The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-12-05

Could there be evil combined with
such sheer loneliness, with features
that in every line bodied forth the
purity of the spirit that abode within?
In the soul Of him he could not believe
that thiefs nature fed canker-iike at
the heart of woman so divinely,
! naively dear and desirable. And-he
would not
Wont you let me go?"
Gust minute. IL should like to
If l find that you have done nothing
so very dreadful" he laughed uneasi.
ly, do you wish to know"
"You know l do" She could not
help saying that, letting him see that
far into her heart.
"You spoke of my calling, believe.
That means tomorrow afternoon, at
the earliest. May not call you up on
the telep!-one?"
''The number is in the book" she
said in tremulous voice.
"And your name in the card-case?"
EYES,"
"And If should call in half an
hour"
20, shall not sleep until know!
Good night"
Good night! Drive on, cabby."
He stood, smiling queerly, until the
! hanson, climbing the Park Avenue
hill, vanished over its shoulder. Then
swung about and with an eager step
retraced his way to his rooms, very
confident that God was in his heaven
and all we'll with the world.
III.
The cab stopped. The girl rose
and descended 70 the walk The driver
touched his hat and refined the horse
away. Good night, ma'am," he bade
her, cheerfully. AMI she told him
Good night" in her turn.
! For moment she seemed a bit hest.
tant and fearful, left thus alone. The
house in front Of which she stood, like
its neighbors, reared high facade to
the tender, star-lit sky, its windows
with drawn shades and no lights, wear
ing a singular look of blind patience
1t had a high stoop and sunken
area. There was dull glow in one
Of the basement windows.
! 1t was very late-or extremely early
The moon was down, though it's place
was in some way filled by the golden
| disk of the clock in the Grand Central
stations tower. The air was impreg
mated with the sweet and fragrant
breath of the newborn day. In the
tunnel beneath the street trolley car
+, rumbled and whined and clanked lone.
! somely. A stray cat wandered out OF
cross street with the air of sea.
soned debauchee; stopped, scratched
! itself with inimitable abandon, and
suddenly, mysteriously alarmed at
nothing, turned itself into streak of
shadow that fled across the street and
vanished. And. as II affected by its
! terror, the gray girl slipped silently
/ into the area and tapped at the lighted
window.
Almost Immediately the gate was
cautiously opened. A woman's head
looked out, with suspicion. ooh, thank
Heavings!" it said, with abrupt fer.
vor. Il was afraid it mightn't be you,
Miss Sylvia. I'm so glad you're back.
There ain't-hasn't been minute
these past two nights that I haven't
! been in a fidget."
The girl laughed quietly and passed
through the gateway (Which was
closed behind herr into the basement
hall, where she fingered a brief mo.
ment.
| my father, Annie?" she inquired.
HE ain't-hasn't stirred since you
went out, Miss Sylvia. He's sleepir:
| peaceful as q lamb"
| Everything is all right, them"
'Now that you're home, it is, praises
BEL" The servant secured the innel
door and turned up the gas. Not If
!! was to be given notice tomorrow
mornin'." she announced. firmly, will
ever consent to be party to such
goin's.on another night"
There will be no occasion, Annie,
said the girl. THANK you, and-good
night"
A resigned sigh-"Good night, Miss
Sylvia"-followed her up the stairs.
She went very cautiously, careful tc
brush against no article of movable
furniture in the halls, at pains to make
no noise on the stairs. At the door OF
her fathers room on the second foo,
she stopped and listened for full mo
ment; but he was sleeping as quietly
as soundly, as the servant had de
clared. Then on, more hurriedly, W
another flight, to her own room, where
she turned on the electric bulb in
panic haste. For it had just occurred
to her that the telephone bell might
ring before she could change her cloth
ing and get downstairs and shut her
self into the library, whose closed door
would prevent the bell from beina
audible through the house.
In less than ten minutes she waa
stealing silently down to the drawing
room floor again, quiet as spirit OF
the night. The library door shut with.
out a sound; for the first time she
breathed freely. Then, pressing the