The Ronan pioneer., 1912-08-02

accosted her. ard when she was ag.
ut liberty Field had passed into AN
other apartment.
The dance passed off merrily. being
kept UP till o'clock in the morning
The gayety grew from start to finish.
and. as usual on such occasions. all
were loath to break up. When ut
last those who We're tired out began
to break away Ii conference took place
as to the roomng of the guests.
On the grounds was Il pavilion. one
room of which WAS equipped for IL
bedroom, and it had been arranged
that one of the young men. who had
come ny especially for the dance.
should sleep there. He was rallied
by some girls on sleeping in such II
lonely place, to which he replied that
1t would not trouble him ut all to
spend the night there. but h" didn't
believe there was Il girl of the party
who would dare do so.
Now. Louise Dana was Just the kind
of girl to take up with such Il propo-
sition. A lot of chatf followed. at the
end OF which she offered for pound
of candy. to be given 10y the bachelors
to each and every girl of the party. to
sleep In the pavilion. Her proposition
was accepted Going upstairs. she So
cured the articles of toilet she rcqur
ed. At first she thought she would
leave the jewels in her room. but on
second thought preferred to ta..e them
with her and put them under her pill
low. Going downstairs, the party
were waiting for her. Her lover took
her aside and begged her not to carry
out her intention. He appeared so
troubled about her doing so that she
would have refrained had she not
gone so far that her pride would have
suffered at withdrawal. She en-
deavored to reassure him, saying that
the pavilion was as safe rs the house.
She was escorted to her sleeping
place by crowd of young people.
Field would not he of the party. She
was rallied on the spooks that would
visit her during the night and the
burglars. But 1t was all banter for
the pavilion was not 100 yards from
the main building. and no one dream
ed of any danger. Finally they left
her alone. returning to the house with
shouts and laughter.
There was dresser opposite the
door. Before this dresser Louise stood
and took off her jewels. laying them or
1t till she should go to bed, then bega,
to disrol,". While doing so she say
peer;iy through the transom reflected
in the mirror something that chile
the marrow in her bones. 1t was &
face a human face, yet the face of {;
demon.
1t was there but a moment. Never
theless Louise knew or believed that ii
had not departed. Gradually she re
covered her equanimity sufficiently t'
play such part as would save her
Could she give her jewels as the price
of her life? 1t was the only eXpedirn
left her Deliberately she continued
her dsrobing.
Leaving her jewels on the dresser
she got into bed. Her heart was wild
~ beating and sleep. of course. WA
impossible. Wishing to have the ordca
over as soon as possible. she purpose.
brcuthed hard rs If in slumber, 1t wa
not long after this that she heard
faint click from the door-she had pm
poscly left it unocked-nnd some on
stealthiy passing over the floor Sh
kept her eyes closed. but could diStir
gu;sh that there was Il tight IN til
room.
The steps went to the dresser. an
Louise could hear the jewels being Ia;
en- of it. Then the light came t,
? ward her. and he who carried 1t hrl
J it closer and closer to her face. 1t WA
all she coud do to refrain from start
< ing up with a wild shrek. But sll
maintained herself keeping her eye
!, closed so thoroughly that she saw not!
a ing though she knew that the ligl
4 WAS held down almost against ht
J., eyes. fer she could feel its heat. Ever
o moment she expected to feel Wcapo
d crashing down upon her. Yet she kne'
@ her only hope was to convince the rol
ber she slept so soun1ly that she W"
r unconscious of his presence.
@ Then when she felt that he was mo'
@ ing away and the danger had pasSe
d how could she refrain from brtfaylli
q herself by some expression of rehc'
Still controlling herself, she lay pc
o fectlv quiet until she heard Il creak
r. the door and knew the robber ANA h'
q Jewels had passed away from her
And now with the reaction came
"a frightful bitterness. 1t was not thi
she had been robbed of her 1eWel
This wus nothing compared with al
p other deprivation. The love she hh
n felt for Langdon Field was turned t
horror In the face she had seen n
Y fccted from the transom she had re-
# ocnized the man who was soon to nav
T., been her husband.
What next? Should she stay whel
she was till daylight or get up an
give an alarm: In the latter case.
she met her visitor. it would be sui
). death. Doubtless be had fled. 81