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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1893-06-16, Page 6CIIAPT,F."1 I, WITHOUT AND 1i ITlil:i.. OT much was known about the little villa, in the ,77 011 3.07 1140 `", seating himself, said:: "' Telt nae frankly your iiia aressicn." playing Chester ceased 11 yintr with the slag - ger, andlooleed his youngfriend straight. en the feet,. " ''' Let's.Tot away es boom as we decently I Can," $tuft lie. • Wilaraore stared, at hila, "Get away I"' he muttered. " Yekh.". replied AO ,.other decisively, adding, '"and never.come batik." Willxpore's face expressed the utmost bewihterinent. "Yeti cannot mean that you distrust her 1" he gasped. •Chester replied With solve reluctance : "It itahardlly generoti0.to say so, after tilting salt together. but as friend to friend! I enlist own' that I thinly her a, tlangerouswon't an." comfortable independence, ane has a •"Dangerous? Ali, yes 1 to one's peace ' friend and companion, one Lams King- of mind, of course, Site's more -she's eon, who goes with her everywhere, wale, frequent the House, The chateliany of "Fatal is thewad." and to entertain the guests who •Chester'. drew the, Japanese dagger the O'Connor stronghold, however, a P- again from its sheath, and felt its razor - pears to rest with a- .gaunt, square -built like' edge with his thumb. g woiaau o£ uncertain age an taciturn ..", But that ifs .her beauty," pursued neighbourhood of Regent's Park, .manner, who .soldwn talks, and usually Wiljmcxe anxiously; (YYou don't mean R e g oe n is P ark, disappears directly after dinner, but who a word against— ", wnor dwelt in the nevertheless either is, or seems to be, for 1 His friend. interrupted him by bum - summer eol lS—. the propriety's sake, the head of the O'Con- ming an air sur cientlyfauuiliar : la back: hidden ' nor household. Between this lady, Mrs, ", , y Donovan, and Muriel a sort of under- " . e li.ndiw :t reahlen fair to see— ir. t li e trees a n d ' standin subsists, by virtue of which utiye v(Lte shy ti b b e r y of it's. g She?atli, sweet eyes and wonderful {vondoi:ul luair— well-grown garden, tie former is uniformly allowed as Isoul1l i g hostess: and behind a high When last Lord.•Willniore made a call ,,, ` Tion MY sett ! y' ' criedhear hon draw Wail at' the junction at the little villa, Muriel received him I was not 'prepared to you y of two pleasant thor- unfavourable deductions from her a des "' lihhfareslinedwith alone, and his disappointment was so—sac!), . e { _se o perceptible that she •laughingly took "" etre they blue ?" '^ - i- =c oidero nces it retent 1s t pity upon him, and invited him to meet "" Are they blue ! If you lied! looker! _. es 1v her so*:'r:inion at dinner on the follow -into thele as passionately as I have done once seli=aplitained th friday, Find inscrutable, She last 'heti a lint tilt hie e;iger accept- you would know they are most wondo Se There was no number to the hoose; ance, and c'reniar sed! r fill Wonderful eyes. but'not blue." • t had been overlooked! by the author- "" It is plain thrit; if you are to enjoy* "Not blue i What are. they, alien ?" ties to this extent: there was no name your elf, I shall have a very dull time of "" I'll liefyou fou to four they're a ei- . ether, but that of the tenant, on the it unless I invite other guests, and if I lotiv." y sate -post of the one modest eentrannce: do that I shall spoil sport altogether.. ; ""You mast bolted, Cann ?" cried the • 'tin a tiny brass -plate bearing. POU it Have you not soine particularly agree- lover indignantly. �. ' you are as mis- e word. O'Connor." neighbours, able friend who is dying to know me, hen eh of then. as took any interest in the about {t�hee c a , fiher eyes as you era — triflingmiuorit • for this is whose society will compensate for the about t1u0" colour :of her�eyes, I can't rely tatter—a a minority, loss of yours, should you by any chance „ lot are inquisitive quarter—were wide- become absorbed during the evening?" .much upon,yolat Apinion... g ded as to the precise represent- Pardonnee„1hevessaidnothingabout p y P Audit happened that Lord Willmore her olraracter`." lstl ack this isof imple the name information, o cod, thought at once of his very excellent • ""You call her ' dangerous.' " ' .nit to lace the worst construction guide, philosopher, and friend, the Hon. ""And you