The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1908-02-13
thought" she breathed, that you were

was bright with color now, and her
| eyes were brilliant. He saw almost
! with amusement that she found no
cause for alarm or displeasure at his
| presence.
| He drew an old dusty chair to the
! bedside ana sat down before her. fold
! in@ /. arms.
s., aaael com fortably against the
| TO- 49,. ne bed. Evidently she saw
no q rc:ion 10 a midnight chat with
him. She seemed to him in her inno-
cent acceptance of the situation as ig-
| norant of evil as an angel.
| There seemed so much that he want
! cd to ask her that he hardly knew
where to begin. But with trife less
than her. usual timidity before him
she took the initiative.
"You were in this room when came
in, weren't your she asked, her eyes
wide with wonder.
"YeS-in quest of the ghost"
"But the room was dark"
| He pointed to his lamp on the book
shelf. Il blew it out when | heard
you coming. thinking was going TO
encounter the specter.'
"You didn't know, did you, that yol
| would-would find me here tonight:'
Again that note of wistfulness with
which he was beginning to grow IA
miliar.
mo more expected it than l ey-
| pected to meet the car Of Russia"
She appeared so disappointed to hear
1t that he FASTENED to add, 'It's tl:.
most delightful surprise l ever had il
my life"
She beamed upon him frankly. You
are pleased?' Evidently she wanted
him to repeat it.
ITO say l am pleased would be
false. l am overjoyed."
"Why?''
He was much entertained at her VEN
turing to put him through catechism.
GLOW can you ask when for four
days you have made it impossible for
| me to have three minutes talk with
| your
"You have wanted to talk with me-
Her eyes were not mournful now, but
luminous with happiness.
Haven't you wanted to talk to me?'
he inquired.
"Ohr' she breathed as though her
feelings were too deep for utterance.
Being q mere man, he found himself
quite unable to interpret her.
"NIAeh good it does me to want to
talk to YOU" he said ruefully, 'when l
have to search you out in a haunted
room at midnight in order to do it.
Why do you make it so difficult?'
81 have not meant to make it diff
cult. Oh, no, indeed. But you know l
am kept very closely at work"
II know. But why haven't you come
out to me in the evenings-to the
spring house or to the terrace by the
gate?"
81 think" she said, her color deepen
ing and her eyes falling, ut wouldn't
have been-maidenly."
swell, then, at least you might be
about somewhere where I could come
to you"
"Abe keeps a jealous watch upon
me-" she said without looking up.
"Abe? Abe be hangedv'
"And them" she added, her head
sinking little lower, II would not
wish to obtrude myself when all your
mind must be occupied with-with the
girl you said you loved"
"What" he asked, puzzled. ooh, you
refer to the stately Georgiana" He
laughed. "Georgiana also be-blessed
I should say. tell you, Eunice, the
one and only thing l have desired
since 1 last talked with you has been
to go on with that talk"
LET us go on with it now" she said
deep contentment radiating from her
at his words.
Gall right" He relaxed and leaned
back more comfortably in his own
chair, resting his forehead on his fin
gers and looking as complacently sat
isfied as she did.
''But first" she said timidly, 81
would ask promise of you"
eyes, Eunice."
Twill you not betray to Mr.. or Mrs.
Morningstar that you saw me here?"
"Why don't you wish them to
know?' he asked, feeling his compla-
cency disturbed by her apparent cow.
ardice
'They would be very angry"
"Why need you care for that?"
"But they would stop my coming in
the future. | have kept them from
knowing these many years.
"These many years? You have been
in the habit of coming to this room:'
every night for many years"
"Ahav he exclaimed. "Then you are
the ghost! The Pickering light seen
at the windows by passersby is your
candler'
eyes"
"What did you come forY'
ITO read"
He sat upright in his chair. "For
many years you have been reading the
books in this room?'
Eyes"
He stared at her for an instant
spellbound with establishment. Then
he sank back in his chair, fitting to-
gether the tips Of his fingers, a habit
of his when trying to think things out.
II see," he said slowly. II see."
He ASKED her question abruptly.
"Why would the Morningstars stop 1t
If they knew?