Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1909-09-11


blackness above her. 1t was as if.
rendered supersensitive by strain and
excitement, the quivering filaments OF
her subconsciousness, like spiritual
tentacles feeling ahead of her, had
encountered and recoiled from shape
of evil, a specter of horror obscene and
malign, crouching, ready to spring.
there, in the shadow of night.
And her breath was smothered in
her throat and her heart smote so
madly against the frai1 walls of its
cage that they seemed like to burst.
while she stood transf1xed, frozen in
inaction, limbs stiffening, roots of her
hair stirring, fingers gripping the ban
lister rail 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
strous 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 scream, If only
she dared turn and fly, back to the
comfort of light and human com.
pany!
There arose a trampling of feet in
the hallway; and she heard Maitlands
voice like a far echo, as he babe the
police good night And distant and
unreachab1e 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-metaphoricall
off her feet. And indeed, for the time,
she felt as if drowning, overwhelmed
in vast waters, sinking, sinking into
the black abyss Of syncope.
= Then, as a drowning person-we're
to1d-clutches at straws, she grasped
again at the vibrations of his voice
What was he saying?
You will wait outside, please, until
1 come out or 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
him. The warmth of gratitude that
enveloped her almost unnerved 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 her? Perhaps he would re
har in G
it. Heaven knew he had cause to!
Dared she =. To be repulsed.
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 lever
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 fat.
And incontinently she swung about
and flew 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 he1
immediate need to reach that cab be
fore Maitland should discover that she
had escaped.
The door was just closing behind
the cabby as she reached the bottom
step; and she paused, considering that
it were best to wait a moment, al
least, lest he should be surprised al
the quickness with which his employ
er found work for him; paused and on
some mysterious impulse half turned
glancing back up the stairs.
Not thought too soon; another in
stants hesitation and she had beer
caught, Some one-a man-was de
scending; and rapidly. Maitlandi
Even in her brief glance she saw the
white shield of a shirt bosom CLEAN
dull against the shadows. Maitland
was in evening dress. Could it be
possible =?
No time now for conjecture, time
the door, had it open in a trice, and
before the cabby was really en-
throned upon his lofty box, the gir
was on the step, fair troubled face
upturned to him in wild entreaty.
Hurry" she cried, distracted
Drive off, at once. Please-oh
pleased"
Selling reins and whip, he jerked
| the startled animal between the shafts
out of it's abstraction and
Il say, cabby! One moment"
The cabman turned; the figure on
the stoop of the house was undoubted