dill her ' beautiful.' Coale, P Cecil Chester, a rising politician, M. P. Ernest, be sensible, and admit thatthere pon the mystery surrounding it. The for a Scotch borough, and at 'this time is something too much of the enchant- ervant ,girls, a fairly reliable source of acting as unpaid private Parliamentary ress's spell about this house and at least Ovate inquiry, knew nothing about the secretary to the Chief Secretary for Ire- house at the corner," for none of thein one of its occupants."s land, in virtue of which. he occupied a �" Indeed I see nothing here but ele- ec1 succeeded in making the aceesain- seat in the House immediately behind g ,nee of the doniesticsthere. The trades- the Irish Secretary. ;. ",ance without and graceful an un - .yen called for orders and received ready- Cecil Chester wad" Lord Willmore's affected ff t to a generous, couple of dies o Have all he . i- oney for all goods delivered; so these senior by fully ten years, but they were chalet of ocl and cultivation ording angels had nothing to tell chums of the closest description, and the g breeding out their customer,. except that he (or counsel of 'this oracle was always sought combined with a most refreshing Bohem- i6 ttau had the bestid regular on the na nail." by the younger man on occasions of laCeciil Chester nodded,, and replaced the doubt or difficulty. • dagger on the wall. thea one seemed to have caught so much Doubt and difficulty had now arisen My clear boy," said he, "you might p glimpse of the house or garden. The Willmore' had fallen pretty. deeply run on in that strain for hours, and I ".plies were taken in at a wicket in love with the modest companion of the solid gate, and the postman popped brilliant and fascinating Muriel •O'Con- should not have the heart to disagree t orrespondence into the box. rang the not; and the man of fashion, who had far rh you. Thank your stars if i have so all, and went on his way as tuienlight- entered that house as a heart -whole far retained the use of my brains as to ted as he came. But the postman was idler, returned to it again and again sound the alarm and pass the word to lra host -informed person of any, for he retreat in good order. with awkwardafrectionS and honourable • He rose and stood • find read the sebscceiption of the lettersby the window, gal 11 delivered: Some were for "` Mrs. aspirations. Lord Willmore was not ing into the garden brilliant with June onnor," some for ",` Miss 'Muriel"M.bad fellow, judged by the standard of blossoms ; te flower -beds were well the jennesse doree ; but had he been the tended, but a arentl without design, 'orator," and some for "• M,'O'Connor, . pP y ,"so there appeared to be ,a family worst his class, his vicious impulses their gaiety having the same natural g, PP must have quailed before the indomit- grape as that of the' presiding genius of ig at the corner -house; but soman able innocence of Laura Kingdon. The ons nassec, through the gate in. the radiance of Iter dark blue eyes spread a the paradise. Willmore rose also and l that it was impossible to distinguish followed his friend, linking his, arm in • I se who belonged there from those halo of sanctity about her, an adaman- . Chester's and speaking in lower tones: tine shield from which all evil thoughts.{ ""1 told"you candidly, Cecil, .when I .I were merely visitors. fell shattered. Willmorehadsoughtthe was remarked that, although the acquaintance of Muriel O'Connor out of proposed to you to come here with 'me. r was at some distance from the q that there • was a certain dubiousness 1 e, and those who pulled the loud -idlest curiosity at the instance of a about this house and the lady whp was friend. He was presented to Laura r ging ` servants' bell" were always Kingdon, and henceforth had no. other to be virtually your hostess, for, of waiting for some minutes before dreatan to make this 'rl, whose gaze course, the old she -dragon is' only •a r application was responded to, those chaperon. There was a mystory here was like the deep summer sea, his wife. ,. lViy original pressed the little electric Duttonwhich I Could not fathom. ' But Laura Kingdon was of obscure opinion has been modified by , the dis- ed especially for visitors, had the origin—cle"irly, emphatically a daughter opened for them without- an instant's of the people. Tho contemplatedalliance covert' under this