The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1915-01-15

the great chair. ''You were not
quite quite yourself" she softly ex-
planned, wondering at her own com
posture. Then quickly, as she saw his
thoughts revert to the dead friend at
his feet, Bella was not hurt here. He
was downtown when 1t happened; but
he managed to struggle home and gain
this place, which he tried to hold
against the men who followed him.
He thought you were dead, you sat
there so rigid and so white, and. be-
fore he quite gave up, he asked us all
to promise not to let anyone enter this
room till your son Oliver came''
Understanding partly, but not yet
quite clear in. his mind, the Judge
sighed, and. STOPPING again. straight
ened the faithful negro's limbs. Then.
with sidelong look in her direction,
he felt in one of the pockets of the
dead Negroes coat and, drawing out a
small key, held 1t in one hand while
he fumbled in his own for another,
which found. he became on the instant
his own man again.
Miss Weeks, seeing the difference in
him, and seeing. too, that the doorway
was now clear Of the wondering. awe
struck group which had previously
blocked 1t, bowed her slight body and
proceeded to withdraw; but the judge,
staying her by gesture, she waited
patiently near one of the bookracks
against which she had stumbled, to
hear what he had to say.
Il must have had an attack of some
kind" he calmly remarked. "Will you
be good enough to explain exactly
what occurred here that j may more
fully comprehend my own misfortune
and the death Of this faithful friend"
Then she saw that his faculties were
now fully restored, and came step
forward. But before she could begin
her story he added this searching ques-
ton:
"Was it he who let you in-you and
the others-I think you said others?
Was it he who unlocked my gates?"
Miss Weeks sighed and betrayed
fluster. It was not easy to relate her
story; besides it was woefully incom-
plete. She knew nothing of what had
happened downtown. she could only
tell what had passed before her eyes.
But there was one thing she could
make clear to him, and that was how
the seemingly impossible gates had
been made ready for the woman's en-
trance and afterwards taken such adj
vantage of by herself and others. "a
pebble had done it ala pebble placed
in the gateway by Bela's hands
AS she described this and insisted
upon the fact in face OF the judges
almost frenzied disclaimer, she thought
she saw the hair move on his forehead
Bella traitor, and in the interests OF
the woman who had fronted him from
the other end of the room at the mo-
ment consciousness had left him! Evil
IDENTIFY this intrusive little body did
not know Bella or his story, or
Why should interruption come then?
Why was he stopped, when in the pas
| sion OF the moment he might have
let fall some word of enlightenment
which would have eased the agitated
curiosity OF the whole town! Miss
| Weeks often asked herself this ques-
| tion and bewailed the sudden access
of sounds in the rooms without, which
proclaimed the entrance of the police
and put new strain upon the judges
faculty OF self-control and attention
to the one matter In hand
The commonplace Of an official In
quiry were about to supersede the play
of a startled spirit struggling with a
problem of whose complexities he had
! received but a glimpse.
The library again! but how changed!
Evening light now instead. Of blazing
sunshine; and evening light so shaded
that the corners seemed far and the
many articles of furniture, numbering
the spaces between. larger for the
shadows in which they stood hidden.
Perhaps the man who sat there In
company with the judge would have
| portion OF the room where Bella had
taken his stand and finally fallen: but
from the place where he sat there was
no getting any possible view of that
part OF the wall or OF anything con-
nected with it: and so. with every ap.
pearance OF satisfaction at being al.
lowed In the room at all. Sergeant
Doolittle from headquarters drank the
judges wine and listened for ths
judges commands.
Sergeant, have lost faithful
servant under circumstances which
have called an unfortunate attention to
my house. should like TO have this
place Enthusiastically guarded. you
understand-from any and all intru.
sions till can look about me and Sc
cure protection Of my own. May
rely upon the police to do this. begin
ing tonight at an early hour? There
| are loiterers already at the corner and
in front Of the two gates. am not
/ 49, ~ - = =