La Junta tribune., 1907-01-12

Il
was . storm coming.
A ] sat looking about me my eye
vested % . little window. consisting Of
twO small panes Of glass. high up in
| ths wall At the farther end Of the
room. This window evidently gave
light to some other room. But. NO:
there was NO door except the one By
which I had entered. and TIE wom-
ans bed stood In corner. The window
must be one l0okine outdnoss. though
II did not seem to sdlnit any light.
sat looking at It for some time. and ~
I looked II struck me ~ odd that there
shoud he Q curtain On TIN outsiie a
the window. This curtain consisted
evidently of pisce o. calico OF some
material about that thickness.
remembered her Injunction not to
leave my sest. bnt curiosity at Inst
gained the mastery. After I had sat
a little while longer. wondering and
spsculating about this curious little
window. I arose and tiptoed across
the room toward II.
tried to peer through the curtain.
but II was too thick. could see moth
ing. I examined the sides. They were
close and admitted no glimpse OF what
was beyond. The top was above an or
dinary persons reach: but. being tall
and supple. I could. by clinging to a
peg on the wall and raising myself Oh
tiptoe, bring my eyes to level with
the top OF the window. where TIE cur
tain saeged slightly. leaving a narrow
crack. Peering through this crack.
found myself looking into another
room. small room. so dimly lighted
that at first | could scarcely make II
out. After a minute. however. as my
eyes grew accustomed to the darkness.
I saw long. narrow apartment, evi-
IDENTIFY strip partitioned of the end OF
the cabin and running all the way
across il. The floor was covered with
some sort OF carpeting aud rug.
could hardly make out what. and.
stretched fnll length upon ii, was
naked form.
drew back for moment In terror;
then, rcgaining courage. once more
placed my eye 10 TIE window. This
time | could see more clearly. The
form WAS that of the negress. Her
black body was str tched rigid. mo
tionless. upon the filo. For moment
l gazed ut her with strange terror
creeping over me and then again with
drew my eye from the window As
did 80 II mufiicd shrek. n cry OF terror.
reached my ear from somewhere out OF
sight. | went hastily to the door and.
opening II. looked out. There was no
one about. The voice had come ap-
parently from the clouds. Could II pos
ufl t.I
blowing hard nowi No; ! felt positive
II was not.
II had suddenly grown darker. Stormy
looking piles OF clouds loomed up ON
the horizon, and the rain had begun 10
fall. ! made up my mind to leave the
hut and 90 home ~ quickly ~ possi
bls. but anxiety 70 hser What ths wo-
nan might tell me concernin9 Tom.
after having come 90 far and waited
70 long, made me turn back into the
cabin. close the door softly and slip
into my seat again.
In a minute the door opened. and
the ne9ress entered. Her piercing
black eyes looked 10 wild that my
fright returned. and heartily wished
myself safe out Of the place. Her
clothes seemed to be tossed nbout. N
though she had been out I'm the wind.
but save for drop or two Of rain she
was not wet. so II 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 crceps go
up my spine.
"You disobeyed me- she said com
ing quickly toward me. Her look,
voice and manner betrayed great agi
tation.
"Your dsobclience nearly cost me
my NE" she continued. why did you
leave your seaif II you had not taken
your eye from that window just when
ron did I sbouii have been Killed.
II am % sorry ! began. but she
continued. without appearing 20 hear
me:
Il had to go long distance IN fni
him-a long dIstance-and I am tired.
for dangers beset me. But I found
your lover. lie Is safe and well on
board vessel becaimed In the Carib-
bean sea"
ellis vessel. the Kitty Kellyr" cried.
'No: not his vessel. That was wreck
ed OF the coast OF Trinidad. You will
see him soon IL he escapes the fiery
mount"
The fery mounty' ! echoed
~Yes. Danger awaits him. II is
near. very near. II you do not hear
from him within the month you will
know that he is dead"
Can nothing be done TO save himr
I cried.
The woman booked at me In silence
for q moment and then said:
-Nothinx. unless ! again risk my
life