roof, in erinaneeitas- The Visitors, therefore, were sub involved desperate trouble vviththe Earl sedation with Muriel Ohigh-minded otmorededof sa to the least possible public sero his father and the Countess his mother, unmistakably pure and g No sooner did they halt at theevomaii•as Laura Kingdon: I perceive than they usually touched elec and a huge scandal among all his re- that you, having no such bias, •are . iri- rt bell, and, the gate shedt the elely hltions as well as the outrageous .busy- dined to think we are in the domain of a bodies he had to recognize as his frrends. teing, they lost no time in stepping However, as the time event on, and lis. Circe: Assuming that to be the case, a ie passiondominatedliim more thoroughly, am the more bent upon rescuing Laura hliegate not being overlooked by thefrom a compromising connection which "cent houses, this arrangement might Ea thought equalto defying them must have come auout from circum - all if he had but the approval of Cecil eh escaped observation had not an stances beyond her control. You would 1 "Chester. Chester was no sentimentalist; htatient butcher -boy, tired of waiting not ventrue, to include Laura Kingdon liver a. of lamb, ou one Chester was a cold, shrewd man of the inyoar su.pieions ?" sion tried to "" fore -quarter them op" b • world; Chester was his best friend and • I have not thought about her," was ng the "visitors' belll with his greasy truest well -washer; Chester should de- • Chester's reply. g tide r. The gate promptly opened, and And so it happened that Lord Will- ! Willmore seemed taken aback. teemed inside, urged by ctuiosity, more jumped at this. opportunity, and Not- thought about her? Why, man, iia good deal awed by the mystery pf leave to bring the Hon. Cecil that was ilia vary object of your visit! face. But the gate closing auto. begged Not thought about her ? Whom have we Chester with him to dine on the follow- s behind him, merely shut him g been speaking about, then, all this dta little covered porch, where it was in„ Friday. , while ? " zit thatthe visitors were accustom.- He was a little piqued at the nuchal• "Muriel O'Connor. Ibet you ten to ance with which Muriel consented to ' „ awaitthe coming of a manservant, four. that she Plias yellow eyes. receive his friend. porter, half -gardener, who, now, g ""They may be • any colour., forall I _sing the butcher -boy squatted upon He, did not observe the strange ,gleam care. I wanted your opinion of Laura. ut devoted to his betters, rated him of satisfaction, one might almost say of jam iu love -I owi> it.' That being the anticipated triumph, that flitted over her dry for his impudence, and turned handsome Cbltie. face, .case, I mistrust my own judgment and r ' and his excellent forequarter, of ' want yours, you cool-headed, ani presh roughly into the Street. • - atonable devotee of books and politics." ft, however jealously guarded the CHAPTER II.'"'Unimpressionable 1 Cecil Chester „ p „ k, Cnim duce to this mysterious villa, we. in •Tiff ADVICE OF A FRIEND. stroked his close -clipped golden beard, - nvisible and spiritual quality, may ""The ladies are doubtless in the gar- and a soft •light shone in; his dark retvitlnin, and take note of what 15 >, eyes, differentfrom airy expression Willy den, said Lord Whitmore as he entered :nines under its roof the drawing -room, followed byhis more lead sees' :e .•--e before. ! rnim- . re has been a very pleasant little friend;"shall fivejoin them there " Pressionattee a `e,ee •me tel you, •Ernest; r-pparty at the house at the corner. But Chester diel ot seem to be so die- in the smeek. r' » ' confidence, that our host- nber five persons—three ladies and •ess has utak. hetconger impressionupon entlenien. The leiter have :hist posed. He delilounge roar theerately positned lith- • me than any woman I ever yet saw in all self UnOn a near open French red through the conservatory, vvinclovv, andbean to trifle moodily with rely life," "r i links the dining -room with. the. _g .. ,... • ;i ,.. , B, t Laura Kingdon? urged the „ .. „ a clhg,er isf callous Oiaental woxlcma'h 'nee -room, to join the ladies, ship that hung in its sheath against the other, tooeigh gh abs fund nl his own iu= he privilege of au extra glass and wall. This ordinarily light-hearted and terests tb weiheeclfnllyt'his confession. 