The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-01-27

ed. The face had BEEN imagination
he had biooded too long over the pic
| ture.
He resolved to satisfy himself, how
ever, and that afternoon he went into
the empty room once more. Nobody
was there. Nobody could have lived
in that room.
He broke down the door of the other
room, but this was only a box room.
1t, too, was dusty, and uninhabited.
The young man decided that it was a
dream.
He gave himself few days holiday
and tried to dismiss the matter from
his mind, but it seemed to have taken
hold of his subconscious mentality,
and he found himself continually
dreaming of the two rooms. In the
dream queer thing happened to him:
ne seemed to be chasing an invisible
woman who, nevertheless, left her foot
prints behind her. He followed these
steps. imprinted on the deep sand
or dust.
On the second morning he awakened
with start. He had been having the
same dream, and something had urged
him to go back into the first of the
two rooms.
AS he assembled the stairs he almost
fancied that he heard the sound of
feet pattering somewhere above him.
But when he entered the room it was
empty, as before.
Hubert hesitated. Something in the
dream was coming back into his mind.
1t Was-the footprints in the sander
dust. He looked down, and the mean
ing of his dream suddenly became
clear to him.
For the dusty floor was covered with
footprints. He had seen them on the
occasion Of his first visit there, but
the fact had not reached the level of
his consciousness, dnd it had come to
him in the dream. They were a wom-
ans footprints, and they all radiated
from one spot.
Hubert looked up. Overhead was a
rap door, hardly discernible in the
stained and blackened ceiling.
And great certainty took possess
sion of his mind. ''Come DOWN. he
,alled.
From above girls voice answered |
him with an inarticulate cry of fear. |
The trap door opened and a short !!
adder descended. Hubert caught
light of a pair of ankles.
But before the girl descended he had
un nimbly up, and to his amazement
ound himself in a comfortable little
DOM under the caves. And face to
ace with him was the girl of his
reamS.
Let me explain!' she cried. ST
idn't mean to intrude here. I thought
he house was deserted-I wanted it to
Trite my novel, and-and I came here.
hen when you returned I didn't want
o leave. | thought every day you
7ould go away. I love the place. I
'ill pay you rental. See, there is my
typewriter, which I have not dared to
sc since you eamel''
Il don't own the house." said Hubert
lowly. II am an intruder too"
She put her hand to her heart. "You
ave me such fright" she said. 81
ave had to creep out at night to get
'ater, and-well it was just obstinacy
lade me stick. Who are your? |,
Il am Hubert Lee"
1.-THE painter? am Margaret
yons. You may have heard of my
ook The Redeemer.' And you had
o more right here than I! Why, 1t
lakes me hate your
"Come down and let us talk IL over"
hid Hubert.
The girl consented, and afterward i,
ley had talk to their hearts con-
mt. Each was a great admirer of
he others work. And each admired
he other even more. And when HUI ,
art left reluctantly for town that I
ght 1t was with the understanding Z
lat he was to return to paint her.
Which led to other understandings.
18th the result of wedding bells be- &
re the hollyhocks had withered. '