The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1909-01-14
PRHscRToN UNION: THURsDAY, JANUARq u, Isos

HURSDA !, j AlNJ I
nquiring Her nerves chilled. he
blocked the sole avenue Of retreat.
No. there was one other, and only one
"a single way toSshield him. Quiet
and resourceful now, though her
cheeks were hot, she took the hand Of
the unconscious man, drew him silent
and unresisting into the friendly shad-
ow Of her room, closed the door noise
lessly and bolted It.
For moment she stood motionless.
her heart beating violently. Had he
been seen? Or had the open door Gre
ated an alarm? Releasing his hand
gently, she found her way softly to a
stand, lighted tiny night taper and
threw shawl about her. A sudden
confusion tingled through her veins, a
sense Of maidenly shame. opposing the
sweet reminder of their real relation
ship-was he not in fact her husband?
that lay ever beneath her thought to
Justify and explain.
Suddenly, in the tense silence of the
room, the mantel clock struck in deep
chime, like the vibration Of faroff
church bell. The tone was not loud
indeed, the low roll of the thunder had
been well nigh as loud-but there was
In the intrusive metallic cadence a
peculiar suggestion to the dormant
mind. 1t penetrated the crust Of
| sleep. It touched the inner ear of the
conscious intelligence. Harry started,
shudder ran through his frame, he
swayed dizzily, his hand went to his
forehead.
In the instant of shocked awakening
Jessica was at his side in an agony of
apprehension, her arm thrown about
him, her hand pressed across his lips,
her lips at his ear in an agonized
warning:
FLUSH! Do not speak! 1t is 1, Jes-
sica! Make no noisev'
! She felt her wrist caught in a grasp
that made her vince. His whole body
was trembling violently. "Jessicav'
he said in painfully articulated whis-
per. "You? Where am I?'
''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 returning to her face
with Mortified realization. "I-came
hereto your room?" The voice was
scarcely audible.
1T was 1 who brought you here.
You were in the hail. 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 seenv'
$50 much the better. It will be at
my proper measure-as a prowler. a
hOusebreaker a disturber of honest
sleep"
mo no!' she protested in a panic.
''YOu shall not. I will not have you
taken for what you are not. 1 know
But they would not know. No one
must see you leave this room. Do you
not, think of meg"
He caught his breath hard. s'Think
of you" he repeated huskily. sis
there even an hour when I do not
think of you? Is there 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, misty, uncer-
tain figure. She was curiously happy
The delicious and pangless sense of
| Sy11i1f hovrox-or-f H0 rr1,;1f of fho h
not the blameworthy thing-that was
tingling through her was for him a
shrinking and acute self reproach
She was silent. Forgive me- he
said, "if you can. IL can never for.
give myself. How can I best go?"
For answer she moved to the win
dow, slender and wraithlike. He fol.
lowed silently. AS she parted the cur
tain Il 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.
'It isFa watchman," she said "He
will be gone presently"
"God help mev he whispered, the
pent passion Of his dreams rushing to
utterance. "Why did ever see your
face? was reckless and careless then.
I had damned the decent side of me
that now is quivering alive. have
tried to blot your face from my men,
| DRY, but it is useless. shall always
see it,
On the lawn just outside the window
low voices were heard through the in
creasing rain. They passed, and after
moment he softly unattached the win
dow.
'Goodby," he said
She stretched out her hand. He
touched t., then drew the window
wide. AS he stepped noiselessly down
on to the springy turf the lightning
flashed again, 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