11 bp themselves. vivacious roan of' wady seefned to have of his friend. t Clovers, Lord 'Willmore, a something war m upon his mind. ,Chester shook his head: -built but athletic and graceful -11mopaused under the verandah '" I affil awfully sorry, thy dear fellow, man of twenty-six. with dark hair and came liaclr'to him. ' but I was so attracted, so allured, that , and a small blonde mustache ," What's. the. matter, Cecil? What's —that I fear I have 'neglected -rly duty, y curled at the ends, has been for up,man ? You've beeome very silent as your..apec,iel privy ,councillor sadly: onths a regular caller upon the during the last half-hour, I've been I will abservehermor'e•closely now, I. ao in herself represents the whole rtthriitig on, and didn't notice yen, . Butsnrely,shymust have muds softie r of father, mother, and cl'a'bghte, „ impression upon e"oit? ""` • . - • by the postman's imagination. Diener disagreed? "" She seemed ver uief, Devilish good dinner. I came .pre. ," el O'Connor is addressed as as pared to be made ill, but that's all rght. ogegther different from illy Lady by those who know her well,. he irst-rate cook --can't be Irish." O'Connor, ..eh ? Quiet .beyond all mis- by those whohave but a slight „„ There's , giving_ --•you admit that ? P tante with her, ADA RSA man by 1 hero s something you want to say "Indeed I, admit nothing of the,.kind, j( ho only guess at her Sex by the to me somethinghunpleasant,• 1 ca see: I cotinsei you ;to arun away. The very 1 Out with it, old chap 1 0 *feet of het being herein close. Oman- , ions of her square handwriting het el, ? e b ' masculine tone of her letters. ,".r Viso could help liking ler ?" •..onaiiip with a -w tip • Mich a" lady as pt IS no lkt, O'Connor, ` sq., nor There was an evasiveness in the reply Mlttr lel O'Connor rs . ,. , 1 r,ty " Mrs. O'Connor. Muriel which did not satisfy a lover's craving Nothing. my clear Geoil nothing in woMan. with apparently a forunrivalifiedn.rinrn.al, Willmoredrethe worm!? She,will ehplt7itr-all,tome tri •dile course. ht l •suon-it delichte matter to question her upon. It is notes if the y aro of (l o i 'w a ana(s s d wness the G n ao. Were l h witted thing; for all you. and I know; she may bo the uuost respeotable of ladies," "She may," commented Chester dryly. " Lam -a and 1," continue('! Willrore, " have never had A chance of a private confab, The O'Connor, in the absence of ttie dragon, has always played pro- 1u'iety° in the strictest fashion. If she has a fellow -feeling; it has not wade her indulgent to her companion, .Indeed, her ogre of this girl has gone far to as- sure me, ,of her own strict propriety and virtue; but it May 'be jealousy, mere jealousy, after all,' It may," said Chester cynically, as before. At this euornent the two ladies whom they , had been so freely clisoussing emerged from a shrubbery on the left of the broad lawn, now dappled with evening shadows. " There they both are now," Lord. Whitmire exclaimed; "let us go and meet them. They have seen, us, Now I will take charge of the O'Connor, and hand Laura over ko you. As an old friend, I beg of you to prepare a sound report of her, Remember my li£e'8 hap- piness may depend upon .your advice," " Miy advice is given," said Chester in an undertone, as theycrossed the lawn together. "Praise the flowers and the fine evening, plead an engagement, cut away, and never come back any . more." CHAPTER 111, MISJUDGED. Scarcely had the friends left the draw- ing -room when the door opened, and a short, thick -set man, with a black beard and unmistakably Hibernian cast of countenance, swung boldly into the room. Ho wore a dark tweed suit, and at his throat gleamed a *vat of livid green. In his hand he cai"ried a drab• coloured slouch hat. He showed himself at the window for an distant, and then began to pace to and fro , on the rich carpet with a familiar air, `which im- plied that he was an accustomed visitor, and at the present moment an excited and .inpatient ono. Pte had scarcely taken a lalf=a•dozen turns when Muriel O'Connor entered to him by the window. As she parted the drooping branches of stephanotis, the red rays of the setting sun flooded the piled -up masses of her bright hair, she seemed almost a divinity ; and in the soft twilight that bathed her gracious form as she stepped into the room. she showed, indeed, as a superbly handsome woman. The ample fold of her dinner gown