrek, cry Of terror,
reached my ear from somewhere out Of
sight. l went hastily to the door and
opening 1t. 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; L felt positive
1t was not.
1t had suddenly grown darker. Stormy
looking piles Of clouds loomed up on
the horizon, and the rain had begun to
fall. 1 made up my mind to leave the
hut and go home as quickly as possi-
BILE, but 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 negress 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,
was not wet, so it was impossible
that she could have come far. Again
the sight Of her naked form, stretched
only few feet from where l 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 disobedence 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 should have been killed"
II am SO sorry" began, but she
continued, without appearing to hear
me:
~ had to go long distance to find
him--a long distance-and am tired,
for dangers beset me. But found
your lover. He is safe and well on
board a vessel becalmed in the Carib-
bean sea-"
"TIs 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 fiery
mount"
"The fiery mount?" echoed.
"Yes. Danger awaits him. 1t Is
near, very near. IL you do not hear
from him within the month you will
know that he Is dead"
"Can nothing be done to save himW
I cried.
The woman looked at me In silence
for a moment and then said:
Nothing. unless l again risk my
life"
"But I will not disobey you again."
l said earnestly.
"It will not depend on you this time"
she returned.
II will pay you whatever you ask;
only save him" found myself trust
Ing implicitly this woman whom had
not before believed in.
The negress gave me strange look
and said, go home and wait"
would have urged her further, but
she waved her hand.
go now. am worm" she said wea-
rily, and, passing her hand over her
g. n ~, n. "A a,