fast a slender wrist, while my right
was cast about a pair of delicate shoulders; the invisible but
tangible figure was crouched away into the smallest space in the
corner of the window.

With awe I now realized that my capture was a woman. The delicate
moulding of the shoulders and hand was proof enough, but I also felt
on my arm a light flood of the silkiest hair. This was a shock to one
who had lived apart from women for several years, and had good cause
to expect nothing but disaster from their influence. For a moment the
impulse was strong to release the captive; luckily reason prevailed,
and I tightened my grip on the frail prize, whose frame was shaken
with sobs and whose bearing denoted the most abject despair. I gave
many timid reassurances by word and hand before the sobs came slower
and fear began to loose its hold. As she raised her head I took
occasion to pass my right hand lightly over her face. Rendered
sensitive by strong excitement, my palm read her features as the blind
read the raised print of their books, and of this at least I was sure:
the features were human, straight, the eyes large; a full chin and a
mouth of unspeakable fineness were divined rather than felt by my
flying touch; but I found no trace of tears.

After this I do not know how long we sat. It seemed peaceful and
homelike, so that I wondered how it was possible so quickly to forget
wonder. A protective warmth toward the creature whose soft breathing
came and went slower and slower near my face took a quiet hold on all
my senses. At last the gentle head drooped like a tired child's, the
delicate shoulders heaved in a long, peaceful sigh, and to my
amazement the strange captive fell asleep in my arms.

So while she slept I sat motionless and thinking, thinking. Who was
she? whence and of what order of beings? What was her language; how
and how long did she live. Was she really alive in our sense of the
word, that is, human with the exception of her transparency? and was
her shape like that of ordinary mortals, or did she end in some
monstrosity like a mermaid? Such were the questions agitating me when
interruption came with a knock at the door. My captive awoke and
instinctively started away, at the same time giving a low, articulate
cry; but I held her firmly, and called to Rachel to bring me a certain
relic of slavery which had been brought from the South. I had profited
by the discovery my prisoner's awakening furnished: the invis