Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-02-06
ReverSe From
Beyond the Grace
IOriginal.l

Townsend waterman, young Amer
lean in Paris, strolled down the boule-
ward in evening dress and light over
coat on his arm to the Place de rOpera.
He bought seat in the parquet and
before the curtain rose glanced at the
boxes to see if any of his friends were
present. All were occupied by stran-
gers to him except one, and that was
empty.
During the last act, while the audi
ence was intent on what was taking
place on the stage, something-he knew
not what-impelled him to glance aside
Mt the empty box. Though he had no.
ticed 1t moment before and saw that
no one was in it, now woman's face
protruded from behind side curtain,
the eyes bent eagerly upon him with
every evidence of distress.
Waterman was not the man to de.
cline what he regarded an invitation
and without waiting for the perform
ance to finish left his seat and in
few minutes stood before the door of
the box in question. He did not need
to knock, for it opened nOiselessly, and,
entering, he took a seat beside the
lady.
"Do not think evil of me-" she said.
~ am suffering and wish to leave this
place. must have an escort, and, See
ing you in the audience, feeling that
could trust you, and catching your eye,
I virtually invited you to come to me-"
;cI, 70, ba ae,ly al
sat once"
They rose, Waterman helped her on
with a light wrap she took his arm and
they left the house. Waterman called
a carriage.
~ need fresh air." she said. May
we not walk?"
Certainly, If you desire 1t. ! sup
posed you were ill.,
mot so i'll but that I can walk
home" she said.
Indeed, 1t seemed to the American
that she was as light as feather.
Her hand pressed so softly on his arm
that at times he thought she had with
drawn it. Once while passing under a
street lamp he failed to see her shadow
beside his own. He turned to see If
che had not slipped away from him.
but she was still there. He looked
again for the missing shadow, but
they had passed out of range Of the
lamplight.
There was an odor about his COM
an odor Of dampness, Of water such as
one often gets from river, especially
a river flowing through city.
A third singular feature was that now
and again he thought he heard some
thing rolling on the pavement behind
him. Twice he looked back to see, but
there was nothing there
/ Presently the lady guided her at
tendant from the boulevard into a side
street that was taken up with dwell
iDgs, and, after pursuing it for few
blocks, she turned and mounted the
steps Of stone front mansion.
Quick she said, I'm faintingw
and fell into his arms. The door open
ed at touch, and he carried her in.
& upstairs to my bedroom she
gasped.
I Taking her up to the second story,
I he entered room the door of which
stood open and laid her on the bed;
then he went to call for assistance,
but no one replied; the house was
empty. He went back to the bed and
laid his hand on the woman, who by
this time was stiff and stark Indeed
1t seemed to him that she had been
dead some hours.
! At that moment key was put into
the lock of the front door, and some
one came in. Waterman looked over
the banister and saw man i'm evening
dress. Waterman went down, and
when the man saw him he staggered
back.
/ 1.-THE lady," said Waterman. "She is
up In her room!
"What lady?" gasped the man.
! II don't know. She asked me to see
her home. She Is lying on her bed.
fear 1t Is all over with her. Come"
| The man shrank back. Waterman
took him by the arm, supported him
upstairs, and they entered the bed
room.
The man gave shrek and fell on
| the floor.
"Elsie!' he cried. "Oh, why did l
do it? You have come from your bed
at the bottom of the Seine to mock
me. smell the water. see the stone
/ tied about your waist"
From this he went off into incoherent
cries and mutterings.
Waterman, as soon as he could col.
lect his faculties, hunted up tele-
phone and called for the police. In
few minutes a party of gendarmes
drove up In wagon, stopping before
the house. Waterman, who was now
trembling in every fiber, went down
and let them In.
"a very singular thing has occurred"
he said. ~ don't understand It, There
is dead woman upstairs. / met her
at the opera and she asked me to bring
her home. l did so, put her on her
bed, and she died before ! could sum-
mon assistance"
He led the way upstairs. There lay
the man on the floor glaring and NUT
tering. They turned to the bed.
a