gathered! in her small white hand adorned her queen- liness fittingly, and sho was in perfect accord with the luxury of an apartment furnished with some richness and a thousand details of good taste and ele- gant fancy. Not so the pian, who ad- vanced somewhat ardently to meet her, and took almost by force her dainty fingers in his coarse clutch. There was an aggressive activity, a persistent self- will in his general bearing and the harsh Belfast accent of his speech which 'stamped him as being out of place amidst opulent and peaceful surroundings. But Muriel O'Connor did not seem to think so. Site greeted Dennis Donovan with cordiality, and drew him to her, side in the growing darkness of the room. " He's here," she murmured in the first moment of their meeting; and a rapid conversation ensued•between them, whispered so confidentially as to imply a perfect mutual understanding. He 'Seemed to be urging upon her certain projects, to Which, after some hesita- tion, she assented.: Then seine question arose between them as to Befitting; agent in a scheme which, from the earnest manner of its discussion, appeared to be of vital importance. • • ' Muriel O'Connor suggested the name of one•Ralph Kestrel, and, being met with some objections, replied decisively, """There is no one else; I will answer for him.". , Footsteps' were now • heard upon the gravel path. and the voices of her guests in conversation outside gave notice to Muriel that her privacy would be inter- rupted. "They are coming," she exclaimed, starting up ;• " I forgot to tell Laura to detain them in the garden until my re- turn. Shall we go into the library, or have we finished all there was to say ? " "Let its go into the library," said Donovan ; and without 'ceremony he opened a small door at the end of the room, and passed through, leaving the lady to follow. This strategic movement was swiftly executed—not so adroitly, however, but. that Cecil Chester ' approaching the window, noted'Muriei's• departilre, and Caught a glimpse of the bearded stranger who disappeared into the inner room. It'was difficult to•construe the retreat in any other way than as being; occasion: ed by the coming of Chester luinself, and the man of society stood oh the thres- hold for a' moment, transfixed With this • • confirmation •of his uncharitable doubts, It was •only a moment, but that short tt space of•time he was struck with a keen distress. Had he believed in this woman and obtained proof of her worthlessness, he could hardly liavefeltah elderweight at his heart as he turned. back .and en- countered his friend and Laura Kingdon under;the verandah. the far corner where the skeleton Stood, examined it. A set of bones bought for a hundred. francs. Was he a child to be Scared by such a bogy! held his lamp up in °front of the (rrrll 4 �� thing's grinning head. The flame of the lamp flickered as though a faint breath had passed over it; deetraello:f,,•-•"" weetT'$ 'rllit MATTER, CROII, ? wli4.T'd ell; Mit ?'" Both saw that he had grown, pale, and fpassed some playful remarks upon the act, Laura urging him to. go and rest himself after the fatigue of a long walk round the acre and a half of garden. Ho Made an incoherent excuse and left them standing there in tlao red evening glow, returning alone to the shrubbery, where be was speedily lost to sight. They gazed after him in astonishment, • • ""Chester is nothimself to -night," ex- plained Lord Willmore. "You can have no idea what a rattling, pleasant fellow he is when he is in good form. ' ""I saw nothing the matter with him when wo were conversing just now," re- plied Laura; ""he manifested a most kind interest in me," I trust you did not find him , inti ii - sive, He' had good reason for expressing an interest in you." ""A special reason? May I know it? William gazed into the deep blue eyes raised so ingenuously to his own, and his breath came quickly as he ans- wored with suppressed emotion : ""He is my best friend." Issaura Kingdon was no coquette;. she she did not affect to misunderstand him.. A wave of odour richer than the ,sunset swept over her sweet face, like a Madon- na's in its modest loveliness, and when , it faded there was trouble creasing the smooth brow. Insensible, indeed, must that man have been Who did not read in those signs a favourable augury for his dearest hopes. All measures of prudence were