The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-09-22

two glances I stole at him I could not
determine whether | liked or disliked
his face
That day passed uneventfully, and l
went to bed with all my doubts entire
ly set at rest. / fell asleep quickly,
and do not know how long | had slept
when was suddenly reused into full
wakefuIness by the sound of voices
outside my door.
Il think she will certainly do" The
voice was that of the Countess, ring
of exultation in it, Don't you think
she will dor
lam not sure" there was hesita-
ton in this voice. Herr Schmidts,
1--WE may find that she may not agree
to"
Their voices and footsteps died
away, but | remained, staring wildly
at the door.
Was it who would certainly do?"
What should / do for? What did it
mean? had been at the castle week
Each day had it's small round of du-
ties, but nothing again happened to
rouse my fears. The Countess was
charming, the secretary civil but dis
tant, though I had an instructive feel
ing that he watched me more than l
knew. The Count had never met or
seen. The wing in which he lived was
separated from the rest of the castle
by a covered way and he never seemed
to join his mother.
I was growing to feel quite happy
and at home in my new surroundings,
in spite of their loneliness and isola-
ton, and to delight in my rooms, ev-
en- in spite of the awful abyss over
which they hung, when something oc-
Cured which reused afresh all my I'M
easiness.
On heavenly evening, just before
sunset, l was sitting in the garden,
book in hand, when the sound of Win
dow violently flung open over my
head made me glance upwards, to see
a mans face peering at me. 1t was
a singularly handsome one, with dark,
piercing eyes that fastened themselves
eagerly upon my face. | saw an eX-
preston of relief flash over the speak
ing countenance, then came look OF
positiye pleasure, and next l heard
voice say:
"Yes-she will do-she will certain
ly do" and at the same moment the
face was hurriedly withdrawn and the
window was slammed down again
with a resounding bang.
The strange similarity of the words
to those used by the Countess outside
my room a week before at once struck
me. and l sprang to my feet, looking
nervously round me in the gathering
shadows, fearing something, yet not
knowing what / feared. There was
step on the gravel close beside me.
and Herr Schmidt's voice whispered:
why did you not take my advice?
1t is too late now. His voice was
broken with emotion. so unlike his usu-
ally Indifferent accent that 1 turned
quickly to answer him, but he had van
ished amongst the shrubs, and l saw
the Countess issuing from the garden
door.
My dear" she said in her smooth
est tones. Il want you to come and be
introduced to my son. He is most anx-
ious to meet you. He is not very strong
and therefore keeps chiefly TO his own
apartments.
Feeling little dazed. meekly fol-
lowed her across the great hall and
down the covered way to the Counts
wing. where she opened a door and led
me into luxuriously-furnish apart
ment looking into another garden. Only
one homogeneous feature stuck me. The
windows were barred with iron. exactly
as though the room was prison,
On our entrance young man rose
from a big armchair and held out his
hand in cordial greeting. and when |
saw him | nearly screamed aloud.
The handsome face and dark eyes
were the very same that only few
minutes before had peered down at me
from a window in another part of the
castle. What did it all mean:
The Countess and / stayed some time
with the Count. who. in spite of his
handsome face. repealed rather than
fascinated me. In his eyes was look
that haunted me long after / had left