The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-02-08

then, just as suddenly, muffled sounds
were audible, of chairs pushed back,
of a door opening and shutting, and
voices speaking.
A strong hand was laid upon the
bolts and bars from within; there
with mans voice said, ON foot,
He must have left the trap in Cat.
| tenford-,"
The door opened
The intruder had sunk down upon
/ one if the seats in the porch, and
was not Immediately visible to the
man who appeared on the threshold.
She, on the contrary. was able to
see him, and the whole scene, with
extraordinary clearness.
There was "a big. square hall be-
fore her; and upon its floor. paved
in black and white square, were
rugs and skins. There was a table,
with some cinerarias and pelargoni-
ums in bloom upon it; there was 4
staircase going up at one corner;
the whole was lit by the >se-
colored lamp, which had been has
tily snltched up and carried TO the
hall 1t showed the place, like q
scene upon the stage. with a half
open doorway where stood the fig
ure of woman in a maize-colored
satin evening gown, glittering with
embroidery. There was something al
most repugnantly unexpected in the
aspect of her bare arms and breast;
something out of keeping with the
situation
But The remarkable thing was to
be found in the manner and expires
sion OF the two of them. There was
a smile on the womans face, which
seemed to have been put there care
fully, and told TO keep in place.
She had thin lips, very light eyes,
and masses of red hair, beautifully
arranged In that light, her skin
looked like cream; but the curve
of her mouth was that of a snake
trying to look pleasant.
The man was big, strenuous and
ugly. At the moment, his ugliness
was pronounced. His prominent jaw
was set, his face curiously white,
his ewes had a peculiar glitter; but
he too wore a carefully posed smile
upon mouth which looked as
though it might express more fifty
well, other things than smiles
Words were on his lips as he
opened the door.
Halo, old chap, we'd given ;ou
up, | stayed with your wife, as she
seemed a bit ner' the voice
dropped into stiffness with kind OF
jolt. He peered ou. with dilated
eyes, into the blackness of the night
There's nobody there" he said
huskily.
The woman in the glittering gown
made a step forward Don't fright
en- me, Jem, she cried in queer
strained voice THAT knocking could
not be fancy, He must be there.
outside
Can he have gone around to the
stabe?" murmured Jem. He stepped
over the threshold. within reach OF
the fainting guest, and she stretched
ont a trembling hand and laid it
on his arm.
He gave the kind of smothered
cry man gives who is thoroughly
scared. Great Heavens, what's that"
ITS only me- said a falterng
voice, q am wet through, | saw
the light, / ask your help. AS he
recoiled. she held his sleeve more
firmly and supporting herself
against him, got upon her feet. The
agony in them stung her back to
full consciousness. 1T is of no use
to tell me to CO." she walled, "for
| simply can't"
With swish of silken robes. the
woman had come nearer ITS a beg.
CARA tramp" she said; and min
gled with the disgust in her voice,
was note of relief, plainly to be
discerned. The gale blew her hair
about and fluttered the laces and
ribbons in her gown.
'My good woman she said. you
must go round to the yard
'1'm not tramp" said a weak
voice, with an arresting note in it.
Cant you see I'm not? But am wet
to the. skin and-and starving Sorry
to be troublesome, but | think
must have help, or | shall die"
The man glanced down at the riv-
ulets which streamed from her skirt
and dripped upon the doorstep. Let
us shut the door," he said roughly,