discarded. Lord Will - more utterly forgot his father and mother, all consideration of friends and kindred ; he waited not for Cecil Chester's report, but flinging to the winds his mentor's recent earnest counsel, poured forth his adoration then and there. Ile road how her silent sweetness had 'fas- cinated him from the first, how ever- present she had been in his thoughts and in his dreams, how far she excelled all the women of this world, howrestless- ly he always longed for their next meet- ing, and how the time had come when his happiness demanded that he should see before him a prospect of meeting to part nevermore. In all that he said there was no men- tion of marriage, no direct proposal that site should be his wife. But Laur:, Kingdoneitlier did not notice this, orshe was supremely indifferent to the omis- sion. 'She said simply: "You make me vety happy, I may tell Muriel, may I not?" Lord Willmore had been quiet prepar- ed to scandalize his family by a rees- alliance, but his passion did not blind him to a sense of his social importiu ce, sand he certainly had looked for. the rais- ing of such obstacles as a -girl in the de- pendent position of Laura Kingdon might be expected to appreciate as stand- ing between her and marriage with a nobleman; and further, he had antici- pated that this virtuous girl (as he fully believed her to be) would at once detect the hollowness of professions of love in which the sacred name of wife was never spoken. But Laura's sentiment was one of such eh 111 cosi-mann). coxcarD::D PaO\r tt8r 1Pi )•7;.. very old and much mended. skeleton, and one day the Tong expected end ar- rived and it tumbled to pieces. "Thus it became necessary to purchase another. "The man of science visited a dealer lie well know; a little parchment -faced old man who kept a dingy shop, where nothing wee over sold, within the sha- dow of the towers of Notre Dame. • ""The little parchment -faced old man had just the very thing that monsieur •wanted -a singularly fine and well pro- portioned `study.' It should be sent round and set up in • monsieur's labora- tory that very afternoon. "The dealer was as good as his word. When monsieur enter his laboratory , ed that evening the thing was in its place. "Monsieur seated himself in his high• backed chair and tried to collect his thoughts. But iironsieur's thoughts were unruly and inclined towander, and to wander always in one direction. ""Monsieur opened a large volume and commenced to read. He read of a man who had wronged another and fled from him, the other man follpwing. Finding himself•reading this he • closed the book angrily and went and stood by the win- dow and looked out. Ile saw before him the sun -pierced nave of a great cath- edral, and on the stones lay a dead man with it mocking smile upon his face, "Cursing himself for a fool, he turned away with a laugh. But his laugh was short-lived, for it seemed to him that something else in the room was laughing' also. Struck suddenly still, with his feet glued•to the ground, he stood higher awhile; awhile; then sought with start- ing eyes the Corner from where the sound had seemed to come, . But the white thing standing there was only grinning. "Monsieur wiped the damp sweat . from tris head and hands, and stole out. "For a couple of days he did not enter the room again. On 'the ' third, telling himself that his fears were those of an hysterical girl, he opened the door and went in. To shame himself he took his lamp in his hand, and, crossing over to and battled With his inolination to fly screaming' from the room, (xianoing him, 's eye. f about lit i e all o "h upon fearfully . Y p the hi h screen, standing before the door. Ile dragged it fo *ward and placed it between hiulself •( 1 the thing, so that he couldnot see nor it see hien. Then he sat down again to his work. For awhile he forced himself to look at the book in front of him, but at last, un- able to control himself any' longer, he •suffered his eyes to follow their own bean. ""It may have been a hallucination. He clay have accidentally placed the screen so as •to favor such an illusion. But what he saw was a bony band com- ing round the screen, and with a cry he fell to the floor in a swoon, ""The people of the house came run - ring in, and lifting him up carried, hint, out and laid him upon his bed. As soon as he recovered his first. question