Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-05-16
CHAPTER II.
Back in the Room

DdCR huG nOSHl.
The situation had become more
preposterous than ever. Two hours
before It would have been unimagin-
able; one hour ago had merely been
offering aid to young woman in dis
tress; now she was occupying my
rooms and was hurrying along Tenth
street, careless as to my destination
and feeling as though the whole world
was crumbling about my head because
she wore wedding ring.
AS / passed up the street the taxi
cab which had seen at the east end
came rapidly toward me. 1t passed,
and 4 stopped and looked after 1t. /
was certain that it slackened speed
outside the door of the old building,
but again 1t went on quickly until it
was lost to view in the distance.
Had given the pursuers clue by
my Temperament?
watched for few moments longer.
but the vehicle did not return and l
dismissed the idea as folly. After all.
New York was a civilized city, and l
could be sure of the girls safety be-
hind the street door lock and that of
my apartment door. So / refused to
yield to the impulse to go back and
assure myself that she was all right
/ must find q hotel and get good
nights sleep.
AS / went on new thoughts began
to press on my Imagination. The tale
about the father, the assumed igno-
rance of the conventions-hOw much
could be believed?
Had she not probably left her hus-
band in some Canadian city and come
to New York to enjoy her holiday in
her own fashioni Could she inno-
Gently have adventured to Daly's door
and actually have succeeded in gain
ing admission?
Perhaps she was worse than / was
even now imagining!
Perhaps, IL 1 had not left her-per-
hape, If l turned back l clenched
my fists and hurried on. would not
| give rein TO the thoughts that were
making my heart bound like run
away horse.
/ had turned up Fifth avenue and
had reached Twelfth or Thirteenth
street when thought heard the pat.
ter of the Eskimo dogs feet behind
me. spun around. startled, but there
was only the long stretch of pavement
had resumed my course when l was
sure heard the pattering again. Ant
again l saw nothing.
/ A 10 7 h.,o Il
toward the apartment house. My
nerves had suddenly become unstrung
/ felt sure now that some imminen
danger was threatening Jacqueline.
could not bear the suspense of wait
Ing till morning.
And as l rah l thought heard th'
patter of the dogs feet. pacing mine
l was rounding the corner of Tent
street now. AID again the folly of m.
behavior strusK home to me. / stOppe,
and tried 70 fhnk Was it some in
stinct that was taking me back, or wa
II the remembrance of Jacqueline'
beauty? Was it not the desire to Sc
her, to ask her about the ring?
had actually swung around wne
l heard the ghostly patter of the fee
again close at my side. l made IN
iecision in that instant and hurrie
wiStly on my course back toward tn
apartment house.
When ut last 1 found my door IN
lands were trembling so that / coul
hardly fit the key into the lock.
bounded up the stairs. But on tn
J .op story / had to pause to get m
breath, and then / dared not enter.
! listened outside. There was no SCUM
from within.
The two rooms that l occupied wei
separated only by a curtain, which fe
hort foot from the floor and wi
slunS on wooden pole, disclosing tw
feet between the top of it and Il
ceiling. The rooms were thus actual
one, and even that, might have bee
I called small. for the bed in the re;
room was not dozen Jaces from Il
door.
1 listened for me breathing of Il
sleeping girl. If l could hear h
breathe, / tkHught would go quiet
away and ind q hotel in which
deep. J listened minute after minut
: but | could not hear sound.
, At last I put my mouth to the Ike
= hole and spoke to her. "Jacquelint
a 2 chilled. There was no answer.
le Then little louder: "JacqueIIne
z And then quite loudly: "Jacqr
y tnel"
Then, out of the silence. hammeri
= a my eardrums, burst the loud tic
w of the little alarm clock that
all lcct "n the mantel of the bedroo