The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-08-12

that It would be more remote from
Gse battle-ground below.
And, resting SO, was suddenly chilled
through and through with fear, sheer
childish dread Of the intangible and
Fanknown terrors that lurked in the
blackness above her. II was as II,
rendered supersensitive BY strain and
settlement, the quivering filaments Of
Ser subconsciousness, like spiritual
-aentacles feeling ahead Of her, had
encountered and recoiled from q shape
Of evil, specter Of horror obscene and
malign, crouching, ready to spring,
there, in the shadow Of night.
And her breath was smothered In
eer throat and her heart smote so
madly against the frail walls Of its
cage that they seemed like to burst,
while she stood transfixed, frozen in
tnaction, limbs stiftening, roots Of her
Bair stirring insass. s1.r,:t:.s the ban
isser rsil until they panied her; and
with eyes that stared wide into the
black heart Of nothingness, until the
night seemed pricked with evanescent
periods of dim fire, peopled with mon
atrous and terrible shadows closing
about her.
Yeti was absurd She must not
yield to such puerile superstitions.
There was nothing there. :.
There was something there /.
something that like an incarnation Of
hatred was stalking her.
If only she dared screarnl II only
she dared turn and fly. back to the
comfort Of light and human com
aany!
There arose a trampling Of feet In
the hallway; and she heard Maitland's
voice like far echo, as he babe the
police good night And distant and
unreachable as he seemed, the sound
Of his words brought her strength and
some reinsurance, and she grew
slightly more composed. Yet, the IN
slant that he had turned away to talk
to the cabman, her fright of that un-
speakable and incorporeal menace
flooded her consciousness like q great
wave, sweeping her-metaphorically-
of her feet. And indeed, for the time.
she felt as II drowning, overwhelmed
fl vast waters, sinking, sinking into
the black abyss of synoope.
Then, as drowning person-we're
told-clutches at straws, she grasped
again at the vibrations of his voice.
What was he saying?
you viii wait outside, please, until
1 come out OF send somebody, whom
you will take wherever directed. :"
Speaking to the cabman, think
ing OF her, providing for her escape!
.Considerate and foresighted as al
waysl How she could have thanked
himl The warmth of gratitude that
enveloped her almost unneryed her;
she was put to it to restrain her i'm
pulse to rush down the stairs and :. ;.
But no; she must not, risk the
chance of rebuff. How could she fore
tell what was In his mind and heart,
how probe the depths of his feeling
toward herr Perhaps he would re-
eeive her protestations in skeptic spir-
#. Heaven knew he had cause to!
Dared she To be repulsedi =. =.
But no. He had provided this means
for fight; she would advantage her
self Of It and and thank him
by letter Best so; for he must ever
think the worst of her; she could
never undeceive him-pride restrain
ing and upholding her.
Better so; she would go, go quickly,
before he discovered her absence from
the nat.
And incontinently she swung about
and few down the stairs, silently,
treading as lightly on the heavily
padded steps as though she had been
thistledown whirled adrift by the
wind, altogether needless of the
creeping terror she had sensed on the
upper flight, careless of all save her
immediate need to reach that cab be-
fore Maitland should discover that she
had escaped.
The door was Just closing behind
the cebby as she reached the bottom
atep; and she paused. considering that
~ were hest to wait q moment, at