Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-21
CHAPTER XIV.
Out of the Forest.

the dance with Sir Archibald, followed
in her dreams and made them trou-
bled. 1t was still dark without, wher
she slipped from her bed and looked al
her watch.
Not yet three o'clock, she saw by the
tiny light left burning in her room; II
would be some time before the others
in the house would be stirring. A mo-
ment she stood uncertainty: ther
moved to the window, and, drawing
the curtains, looked out.
How still it was! Not leaf seem
ed to move. She listened, watched
then her gaze became more intent; II
fastened on a particular spot. From
the black fringe Of forest that reach
ed like a triangle toward her room she
thought she discerned in the gloom
something moving toward the shrubs
on the lawn-an object, figure? No;
a shadow; that now was gone. Strive
as she might, she could not again To-
cate it.
A shadow, of course One Of many
shadows waving everywhere around;
that came and went. Mechanically she
drew back; how many ephemeral fam
cies had assailed her that night? She
regarded her bed, but she knew she
would court sleep in vain at the mo-
ment. She had no desire to lie awake
there longer. Perhaps if she read?-
But what? 1t did not matter.
She stepped to the chair over the
back of which hung her dressing gown
and slipped two shapely young arms
with their lacy covering, into the gar
ment Her slippers were near; she
thrust her feet into them and went to
the door. Opening it quietly, she step
ped into the hall.
The house was but dimly lighted
the old boards of the floor, though COW
cred with heavy rugs, creaked slightly
beneath her soft football. At the head
of the stairway she paused. From the
opposite end of the hall a brighter
streak of light came from beneath the
door of a room-Sir Archibalds! A
slightly questioning look shone an in
stant from her eyes; then she went on.
He had probably overlooked turning
off the electric current before retiring
Slowly she descended. A few white
marbles, pale semblances of classical
folk, seemed to confront her at the
foot of the stairs in rather more ghost
~ fashion than usual as she passed
on to the library, now sombrous
place, with black lines of shade thrown
this way and that across the floor.
The girl reached up and turned on
one of the side lights. The answering
gleam, though not bright in that spa
ciOus apartment, served to Danish
some of the deeper blurs from hooks
and corners. She put out her hand to-
ward the book shelves. Her fingers
rested on a volume at random, The Eve
of ST. Agnes. when, at that moment,
her attention was abruptly arrested,
held by a sound, distinct, unmistakable
Some one had approached, very
lightly, aross the gracvcl walk to the
house, stepped on to the lower balcony
and stood now without. She was GER
tam OI lnS ldCl, NIldl idu lhOuSAS
she had seen some time before, had
not been a shadow then. The book
fell from her hand; she stepped quick
~ behind one of the heavy long cur
tains. Shielded by its folds from being
seen, her eyes tried to penetrate the
darkness.
She saw nothing, however, except
again, the glimmer of the night: the
sky, hardly so full of stars. Then
with senses alert, she caught once
more the foot fall and made out fig
ure, at first, dark. uncertain; after
ward, palmer.
He stood on the veranda somewhat
aside. looking toward one of the libra
ry windows. His figure was framed
by the black timbers of the porch;
they lent it an odd prominence. The
shadowy form and the sky made g
picture. a nocturne trimmed by straight
Cimmerian lines. In the distance, faint
ouiverings lent depth to the back
ground; fairy fingers seemed weaving
intangible cobwebs Of light across the
somber sky. Something, vaguely
white, added a dim intrusive note tc
the impression; the girl started.
That bit of white was against his
side on his arm, or-around it! She
discerned now what it was; band.
age! That was strange!-Why-ther
the intruder was, must be
In the surprise of the moment she
suddenly stepped back and in so doing
parted the curtains. A glow of ligh
from the room cleaned abruptly upor
the porch. 1t lay like a bright sworC
amid the darkness at the intruder:
feet
Was he startled, moved, for his part
to some quick, involuntary action
The girl did not see; she was momen'
tarily too dazed, bewildered. Sht
held the curtains farther apart, anC
looked out at him. And he, stepping
at once forward, looked in at her, will
the glass door between them. He wa:
smiling now; he held himself lightly
erect. though at what pain, what cost
10 himself. she might little know.
AS i'm a dream she swung open th'
long French windows. A moment Still
he fingered without, his gaze, verj
bright. on her; the crown of dark hal
that seemed to catch up and hold tn
light behind her. the deep eyes-to'
deep. i'm the wondrous shadow, TO b
blue.
You arc-surprised?" he murmur
ed. The words were spoken so faintl!
they seemed a part or the breeze tina
stirred about her now. waving slight!
the folds of her gown: her hair. TN
afraid | startled YOU"
Just Il little" She saw now
with a new responsive thrill hoV
worn and drawn was his face,
His eyes. however, yet StrOve t
mask an expression "f pain. acute, al
most overpOwerng.
But why" she began. Why di'