The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-01-31
Whispering
Pines

10 sthrt NJ the noise they made In
striking the tiles. for II was the
selfsame noise I had heard when
listening from below. These tongs.
set up against the side OF the Are
place. had been Jared down by the
forcible shutting OF the large front
door. and no man other than myself
was In the house or had been in the
house-only the two women. A stick
or two still smoldered on the hearth.
stone. In the ashes lay some scat
tered fragments of paper which
crumbled at my touch. On the floor
In front | espied only a stray hairpiu.
Everything else was in place through
out the room except the cushions and
that horror on the lounge. waiting the
second look ! had so far refrained
from giving 1t.
That look l could no longer with.
hold. l must know the depth OF the
gulf over which | hung. | must not
wrong with a thought one who had
smiled upon me like an angel of light
a young girl. too. with the dew OF in
nocence on her beauty to every eye but
mine and only not to mine within
shall | say ten awful minutes? 1
would look again and perhaps discover
that my own eyes had been at faults;
that there were no marks on Adelaides
throat, or. If marks. not just the ones
my fancy had painted there.
Turning, l let my glance fall FIRST on
the feet / had not noted them before,
and l was startled TO see that the arc
ties In which they were clad were filled
all around with snow. She had walked
then as the other was walking now
she who detested every effort and
was of such delicate make that exer-
ton of unusual kind could not readily
be associated with her. Had she come
alone or in Carmel's company. and, II
In Carmers company. on what osten-
sible errand IL not that of death? Her
dress, which was of dark wool. showed
that she had changed her garments
for this trip. / had seen her ut dinner,
and this was not the gown she had
worn then-the gown in which she
had confronted me during those few
intolerable minutes when could not
meet her eyes. Nothing spoke of the
dinner party or of her having been
dragged here unaware. but all of pre-
vious intent and generalization. Surely
hope was getting uppermost. II had
dreamed the marks
But, no! There they were. unmistak-
able and damning. just where the
breath struggles up. put my own
thumbs on these two dark spots to see
II, when What was tia lightning
stroke or call of fate which one
must answer while sense remains? |
felt my head pulled around by some
unseen force from behind and met
staring into mine through the glass of
the window n pair of burning eyes.
Or was it fantasy? For in another mo.
ment they were gone. But the possi-
bility Of person having seen me in
this position before the dead was
enough to startle me 10 my feet, and,
though In another instant l became
that had been the victim
Of hallucination, nevertheless made
haste to cross to the window and take
4 look through its dismal panes. a
gale of binding snow was sweeping
past, making all things indistinguish.
able, but the absence OF balcony out
side was reassuring. and stepped has
lily back. asking myself for the first
time what | should do and where
should now go TO insure myself from
being called as n witness TO the awful
occurrence which had Just taken place
n this house. Something must do to
ave myself the anguish and Carmel
he danger of my testimony in this
natter. She must never know. the
world must never know, that I had
'een her here.
/ could not be the death OF two WON
n. The loss of one weighed heavily
enough upon my conscience. would
ly the place-I would leave this
chastity find to tell its own story. The
light was stormy, the hour late, the
pot remote one and the road to 1t
tut little used. could easily escape,
nd when the morrow came But II
vas the present ! must think Of now
this hour. this moment. How came
o stay so long2 In fevcrish haste be.
an to throw the pillows back over the
uiet limbs. the accusing face. Shud-
eringly hid those eyes'Q understood
heir strange protuberance now and,
ecklessly bent on flight. was halfway
cross the floor, when my feet were
tayed-I wonder my reason was not
nseated-by sudden and tremendous
tack on the great door below. min.
led with loud cries to open which ranI
through the house, calling
p lnnumerable echoes from its dead
nd hidden corners.
IL was the police The wild night,
he biting storm. had been OF no avail.
N alarm had reached headquarters.
nd all hope of escape on my part
las at an end. Yet. because at such
rises instinct rises superior to rea-
On. blew out the candle and softly
lade my way into the hall. had
TIE window opening over
shed at the head OF the kitchen
falrcase. could reach 1t from this
EAR hall by Just n turn or two. and
nee on that shed short leap would !
md me on the ground, after which {