Fiction > Book editions > New York, 1885 - Dynamiter

1 8 THE SQUIRE OF DAMES.
cence ; weeping and lost in tlie city of diurnal
sleep.
"Madam," lie said, " I protest you have no
cause to fear intrusion, and if I liave appeared
to follow you, the fault is in this street, which
has deceived us both."
An unmistakable relief appeared upon the
lady's face. " I might have guessed it ! " she
exclaimed. "Thank you a thousand times!
But at this hour, in this appalling silence, and
among all these staring windows, I am lost in
terrors — oh, lost in them ! " she cried, her face
blanching at the words. "I beg you to lend
me your arm," she added wdth the loveliest,
suppliant inflection. "I dare not go alone;
my nerve is gone — I had a shock, oh, what a
shock ! I beg of you to be my escort. ' '
"My dear madam," responded Challoner,
heavily, " my arm is at your service."
She took it and clung to it for a moment,
struggling with her sobs, and the next, with
feverish hurry, began to lead him in the direc-
tion of the city. One thing was plain, among
so much that was obscure : it was plain her
fears were genuine. Still, as she went, she
spied around as if for dangers, and now she
would shiver like a person in a chill and now
clutch his arm in hers. To Challoner her ter-
ror was at once repugnant and infectious ; it.
gained and mastered, while it still offended