The Other Side of the Door

rd as much as any one knew it was strangely little-simply that a body of Mexican horsemen had swept out upon the guard from apparently all points of the compass,

art in at the door of one of the small houses on Jackson Street. This was immediately surrounded by police and searched, but nothing was discovered; and all the while I sat faint and trembling in the carriage, wi

-gathering dark, I kept hearing voices speaking with that stern ring they have when men are excited an

had been made invisible; and presently a hateful thought crept into my mind: "What if it is the Spanish Woman who has played the enchantress?" The rumor was ab

tion, as if the Spanish Woman herself had whispered it in my ear, and I was afraid to look at any one lest he should read my

ts of the trial. Each little separate memory struck the same note-the attempt to get him out of prison, the attempt to make way with witnesses, and finally this successful snatching of him from the law-it was the Spanish Woman who had been responsible each time,

s, and I was left with the mere comfort of having done what I thought was right. It was cold comfort when every feeling in me had been outraged by the doing,

had that to do with me? I looked in a fright at mother, as if I expected her to answer the question; but that timid look of hers s

no matter what foolish or frightening things I had to tell her, and there were so many in those days that followed-dreadful days for me! The very girls, my friends, even while with round, awed eyes they admired me for my

him. The whole city was searched, and I discovered then that the Spanish Woman was far from escaping public suspicion. Detectives went in and

nce, and even those who had failed here, were still completely hers. The Mexican who had been wounded by the guard had closed his teeth and died without a word, not even a confession to the priest. The horsemen, it was said, had swept straight through the city in the direction of the Mission, and

e was over, I was in constant dread lest he be retaken or shot; and when I did have to be out I went shrinkingly, dreading

ld forgive you anything, even killing him-yes or even wanting to kill him-but not this running awa

ords I had ever heard him speak, and the looks he had given-the gentleness which had consorted oddly with his dark face and great strength, and that first shock

street. The glint of her splendid hair made a crown around her head. She leaned back in the carriage, smiling, looking

whence from time to time came reports that he had been seen. But all of these turned out to be false leads, and the idle talk about i

anything to me any more; and yet my mind turned to nothing else but the memory of him, and seemed to fix and fasten upon the thought. I knew that father saw I brooded. Whether he knew why, I did not like to think; but he used to take me out upon lon

rstood how I hated and couldn't endure any allusions to it, had never mentioned it to me again, though I used sometimes

eonore walks out upon in Il Trovatore-which overlooked the convent and its gardens. Sitting here with Hallie one late afternoon, while sunlight was still among the housetops, but with the convent garden in shadow s

Hallie," I asked, "if

nwick, what are you thinking of? Why, you

d yet she doesn't look unhappy now. And then everything is so peaceful over there, the garden is so quiet,

nd forget all about convents and such hateful things! Of course, I know what the matter is; and it's very lovely and a

t I hated the thought of the people I would have to meet. But Hallie can be

at is, supposing I don't go into the convent, and I am afraid father wouldn't like me to do that. At least wh

very small. Rather diffidently I broached the subject o

I tried to make myself look as pretty as possible in a pale tulle, with little rosy wreaths upon it, and the high old tortoise-shell comb, that had

myself look as p

't hear of that, and then Se?ora Mendez said why shouldn't I stay at their house all night? So it was agreed, and Estrella, looking like a litt

es had brought me. Every young man who looked at me was not a possible sweetheart, yet more looked at me than ever did before. I had a little crowd around me, and lots of pretty things were said to me, and I was not so afraid to reply as I h

turn my bow. Jack Tracy took me in to supper, and fussed until he found seats for us in the big hall beyond the supper-room. It appeared he was wanting to propose to me again; and, as I was ready for anything as far as only making pro

ith his partner's program? Jack, not discovering it in his pocket, very much vexed at bei

on the other side of the curtain I heard the quick rustling of a girl's frock, and a

ourse she went on, "Of course, as I was saying, it was awfully brave of her to do it, but how could she! Why, if

ness. "It wasn't as if she had to tell. She was the only one in the city wh

, in a deprecating voice, "i

higher temper than most, lots of people hate him. And because Ellie Fenwick is little and looks young, and every one was saying how pale and pathetic she looked and how convincing it wa

plate in one hand, not hearing anything more, not even se

" And then, calling out in absurd

strange feeling of floating, and his face looked a litt

ll! Let me ca

fiercely. He looked quite scared. "Get me a carriage," I said, "and mind you don't say anything to