El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-09-26

IKE a ghost I crept downstairs
The front door was bolted, and
H. unfastened It carefully. Nerv-
business ana oppression caused by the
heat made me breathe quickly. I felt
that I would smother II did not get
out OF the house.
As 1 stepped upon the veranda
drew a long sigh. The night air was
heavy with fragrance, but it was not
nearly as hot here as it was upstairs.
had not brought a wrap with me.
and a delicious GOODNESS struck my
bare throat where NY negligee was
open
I started 10 take a chair upon the
vera.-da. then hesitated. It was here
that I had made that half promise
the promise that my companion had
told me harshly he knew would bind
me. I SUDDENLY hated the chairs in
hich he and I had been seated at
the time. 1 wanted TO get away from
the scene
Impulsively I hurried down the
front steps, then turned toward the
end Of the house at which the orchard
was, and where stood the bench on
which Tom and I had sat on my first
n -sery windows. and I reflected. as
7 had on that other occasion. that l
was near enough TO Grace to hear her
should she cali.
Seating myself upon the bench. /
leaned against the old apple tree that
grew against it A gentle breeze was
rising and ev, y little while an apple
from one Of the trees in the orchard
would drop to the ground with a dull
thud- The fruit IS not yet ripe. L
4
some Of the trees seemed to have
disease this year, causing their fruit
TO fall before IL had reached perfec- /
I must have a specialist come and
look the orchard over before next
year" he HI observed IT'S a pity TO
see n apple that might be perfect /
falling while it's yet green. 7 makes
one sorry for it-as II II could feel Z
and be disappointed at its fate
He had smiled when he said il II
could not smile now as I recalled his I
speech He could be whimsicalIy /
sorry for an inanimate piece Of fruit. /
II did not occur to him to be sorry /
for a girl who might marry a man .
old emo n to be her father, whom I
she did not love
But had been fond Of him-was 1
fond OF him yet, Of course. He was I
very good TO me Surely I had once
fancied I could be happy with him. \
What had made such a change recent
ly2 know tonight. as never before, /
that I did not love him-that the 1
hope I once had OF loving him vas
feeble now
Faint Sound.
a faint sol ID made me start and
loan forward. It was tie cautious
opening Of the front screen door. This
door always creaked II opened slowly.
Was somebody coming out? There
could be nobody going in, for all the
family were in their various rooms.
/ vas not frightened. I only sat
listening. Ny sole fear was that my
employer might have come down
stairs and. finding the heavy front
door open, would search for the per-
son who had come out. ! would SIT
still until I heard him 90 down the
steps and walk on the gravel path to-
ward the gate or the garden. Then 1
" ould slip in noiselessly and return
to my room.
/ had reached this decision when I
saw a figure coming through the
orchard. In spite Of the darkness OF
the night the flashes OF light
ming, which were incessant. showed /
me who II was. Il was Hugh
Parker. and the same illumina-
ton that had enabled me to discern
him had recealed TO him my white
clad figure outlined against the dark
background Of the tree trunk behind
me- He came straight 10 me. II
What he exclaimed. You out u
here, and all alcne2"
Yes" 7 said. in a low voice. cit was
so hot indoors that 7 could not
bought you were all fast asleep. and