The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-03-17

NAANA NAAN ANt'NNn"H
For he was no more 6- he had been.
Wherein the difference iey be couldn't
say, but that a difference existed he
was persuaded-that be- had changed
that some strange reaction in the
chemistry OF his nature had taken
place while he slept. Il was as n sleep
had not only repaired the rayages Of
fatigue upon the tissues OF his brain
and body, but had mended the tissues
OF his soul as we'll.
His thoughts were huent In fresh
channels, his interests no longer the
interests OF the Michael Lanyard he
had known, no longer selfcentered, the
interests OF the absolute ego. He was
concerned less for himself even now.
when he should be most concerned
about himself. than for another, for
the girl Lucia Bannon, who was moth.
ing to. him. whom be had yet to know
for twentyfour hours, but none the
less a woman OF whom he could not
cease 10 think II he would.
It was her situation that perturbed
ululr HtI lIElltdllEAA nun " "AAAAA AAh-
sought an outlet-never his own.
Yet his own was desperate enough
Bafed and uneasy. he at length be
thought him Of his watch. But it's tes
timony seemed incredible-surely the
hour could not be five in the after
noon! Surely he could not have slept
so close upon a Full round Of the
clock!
And II Il we're so, what Of the girl2
Had she, too, so snrely needed sleep
that the brief November day had
dawned and waned without her nowl.
edge?
That question was one TO agitate
him; he was up in sn instant and crop
ing his way through the gloom
enshrouded bedchamber and dining
room to the staircase door in the re-
ception hall. He found this fast
enough, for it's key was safe in his
pocket, and, unlocking IL quietly, he
shot the beam of his lamp up that
dark wall to the door at the top, which
was tight shut.
For several moments he listened, but
there was never a sound to indicate
that he wasn't a lonely tenant Of the
little dwelling, then irresolutely he
lifted a foot to the first step-and
withdrew it. II she were still asleep,
why disturb her? He had much to do
in the way of thinking things out, and
that was a process more easily per
formed in solitude.
Leaving the door aiar, he turned to
one of the front windows, parted its
draDeries, and peered out, over the
little garden and through the iron ribs
of the gate, to the street, where a
single gas lamp, glimmering within
dull, golden halo Of mist, made Wis
ible the scant length Of the Impasse
Stanisas, empty, rain-swept, desolate.
Rain continued to fall with no hint
of stopping.
Something in the dreary emptiness
Of that brief vista deepened the shad-
ow in his mood and knitted a careworn
frown into his brows.
Abstractedly he sought the kitchen
and. making a light. washed up at the
tap. then foraged for breakfast. He
put the kettle on to boil, and, lighting
a cigarette, sat himself down beside
the table to watch the pot and cogi-
tate over his several problems.
In a fashion uncommonly clear
headed, even for him, he assembled
all the facts bearing upon their posi-
ton, his and Lucia Bannon's, and dis
passionately pondered them.
But insensibly his thoughts reverted
to the exotic phase Of his awakening
drifting into such introspection as he
seldom indulged, and led him by
strange ways to a revelation alto
gether unpresaged and a resolve still
more revolutionary.
A look of wonder flickered in his
brooding eyes, and clipped between his
two fingers, his cigarette grew a long
ash. let it fall, and burned down to
stump so short that the coal almost
scorched his flesh. He dropped II
and crushed out the fire with his heel
quite unwittingly.
Slowly but irresistibly his world was
turning over beneath his feet.
The sound of a football recalled him
a from an immeasurable remove; he
looked up to see the girl at pause upon
the threshold. He rose slowly, with
effort recollecting himself and mar
shaling his wits against the emergency
foreshadowed by her attitude.
Tense with indignation, quick with
disdain she demanded without any
preface whatever: why did you lock
me in?"
He stammered unhappily: II beg
your pardon"
why did you lock me in?
I'm sorry"
But she interrupted him to stamp
her foot emphatically, and he caught
her up on the echo of that.
IF you must know. because l wasn't
trusting you"
Her eyes darkened ominously Yet
you insisted that l must trust you!"
THE circumstances aren't parallel;
you're not a notorious malefactor want
ed by the police of every capital in
Europe, bounded by rivals to boot
fighting for life, liberty and"-he
laughed shortly-"the pursuit Of hap
piness!"
(To BE CONTINUED)