| Show A it was nearly midnight the ironing was done and the clothes lay heaped on the bablo iu snowy piles detill hot from tho iron ann drew a chair up to the little kitchen virdow that overlooked abo river end eat down with 0 aiga of pain for her back she rested her chiu in her band and stared through the faint tracery of familiar objects on the glass to the water beyond lying dark and glossy under the stars 1 I wonder if mis nilea wants that chipped beef for breakfast thought ann quinn for she was both a cook and a la undress gness ill fry them cold potatoes left from dinner too she con tinned her eyes resting on a faraway cluster of electric lights that trembled like a diamond pendant presently as she sat there tho red rim of the moon unshed itself up behind some trees on tho opposite shore ana quinn watched it rising with a meditative look its terrible red them little branches looks like they was drawn on it with a pen I 1 wonder what that black thing in the water is 1 she broke off as a feeler of moonlight slipped across the river to where something black and long bobbed stiffly in the current she shaded her eyes from the lamp and pressed her face close to the glass looks like a mau she muttered As she spoke the thing wheeled about and began drifting in toward be itono stono breakwater beneath the window slowly it drew near the little moon sparks dancing in its wake it floated into the shadow and she strained her eyes in vain to follow it guess ill go to bod she said giving one more look into the darkness ho did not go though for suddenly she saw a lean hand thrust over the breakwater then another and the next moment tho figure of a man crawled out on the atone below hw ann quieu started back her heart pumping like a dredger for she beard the thick splash of wet feet coming up the steffi and she a face pressed against the window that she bad just quitted a drawn face yellow pale as the handkerchief knotted about its throat let me in ann quinn said the lips though she heard voice let me in she stood staring her broad cheeks whiter than the plates ou the dresser behind her but she did not move the man waited a moment then ho pushed up abo and swung himself into the room the lamp blinked aud guttered in tho draft and a door slammed ann quinn quivered from head to foot the man stood looking at her with famished eyes A lifetime a whole lifetime he whispered a i aud 15 boico bounded cold and empty as tho echo ia a vault go away 1 friedann crIe dAnn quinn and take your wet hand off my ironing the man moved and stared at the piles of clothes on tho bablo did you do that he asked in a low voice and aro yon tired yes I 1 did it and I 1 am tired ehe replied stealing her way stealthily toward the door As sho moved her terror lent a new catlike grace to bior awkward body ajie looked almost like another woman in tho swaying light a woman with narrow wicked eyes and lithe motions the man stepped quickly before the door and stood there his clothes flooding the black river water on her clean floor and all this time you have worked while I 1 have had more a thousand times more than I 1 could use and wo have lived near each other hero in tha same city and uever knew it he covered his face with hia lands and groaned our sin what was it that we should reap such lonely in punishment then he moved toward her his arms outstretched my love my lost love I 1 give me one kiss my first since that other grave closed over ns ann quinn gulped and her hair rose softly if you touch me ill kill you I 1 she eald hoarsely catching a knife up from the shelf behind her the man deemed not to hoar her he grasped her ia hia arms and crushed his mouth on hers and his lips were wet and cold ann quinn leaped away from him and buried tho great knife in bis heart he looked into her terrified eyes and a shadow fell on his face see ho said mournfully you bavo stabbed mo again but this time it is to late she looked and there was blood gushing from that great slash only tho drip drip of the thick water then she lovered her face and prayed for she that the mau was dead there was a long silence broken by the chime of a clock in the house behind them the man shivered au hour more dear god only an hour moral he pleaded aud ho wrung his liamos crying hurriedly how can I 1 say it aall how can I 1 make her understand 1 ho seized ann kaluns arm and shook ler fiercely remember woman I 1 try to remember I 1 have I 1 forgotten have I 1 notched alone waiting and you never came she brushed her rough hand over her eyes something in her torpid brain As the summer lightning threading the baky will show a sudden pearly perspective of unseen cloud mass theu flash out lea auk the same blind night it I 1 found BO tho roul of ann bainn opened for an instant beyond her wretched work ridden world only to celoso again as quickly tho man caught her look and akad liis voice lanso and