Evening star., 1917-08-19

ter to climb the steps nrst, and softly
one foot found the tread and then an
other; 1 had only three more to climb
and then my right hand. now feeling Its
way along the wall, would be free to
strike a match. climbed the three steps
and was steadying myself against the
door for a final plunge when something
happened-something so strange, SO un-
expected. and so incredible that / Won
der 1 did not Shrek aloud in my terror.
The door was moving under my hand. 1t
was slowly opening inward. / could feel
the chill made by the widening crack.
"'Whatever il was. il made no attempt
to pass, and presently l lifted my head
only to quake anew at the sound of
voice-a human voice-my mothers
voice-so near me that by putting out
my arms / might have touched her
She was speaking to my father.
knew it from the tone. She was saying
words which. little understood as they
were. made such havoc in my youth
full mind that l have never forgotten
them.
II have come she said. They think
l have fled the house and are looking
far and wide for me. We shall not be
disturbed. Who would think of looking
here for either you or me-
Il heard my fathers answer. but 1t
conveyed no meaning to me. / also real
lied that he spoke from a distance
that he was at one end of the room
while we were at the other. / was
presently to have this idea confirmed.
for while l was striving with all my
might and main to Subdue my very
heart-throbs so that she would not hear
me or suspect my presence, the dark
ness-I should rather say the blackness
of the place yielded to flash of light
ning-heat lightning, all glare and no
sound-and 1 caught an instantaneous
vision of my fathers figure standing
with cleaning things about him, which
affected me at the moment super
natural. but which, in later years. I de-
n ha npir pF,
a wall.
she saw him. too for she gave a
quick laugh and said they would not
need any candles: and then there was
another fash and l saw something in
his hand and something in hers. and
though I did not vet understand. / felt
myself turning deathly sick and gave a
choking gasp which was lost in the
rush she made into the center of the
room, and the keenness of her swift low
cry.
Garde-toi, for only one OF us will
ever leave this room alive
"A duel, A duel to the death between
this husband and wife-this father and
mother-in this hole of dead tragedies
and within the sight and hearing OF
their child.
she had dashed from her corner and
, he had slid away from his, as the next
, fantastic CLEAN which lit up the room
, showed me. 1t also showed the weap-
, ons in their hands, and for a moment
felt reassured when I saw that these
were swords for I had seen them be
: fore with foils in their hands practic-
: ing for exercise, they said. in the
great garret. But the swords had but
, IONS on them. and this time the tips
, were sharp and shone in the keen light
; An exclamation from her and
, growl of rage from him were followed
by movements 1 could scarcely hear
: but which were terrifying from theil
: very quiet. Then the sound of a clash
: The swords had crossed.
e Then there came a sudden cry, shril
/ and poignant-had grandfather been n
' his room he would surely have hear,
e it-and the flash coming almost stimuli
/ taneously with its utterance. 1 saw
Il what has haunted my sleep from tina
n day to this-iny father pinned agains
3 the wall, sword still in hand, and be
1 fore him my mother. fiercely triumph
< ant, her staring eyes fixed on hi
I and
e Mature could bear no more: the ban,
Y loosened from my throat; the oppres
sion lifted from my breast long enough
for me to give one wild wall. and sh
turned. saw (heaven sent its flasher
O quickly at this moment) and recogniz
= ing my childish form. all the horror o
l. her deed Cor SO / have fondly hoped