Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-12-17

hlm, her hand pressed across his lips,
her lips at his ear in an agonized
warning:
"Hush! Do not speak! 1t is 1, Jes-
sica! Make no noise!'
She felt her wrist caught in a grasp
that made her vince. His whole body
was trembling violently. "Jessica."
he said in a painfully articulated whis-
) per. 'You? Where am II"
"This is my room," she breathed.
You have been walking in your sleep.
Make no sound. We shall be heard"
A low exclamation broke from his
lips. He looked bewilderedly about
him, his eyes returflng to her face
with a Mortified realization. "I-came
hereto your room?" The voice was
scarcely audible.
ut was l who brought you here.
You were in the hall. You would have
been found. The house is reused"
He turned abruptly to the door, but
she caught his arm. what are you
going to do? You will be seen!v
$50 much the better. 1t will be at
my proper measure-as a prowler, a
housebreaker, a disturber of honest
, Sleep"
mo, no.w she protested in a panic.
"You shall not. | will not have you
taken for what you are not. l know.
But they would not know. No one
must see you leave this room. Do you
not think of me?"
He caught his breath hard. Think
Of you!' be repeated huskily. "Is
there even an hour when I do not
think of you? Is there a day when l
would not die to serve you? Yet in
my very Sleep
He paused, gazing at her where she
stood in the half light, a misty, uncer-
tain figure. She was curiously happy.
The delicious and pangless sense of
guilt, however-the guilt of the hidden,
not the blameworthy ~thing-tlat was
tingling through her was for him a
shrinking and acute self reproach.
She was silent. "I'orgive me-" he
said. eff you can. II can eve for.
give myself. How can l best go?"
For answer she moved to the win.
dow, slender and wraithlike. He fol-
lowed silently. AS she parted the cur
tain a second of bright lightning re-
vealed the landscape, the dark hedges
and clustered trees. 1t blackened, and
she drew him back, with a hushed
word, pointing where a lantern was
flashing through the shrubbery.
cit is a watchman," she said. "He
will be gone presently"
"God help mel" he whispered, the
pent passion of his dreams rushing to
| %utterance. ''Why did l ever sec your
face? l was reckless and careless then.
that now is quivering alive. | have
tried to blot your face from my mem
DRY. but it is useless. / shall always
| see it,"
On the lawn just outside the window
! low voices were heard through the In
a moment he softly Unattached the Win
dow.
"Goodby," he said.
She stretched out her hand. He
touched l.. then drew the window
/ wide AS he stepped noiselessly down
on to the springy turf the lightning
flashed again, a pale green glow that
seemed almost before her face. She
drew back. and the same instant,
through the thunder, the electric bell
on the wall rang sharply. She threw
on her dressing gown, thrust her feet
into slippers and fastened from the
room.
The same flash that had startled Jes-
sica lighted brightly the physician and
the Waterman, who stood at the cor
ner of the building, having finished
their tour Of inspection. 1t was the
latter who had found the open door
and who had aroused the doctor. insist
ing that he had seen a man in the hall.
The other had p%oohpoohed this, but
now by the lightning both saw the
figure emerge from the French window
and disappear in the darkness.
They ran back. the physician ahead.
The window was not locked, and they
stepped through it into an empty room.
ITO be sure!.' said the doctor disgust
/ GUly. LII WAC uCIC dii LIZ tiAaS'
us searching the halls and took the
first unlocked door he found. Miss
Holme, no doubt, is sitting up with
! Mr.. Stires. Not a word of this" he
added as they walked along the hall.
He barred the outer door behind the
Waterman and went on. AS he reached
David stires' room the door opened,
and Jessica came out. She spoke to
him in a low, anxious voice. II was
coming for you" she said. Il am
afraid he is not so well. l cannot
him.. Will you come in and see b
you can do? !,
The doctor entered. and a glance at
his patient alarmed him. Until dawn
he sat with Jessica watching. When
the early sunlight was flooding the
room. however, David Stires opened
his eyes and looked upon her quite
naturally.
"Where is Harry sandersonT he
asked. 81 thought he was here" /.
She looked at him with a forced
smile. "You have been dreaming" she
answered.
.~--. +, ~, ho said with q sigh,