quivering those lilies of tho valley in that cup why did you keep thorn only from tho flowers you threw away this morning they they good answered the woman troubled bewildered only that yes only that avo yon dreamed of soma ono you loved somo one apart from chii miserable squalor I 1 find yon in the blood flooded her sallow face what business is that of yours go away I 1 bayl she added weakly giving him a push and catching at the table to eave herself from falling tell me he pleaded have yoa never missed me who was more to you those few short years ago than life or honor ann quinn looked into his eyes and laughed there was no mirth in that laugh though and he shielded himself as if she had struck at him then he epoco again listen bo said tonight in a far land my soul will be born anew until then the veil is lifted but we will cheat god and love and law yon and I 1 together soon my eyes will be blinded and I 1 shall not know yon except by this take it and keep it always over your heart and though yon bo old and bent and though yon be a little child still I 1 shall know you he thrust his hand breast and drew out a leather case ho opened it and pushed something toward her she looked it was a faded spray of lily of the valley then be reached into his pocket and throw a canvas bag down on the table take these he said there is enough here to keep yon from ibis drudgery he pointed to the ironing and now I 1 must be gone the river calls to me they stood looking at each other in silence the light swam before ann quinns eyes and everything blurred but that white face staring into hers nearer it came ever nearer and she felt her muscles eniver in resistance then grow lax there was a pause a gasping breath and she had thrown herself into his arms the cold ooze from his wet hair trailed on her nock closer and closer they swayed together locked in each others arms then with a strange thin cry like the wail of a newborn child he man tore himself away and leaped rom the window into the bight beyond there was a heavy splash and silence the wind had blown out the lamp ann quinn groped her the table dazed and stupid she struck a match t sputtered and went out then she crawled away into a comer her wide eyes fixed on the open window the moon swam high and the river ran molten silver beneath it the little stars set and the gray scroll of morning unrolled across the night still she eat hero her eyes alsed on the empty window space suddenly she stood up and she felt old and dizzy and lame she reached out and picked up the canvas bag alie man had given her she shook it and choro rolled out on the table a great handful of unset rubies ann quieu blood staring at them until tho first son warn came sitting through the darkness them into a thousand crimson Bpark lea theio was a rap at the door and she thrust the jewels from sight it was only the milkman and ho looked at the comans womans face in disappointment so youve hoard the news already he asked what news why you know found ibo body of ellis price the millionaire drowned not a hundred yards from this very spot no said ann quinn yes and they think bo must have icon murdered he left homo to go to ahe bank with bome rubies lie had for lis nieces wedding and they on the body anywhere murdered murdered 1 what would they do it they found some one with them rubies ann quinn asked thickly why hang him high aa hed swing answered the milkman tea minutia later ann quinn stole down to the riverside she reached over and dropped a handful of stones into the water a handful of that shone ike blood drops down they sank into the gray river slime but on the ripples above them hung something too light to sink for it was only a dried stem of alies of the valley ann quinn watched it drift out of bight then she turned back to the bouse 0 get breakfast anlie closson kenly in san francisco argonaut mr school early in the eighteenth century a mr erda announces that ludica and gentlemen who dodaro in a very short time to speak latin french or high dutch fluently and can spare but two hours a week will be faithfully taught by him according to a very easy and delightful method full plain most expeditious and effectual every one he continues is to pay according to his quality from 1 to 4 guineas a month but ho mr erda will readier pareo by the great A good contrast to tho above is the plain and homely do of a school about 40 miles from london the master has bad much success boys as there are almost 40 ministers and masters that were his scholars his w ifo also teaches girla plain work raising paste sauces and cooking to a degree of exactness his price is 10 or 11 the year with a pair of sheets and one spoon to be returned if desired cornsih magazine Ilal loong in war blinkers do yon think balloons will be us atul in war winkers who has n good memory well er they might come handy in ansa of a draft new york weekly |
