The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-05-06


passed between rs and the wreck
she had made of my life. But here.
in a place SO remote and desolate !
had hesitated 10 enter It myself.
what was / to think? How was 1
to reconcile SO incOnceivuble fact
with what knew OF her in the past.
with what hoped from her in the
future2
1t was evident that some grisly fear.
some staring horror. had met her In
this strange retreat. Simple grief
speaks With different language FROM
that which l read In her distoRed
features and totterfng, slowly creep
ing form. What had happened abOvea
she had escaped me to run upon
what? MY lips refused to ask. my
limbs refused to move, and II l
breathed ut all ] did so with such
fierceness of restraint that her eyes
never turned my WHY, not even when
she had reached the lowest step and
PAUSED for moment there, oscillat-
ing in pain or uncertainty. Her face
was turned more fully toward me,
and had Just begun to discern
something in It. besides It's tragic
beauty when she made quick move
and blew out the candle She held.
Then there came 4 crash. followed
by the sound OF flying feet. She had
flung the candIeStiek out OF her hand
and was hurriedIy crossing the hall
thought she was coming my way
and instinctiveIy drew back against
the wall. But she stopped far short
or me. and beard nrE CROPPING about.
then give a sudden spring tuwnrd
the front door. 1t opened. anu the
wind soughed In. L felt the ehih Of
snow upon my fRce and realized the
tempest. Then all was quiet and
dark again. She had slid quickly out.
and the door bad swung to behind
her.
Another instant and I heard the
click OF the key as it turned in the
lock, heard ir and made no outcry.
such the spell. such the bewilderment.
of my faculties; Then 1 felt all lesser
emotions give way TO an anxiety
which demanded Immediate action. for
the girl had gone out without wraps
or covering for her head. and my ex-
perience of the evening had told me
how cold it was. | must follow and
end her and rescue her If possible
from the snow.
Throwing myself against the door,
shook It violently. 1t was immovable.
Then 1 dew to the windows. Their
yielded readily enough. but /
aut the windows themselves. One had
4 broken cord, another seemed glued
10 its frame. and was still struggling
With the latter when I heard sound
which lifted the hair on my head |
ind turned my whole attention back |
% what lay behind and above me. |
There was still some one in the house. |
TO end Carmel Cumberland alone in |
his desolation was a mystifying dis |
.overy to which had found It hard |
,nough to reconcile myself. But Car
mel here in company with an I'M
-nown another at the very moment /
when I had expected the fruItion OF
ny own joy-ah, that was to open
feIPs door in my breast, possibility
90 fntolerable to remain unsettled
or an instant.
Leaving the window, CROPPED my
Vay along the wall until reached
be rack where the mans coat ana
Mt had hung. Nothing now hung
rom the rack. The wall was free
rom end to end. She had taken
hese articles OF male apparel with
er; she had not gone forth into the
irving snow unprotected, but
I did not know what TO think. The I,
roping she had done had been in
lis direction. She was searching for
Dis hat and coat a mans hat, a
erby. as I had been careful to as
are myself ut the brst haudlingl. and
them she had gone home as she $
nd probably come. and there was no
nm 10 the co SO. or II there were
=, |