Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1920-06-10

HoPlhS tHe NEXT HlSnl WOul0 be q
cloudy one, listening to the unearthly
sounds that came at intervals from
the violent wards--and thinking. think
ing. He thought mostly of the future,
and the more he thought of it the
more wide awake he became. Sleep
was out of the question.
Before noon that day came Esther.
She had brought him Il basket of ed
ibleS. and as she placed it on table
beside him he detected in her manner
a disquieting suggestion of constraint.
But her first words We're commonplace
enough.
How are you?" she asked.
"Oh. about as we'll as look. I sup-
I pose"
II never saw you looking better
She adniingly observed
"You must remember you haven't
seen me very often" he reminded her
Let me See-is it twenty or twenty.
hve days since we first saw each
other?' He laughed and started to
+, remove the napkin from the basket of
food
| With a quick movement her hand
flashed out and seized his. She glanced
i swiftly around.
Don't open it till you're sure no.
body's looking"
He was not slow to surmse that a
ME or some such instrument was con.
/ ceaied in the basket and though he
could scarcely repress a smile at the
unnecessity, he replaced the napkin
! and said quite soberly: "All right. I'll
| take care"
when do you expect to escape? ~
she asked, speaking in cautious
whisper.
Tonight, if it's dark"
And youth come to me? You'll let
me hide you?" She searched his face
eagerly.
He did not answer at once. During
i the long, wakeful hours last night,
when he had renewed his glorious
castle building, this woman had not
figured in the dreams. AS she noted
his hesitation the unreasoning jeal-
ousy which she had been striving to
/ keep in check the past five minutes
broke forth in furiously blind tor
rent.
Never mind!" she blazed. "Don't
come! know you care nothing for
me. You ungrateful-'
wait! Let me EXPLAIN
Don't speak to me! / hate YOU:
!. l shouldn't have come. / hate YOU i"
| Her voice had risen louder and
louder as her jealousy-inf1amed pas
i sion mastered her prudence.
! will you be quiet?' demanded Fitz-
hugh. his own voice none too gentle.
! OF course I'm coming to you. Where
else should l go? l was only wonder
ing how soon it would be-
why did you smile at that girl?"
I she rushed on, needless of his prom
Use. why did she shield you in court?
What is she to you?''
He wondered what this woman
would be were her jealousy given Sc
| rious provocation, and shook his head
| hopelessly.
She's nothing to me-" he said,
willing to do anything for the sake
OF peace. II don't know why she tes-
tilted that way. Don't ask me. You're
still living in the same place, aren't
you. Esther? If you are-and nothing
goes wrongful be there tomorrow
morning before breakfast"
The earnestness and sincerity with
which he said this seemed to reassure
her. Besides she was beginning to
regret her outburst and was glad to
be quieted. Wheh after a while she
left him there was in her heart only
trace of doubt and deep humilia-
| ton. She was burning with shame for
having barred her most unlovely side
to the eyes Of the man she loved.
In secluded corner Fitzhugh opened
the lunch and beneath the chicken
! sandwiches and chocolate cake he
found heavy file and coil of rope.
He managed to conceal them in his
coat without detection.
When he retired it babe fair to be
clear night, but before one o'clock
the moon was obscured by clouds, and
the muttering of distant thunder her.
aided a storm. Although he had not
slept for the last forty hours he had
successfully battled the temptation to
close his eyes and was therefore
awake when the first shadow crossed
the moon. He hustled into his clothes.
stuck the file into a pocket, buttoned
the rope under his coat and felt his
way through the inky blackness to
western window. He slipped his legs
over the sill, gripped it with both
hands and lowered himself into the
black pit yawning ominously below.
He landed safely, and guided by the
forked streaks of lightning and ac-
companied by the rumble and crash of
giant thunder chords. he struck off
across the prairie through the driving
rain, made detour and turned his
face toward Chicago.
CHAPTER w.
Esther Strom lived in one of those