The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1911-07-05

of me. and I heard her cropping about,
| then give sudden spring toward
the front door. 1t opened. and the
wind soughed In. felt the chill Of
snow upon my face and realized the
tempest. Then all was quiet and
dark again. She had slid quickly out,
and the door had swung to behind
her.
Another instant and | heard the
click of the key as il turned In the
lock. heard ii and made no cutlery.
such the spell. such the bewilderment.
of my faculties. Then | felt all lesser
emotions give way TO an anxiety
which demanded immediate action, for
the girl had gone out without wraps
or covering Cor her head. and my ex-
perience of the evening had told me
how cold il was. l must follow and
| find her ana rescue her If possible
! from the snow.
Throwing myself against the door. l
/ shook 1t violently. 1t was immovable.
Then ! few TO the windows. Their
fastenings yielded readily enough. but
not the windows themselves. One had
broken cord. another seemed glued
to it's frame. and was still struggling
with the latter when | heard a sound
which lifted the hair on my head
and turned my whole attention back
to what lay behind and above me.
There was still some one in the house.
To find Carmel Cumberland alone in
this desOlation was a mystifying dis
covery to which ! had found it hard
enough TO reconcile myself. But Car
mel here in company with an -un-
known another at the very moment
when | had expected the fruition of
my own joy-ah. that was TO open
hells door in my breast. possibility
for an instant.
Leaving the window. I CROPPED my
way along the wall until l reached
the rack where the mans coat and
hat had hung. Nothing now hung
from the rack. The wall was free
from end TO end. She had taken
these articles of male apparel with
driving snow unprotected, but
did not know what TO think. The
cropping she had done had been in
this direction. She was searching for
this hat and coat Ia mans hat. a
derby. as had been careful to as
sure myself at the first handing,. and
in them she had gone home as she
~
man In the case. or If there were
The doubt drove me 10 the staircase.
! began my wary ascent had not
the slightest fear | was too full of
cold rage for that
The arrangement of rooms ON the
second floor was well known to me.
/ understood every nook and corner
and could 6nd my way about the
whole place without a light. took
but one precaution. that OF slipping of
my shoes at the foot OF the stairs. 1
wished to surprise the intruder. was
willing 10 resort TO any expedient TO
accomplish this. The matches 1 car
rie1 in my pocket would make this
possible II once heard him breathing.
held my own breath as | stole softly
up and waited for an instant at the
top of the stairs to listen. There was
an awesome silence everywhere. and
l was hesitating whether to attack the
front rooms first or 10 follow up a
certain narrow ball leading TO a rear
staircase when | remembered the thin
line OF smoke which. rising from one
OF the chimneys, had first attracted
my attention TO the house. In that
was my clew.
knew that there was but one room
on this door where fire could be lit
IL lay a few feet beyond me down the
narrow hall I have just mentioned.
Why had | trusted everything to my
ears when my nose would have been
a better guide? AS took the few
steps necessary a slight smell OF smoke
became very perceptible. and. no longer
In doubt OF my course. pushed boldly
on and. entering the half open door,
struck q match and peered anxiousiy
about
Emptiness here Just a. everywhere
elae- a few chairs dresser-it was