The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-02-11

which she had put back in the closet
and she found herself glancing uneasi
Ily at the windows of the room. The
sun was shining brightly now, anC
there was no trace of any face outside
but her. anxiety increased to such &
degree that she felt as though unseel
eyes were watching her.
"Ill call up someone on the tele
phone and have bit of visit after
| finish these Dishes" she promised
herself; perhaps that will make me
feel different"
But when the dishes were finished
plan which had been forming in hel
mind gradually took possession OF
her. Taking up as many as she could
conveniently carry, she opened the
closet door no wider than was abso-
lutely necessary and, standing with
them supported in her left arm, she
slowly and methodically began plac-
ing them on the shelves with her right
hand. During the time she waF vi
ing them, her eyes roved calculating
ly to the hiding place of the money
and, as she set down the next to the
last dish, her hand, screened by the
closet door and her person, flashed to
the place in which lay the roll of bills.
AS she turned back for the last dish,
she thrust the money quickly into the
front of her dress.
She closed the door and turned
from the closet in apparent compos-
ure. but her heart was beating more
rapidly and her breath was coming
faster, even while she was trying to
tell herself that there was no cause
for her excitement.
at certainly is comfort to know
that that telephone is there" she
unused, "even if l haven't talked over
it this morning. No one has called
me and l don't remember hearing
many other calls; but I've had great
deal on my mind. I've thought too
much about this money. Still that
face did seem very plain; I wonder if
really could have imagined that?
1t is strange, too, that there is not
more ringing on the telephone. III
call some one as soon as | finish
sweeping"
She went on to her busting and
then tilied the sitting room. During
all this time she heard no ring on
the telephone and somehow this fact
added to her uneasiness, for they were
on a heavily loaded party line and
many calls usually came in. Finally
she stopped and, going to the instu-
ment, she put her lips to the mouth
piece. There was no reply from Gen.
trail. She tried again and again tn
get her message through, but without
result.
She stepped back in dismay. "Why, 1
t was all right last night" she fall !
;ered. "and there has been no storm
since" And then she thought again
If the face at the window and SILVER
I'd. "Can there be any connection be-
,ween the face in the darkness and the !
allure of the telephone to work."
vas the thought that passed through
Ter mind.
She went cautiously about from
window to window, peering outside,
,ut could see no one and, although size
continued watching for a long tim.
he could detect no sign of the pres
nee of anything unusual. All this
and apprehension was
laving it's effect upon her and increas-
ng the strain of the early morning.
'he looked at the clock. 1t was near
y ten, and she suddenly decided to go
utdoors and, if she found nothing /.
to attend to the live stock
nd then make her way to the nearest ,
eighbors and stay until her husband !
eturned. If she saw any one, she
'ould get away unseen, if possible; if
OF, she would run. Anything SEEM
d better than this awful loneliness. !
Putting on a hat and coat and con- ;
ealing in her clothes large carv- r
lg knife, the only weapon she pos
sssed, she stepped quietly out of the c
tchen door, after stealthy inspection !
'om nearby windows had assured her
lat no one was outside. The house T
as some two hundred feet from the :
arn, and she went about half way
I'd then stopped and looked around. 9
She felt safer out in the open, and,
nding nothing to confirm her fears,
toward the barn. The q
'ound was almost bare of snow, but "
as frozen hard and the walking was >
irly good. Going to the window "
the horse stable she peeped inside. Il
ne of the horses saw her, and from
S actions she knew that no stranger 4
As within. She quickly opened the y
or and slipped in, fastening it be- U
nd her, as she intended going out 4
rough another door into the barn =
I'd. y,
After hastily feeding the animals h
e noticed that one kept its head
wn. Looking closer, she saw it had .,
e foot over the tie rope, and she ~
mt back into the STALL to release it. ", w
ling to induce the horse to lift its ",
1t high enough to permit her to pull II
the rope, she was forced to unite =,
This took some time, as the horse ~
d the knot drawn tightly, but it was :"
ally accomplished, the rope adjust .,
and she started cautiously for the ~
I'd. Seeing no one, she made her or
y quickly across to the gate of the To-
eep pen, and had Just reached it ~
en- rustling sound from the straw al
ewn ground behind reached her. Sb
e turned to confront a man.
She gave a gasp; her lips went nj
lite as she recognized the smooth p
lven face she had seen through the ON
ldow in the early morning. She e. e.
light with her left hand at the gate NJ,