The Washington times., 1911-06-17
CHAPTER XIV Continued.

~ HOhED by the Invisible smoke,
almost frantic from fear, seeing
nothing after that muffled fall,
the girl tried TO cry out.
But her throat seemed dry and hard,
no sound issued from it.
She shrank against the wall and
strove to summon help, unable to COM
prehend in her panic that the pistol
shot itself had aroused the house At
ter a moment somebody began to
move again in the room. for a plank
creaked. Her hand, cropping along the
wall, happened to touch the window
lbllnd, which, at the touch, more by
accident than her conscious intention,
few up.
stream Of white moonlight fell in
and made visible the grayish curls of
smoke rolling slowly upward. Across
the room, beside the door, there was
something stretched on the carpet, and
over 1t dim figure of a man standing.
He had probably been confused by the
darkness, for the instant the moonlight
enabled him to see the door he coolly
turned the key in the lock. There was
great amount of running and scream
ing overhead all this time.
The dim figure approached her. 1t
walked without a limp. so that at first
she supposed it must be Potts, the
cripple, who lay on the carpet.
oh, OH" she walled. You've killed
him.
! No" answered the voice that had
grown familiar to her ears Though the
long summer apd autumn evenings; it's
dialect dropped, but the same voice
still. Hes only stunned. 1 hit him
on the head"
! You" And she flung out her hands
with rtpellent horror, for the truth
broke in upon her mind like a great
flood. "You-you are Grigg-you!"
Yes, l am Grigg," he answered very
quietly. But God knows I mean you
and yours no harm. Why, l think I'd
give my immortal soul just TO please
you. i love you more than life-and
more than honor. or shouldn't be
here tonight" Then, seeing how she
covered from him he laughed bitterly
and drew back. "Of course you must
feel that way. Don't be frightened.
20 tell you, for my times short I'm
sorry for the deceit"
The moon. shining upon his barred
head. bathed him in IT'S ghostly light,
and In that frightful moment he SEEM
ed to the girl as terrible and splendid
and unreal as Millions Satan. His
hand, which, as he spoke, he stretched
toward her, showed a dark stain on
Keep it back" she shuddered. Its
wet with blood"
only my own blood" he answered,
quickly Withdrawing 1t. That fellow
got a shot in. you see, before silenced
him. It's no use now to ask you to
forgive what I've done"
A black shape, that caused Della to
spring aside, started suddenly up
against the window. blotting out the
moon: a hand tapped on the pane: a
negros agitated voice stealthily ex-
claimed:
Quick! quick! Cap'n! Fo' Gawd's
sweet sakes!'
Yes" said Grigg, and turned again
to the girl. Il don't know why came
tonight unless It was TO tell you. You'll
hate me. But you'll remember, too
] came to tell you l was sorry
In a confused. tumulbous way, Della
was aware that the man on the floor
had begun family to groan and try to
lift himself up. that her Uncle Philip s
voice, querulous with alarm, was call
ing her name, and finally that the
negro. whose face she could not see,
was pushing up the window.
Quick. cap'n. Dis way! Dah's a
millyun so'jers cIosin' in"
why do you stay here?' Della cried
out. Go away or you'll be killed
Then you care?" he said in low
voice.
"Oh, go quickly she cried again. Il
hate YOU"
He was gone even while she spoke.
And her last vague impression of him
was that as he stepped out upon the
veranda he looked back at her and
laughed.