was where had they found. the thing—rvhero was it when they entered tther-room? And when they told him they had seen it standing where it always stood, and lead gone down into the room to look again because of his frenzied entreaties, aid returned! trying to hide their smiles.. ho listened to their talk about overwork and the necessity for change and rest, and said they might do with him as they would. "So, for many months the laboratory doors remained locked. Then there. came a chill autumn evening when the man of science opened it again and closed it behind him. ""He lighted a lamp and gathered his instruments and books around him and sat down beforethem in high-backed chair, And the old terror returned to him. But this time he meant to conquer himself. His nerves were stronger new and his brain clearer; he would fight his unreasoning fear, He crossed to the door and locked himself in and flung the key to the other end of the room, where it fell among jars and bottles with an eohoing clatter. ""Later on, his old housekeeper, going her final round, tapped at his door and wished him good night, as was her cus- tom. She received no response at first, and, growing nervous, tapped louder and called agaiin; and at length an answering 'good night' carne back to her. "`She thought little about it at the. time, but afterwards she remembered that the voice that had replied to her had been strangely grating and mechan- ical. Trying to describe it, she likened it to such a voice as slie would imagine comiug from a statue. "Next morning his door remain^ 1 still locked. It was no tuiusual thing .:. him to work all night and far into the 'next day, so no one thought to be surprised. When, however, evening carne and yet he did not appear, his servants gathered outside the room and whispered, re- membering what had happened once before. They listened, but could hear no sound. They shook the door and called to him, then beat with their fists upon the wooden panels, But still no sound cause from the room. "Becoming alarmed they decided to burst open :the door, and after many 1 blows it gave way and flew back and they crowded in. , "He sat bolt upright in his high -back chair. They thought at first that he had died in his sleep. But when they drew . nearer and the light fell upon him they MTV the livid marks of bony fingers round his throat, and in the eyes there was a terror such as is not often seen in the human eyes." Brown was the first to break the si- lence that followed. He asked me if I had any brandy on board. He said he felt he should like a nip of brandy before going to bed. That is one of the chief chai•uas of Jephson's stories ; they always m„lce von feel you want„a little brandy. TIri: l:\D. "The lean explained this tohireseif by saying that the walls of the house were old and cracked, and that the wind might creep in anywhere. He repeated this explanation to himself as he recross-- ed ecross=ed the room, walking backward with his eyes fixed on the thing. When he reached his desk he sat downand gripped the arms of his chair till hie fingers Willed white. "He tried; to work but the empty sockets in that grinning head seemed for be drawing him towards thein.. Ile rose • Mr. Harvey Heed Laceyville; 0: Catarrh, Heart' Failure, Pa- • ralysia of the Throat a Thank pod and Hood's Sarsa- parilla for Perfect Heait1 ." "Gentlemen: For the benefit of stiffering hu- manity I wish to state a few facts: For several ears I have suffered from catarrh and Heart ailuro, getting so bad I could not work and Could Scarcely Walk ' Thad a very bad spell of paralysis of the threat some time ago. rely throat seemed closed and I could .not swallow. The doctors said was caused byheart failure and gave medielne which I took according to directions, but it dict not seem to do me •any good. My wife urged me' to tryY Hood's Sarsaparilla, telling Inc of Air. Joseph C. smith, who hind been At Death's Door but was entirely cured by Flood's sarsaparilla. Ater talking with Mr. Smith, I concluded to try hood's Sarsaparilla. When I had taken two bottles I felt Very much bettor. I have continued taking it, and ant now feeling excel- lent. I thank God, and Hood's Sarsaparilla and my wife for my t'estoration to perfect lloealth0y IHAisver HEMS, Laceyville, C, 'MOOD'S PILLS do not purge, pair or grdpe, MA sot promptly, welly and eiaelontly, 'tae. ,„