pondence. Their simple contrivance was scarcely visible
from the ground below, the cord being so near the color of
the stone behind it, and even from the neighboring windows
was barely noticeable. Armstrong had no roommate, and
therefore there was little danger of the scheme being discov
ered.
The success of this plan seemed to embolden the couple
to a marked degree, and they began to entertain thoughts
of more daring feats. Along in the spring term when warm
weather had come again they took to visiting the old cupola
on moonlight nights or early in the evening. The managing
of these visits was no easy matter as the young ladies were
of course required to be in their rooms at seven o’clock.
This is the way it was done. If you will examine the wall
on the fifth floor next to where the west end stairway comes
up, you will find that a doorway has been closed up there. In
the times of which this story is written there was an addi
tional flight of stairs from the fifth floor to the attic and this
doorway led to them. A heavy door which was always
kept locked closed the entrance.
Armstrong, by a judicious dealing with the janitor, suc
ceeded in securing a key to this door. It was here then that
the two would meet for their nightly trips to the cupola.
To make the affair as romantic as possible, they of course
made their arrangements for the meeting by letter via
string. As soon as it grew dark Armstrong would mount
the main stairs to the old attic and carefully make his way
to the point where the west end stairs came up. Very cau
tiously he would descend the stairs to the fifth floor door, and
there for a moment stop and listen. “Marne I” (he had come
to calling her by her first name) “Marne, are you here?”
A faint “Hoo ! Hoo !” would come from the other side, and
in a moment the door was unlocked and she stood beside
him. The door again locked, they ascended together to
the attic. A stealthy climb up the narrow rickety stair-