Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1851-06-10

were designed, no h unian being would be
near to aid me; my DIV ing shrek would be
lost in void space.
had seen Edward but once during his
visit, and as | did not IL leer him again, be-
gan, to think that he M ust have taken his
departure; a conviction which was to a GER
tain degree satisfactory, as Regarded his alb
sence as indicating the rel noyal OF immediate
danger. Emily also arri we'd circuito1sly at
the same conclusion. and not without good
grounds for she managed indirectly TO learn
that Edwards black horse had actually been
for day and part ola nigt It in the castle sta
bles, just at the time oi her brothe'5 supposed
visit. The horse had gouti, aud as she ar
gued, the rider must have erarted with il.
This point being so far sIlitled, ielt lit
tie less uncomfortable; whe y being one day
alone in my bedroom, | hilp pened TO look
out from the window; and To nay unutterable
horror. behed pccfing TN ugh an oppo-
site casment, my cousin EdN rd's face. Had
| seen the evil one hmslf in bodily shape,
could not have experienced more sickening
revulsion. | was too much Al ,palled TO move
at once from the window but did not 80
soon enough to avoid his eyes. He was
looking txedly down into the narrow quad
rangle upon which the wind o ~ opened. |
shrunk back unperceved, to pass tho rest of
tho day tn terror and despair. went TO my
room early that night, but was too misera-
BILE to sleep.
| AT about twelve clock, fel ling very nery-
! Gus, determined 10 call my cousin Emily,
who slept, you will remember, in the next
room, which commune ated wi tn mine by
second door. BY this privai entrance /
found my way into her chamber, and with
out difficulty persuaded her TO return to my
room and sleep with me. We accordingly
! lay down TO gothef. she uudressed and with !
my clothes on, for was every moment
walking up and down the room, and felt too
nervous and miserable TO think Of rest or
comfort. Emily was soon fast asleep, and | |
lay awake, fervently longing for the first pale |
gleam of morning, and reckoning every |
stroke OF the old clock with an impatenee
which made every hour appear like six.
II must have been about one o cock when
| thought head a slight noise at the parti-
ton door between Emily's room and nina,
as if caused by somebody's turning the key
in the lock. held my breath, and the same
sound was repeated at the second door of my
room, that which opened upon the lobby;
the SOUND was here distinctly caused by the
revolution of the bolt in the lock- and il was
followed by slight pressure upon the door
itself, as il to ascertain the security of the
lock. The person whoever il might be, was
probably satisfied, for heard the old boards
OF the lobby crack and strain, as if under the
weight Of somebody moving cautiously over
thom. My sense ofheariug became nnnat-
uIay, almost painfully acute. | suppose
the Imagination added distnctness to sounds
vague ir themselves. | thought that
actually hear the breathing Of the person
who was slowly returning along the lobby.
81 the head Of the stair case there appear
ed TO occur pause; and | could distinctly
hear two or three sentences hostily whisper;
the steps then descended the gt-irs with ap-
parently less caution. veutured 10 walk
quickly and lightly to H. lobby door, and at
tempted TO open it; it was indeed fast locked
upon the outside as was also the other.
now ielt that the dreadful hour was como;
bat one desperate expedient remained--it
was to awaken Emily, and " our united
strength. to attempt TO force the partition
door, which was slighter than the other. and
through this TO pass TO the lower part OF the
house, whence il might be possible 10 es 9
returned to the bed sdee, de SS and u Shook Emily,
but in vain; nothing that could do avaied y y
TO pfocuce from her more than few inco-
herent words; it was dealh-like sleep
She had certainly drunk of some narcotic, !
as, probably, had also in splrltc OF all the y =
caution with which had examined every
thing presented TO us to eat or drink. l !,
now attempted, with as little noise as posi- =
BILE, to force first one door, then the other; =
but all in vain. | believed no strength could
have effected my object, for both doors open J
cd inwards. | therefore collected whatever u
moyabcs | could carry thither, and piled |,
them agains. the doors, so as to. assist me in !.
whatever atteLltr,s | should make to resist
the entrance Of those without. ! then re-
TUNED TO the bed and endeayored again, but =
iruitlessIy, TO awaken my cousin. 1t was
not sleep, it was torpor, lethaYgy, death.
knet down and prayed with an agony of
earnestness; and then seating myself upon
the bed, | awaited my fate with kind OF
terrible tranquility.
heared faint clanking sound from the p
narrow court which have already mention a
ed, as il caused by the scrapiug of some iron
instrument against stones or rubbish. l at
first determined not to disturb the calmness u
which | now experienced, by uselessly
watching the proceedings OF those who d
sought my life; but as the sound continued, u
the horrible curiocity which felt overcame
every other emotion, and determined, at all a
hazards, TO crafty it. /, therefore, crawled IL
upon my knees to the window, so as to let .
tho smelos, possible portion OF my head APP '
pear above the silH
The moon was shining with an uncertain
radiance upon the antique grey buildings, and
obliquely upon the narrow court beneath;
one side of it was therefore clearly illumna
ted, while the other was lost in Obscuriiy, the u
ebas, oufIinas Of the old rablcE with their G
nodding clusters OF ivy, being AT first alone
visible. Whoever or whatever occasioned G
tho noise which had excited my curiosity, u
was concealed under the shadow of the dark
side OF the quadrangle. placed my hand
over my eyes TO shade then from the moon
light, which was so bright as to be almost "
dazzling, aud, peering into the darkness, ! s.
first dimly, but afterwards gradually, almost c