Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-05-04


friends and future plans to DO dscussed;
and midnight rung out from the stable.
clock before Mrs. Atherton said good
night. She had already crossed the
threshold to 60. when she turned back
TO say, Il forgot to tell you, Ellen, llla.
the inside bar of this door is no, very
secure, and that the key only turns on
the outside. Are you inclined to trust
to the bar alone, or will you. as William
used 10 do, have The door locked on the
outside, and lei the seryan, bring the key
in the morning. William used to say
,ha, he found il rather an advantage to do
so, as the unlocking Of the door was
sure to wake him.
Miss Stirling laughingly allowed tha:
though she could not quite think it an
advantage TO be locked into her room,
still she had no objection to !. on this
particular occasion, as she wished to rise
in reasonable time.
very well; then you had better not
fas!en the bar at all, and | will send my
maiG with the key at eight, precisely
G0sk night
'G06&Righ,.'
They pAtsed: the door was locked out.
side; the KEY taken out; and Miss Stir.
ling, standing BY the window, watched
her friend cross the narrow black path.
which had been swep. clear of snow to
make dry passage rom the house to
the pavilion. A ruddy light sireamed
from tho hall door as il opened to admit,
its mistress: and gave cheerful friendly
aspect to the scene; but. when the door
closed and shut out ,ha. warm comforla
bic light, the darkened porch, :he pale
moonlight, shimmering on the shrouded
trees, and the stars twinkiing in the
frosty sky, had such an aspec. of soli-
lude as 10 cast over her kind of chill
that made her half repent having con
sen.ed to quit the house at all. and Ie,
herself be locked up in such place.
Yet what had she to fear! There
was nothing within the chamber to harm
her; the door was locked outside. and
strong iron stancheons guarded the win.
dow, aad there could be no possible dan
ger. So. drawing her chair to the fire.
and stirring it into bright blaze. she
took up little bible which lay on The
dressing table, and read some portions
of the New Testament.
When she laid down the book she
took out the comb that fastened up her
long, dark sillen tresses-in which. des-
pite her fiye-aud-.hir,y years. not sill.
yer thread was visible-and, as she ar.
ranged them for The night. her thoughts
s,rayed back to the old world memories.
which her meeting with Mary A.herton
had revived. The sound of the clock
striking two was the fra, thing tina. re
called her TO her presen. life. By this
time The candles were burning down
almost to the sockets. and the ire was
dying fast. As she turned to fling a
fresh log into the gra,e, her eyes fell
upon the dressing glass, and in its re fec
uon she saw, or at least she fancied she
saw, the bed.curlains move.
She Stood for momen, gazing at the
mir ror. expecting a repetition of The
movement; but all was sill. and she
blamed herself for allowing nervous
fea:s to overcome ber. Still il was an
exerlion, even of her brave spirit. to
approach the bed and Withdraw the cur
tains. Sne was rewarded by Gnding
nothing save the bed clothes folded neat
ly down, as if inviling her to press the
snow white sheets. and luxurious pile
of pillows, that looked most tempting.
She could not resist the mute invitation
to rest her wearied limbs. Allowing
herself no time for further doubts or
fears. she placed her candle ON the
mar ile- piece, and stepped into bed.
She was very tired. her e.es ached
with WEAKNESS. but sleep seemed TO fly
from her. Old recolIec,ons ,hroneed
on her memory; thoughts connected
with the business she had still To get
through, haunted her, and difficulties
that had not occurred to her till now,
arose up before her. She was restless
and feverish; and the vexa.ion Of feeling
so. made her more wakeful. Perhaps If
she were TO close the curtains bet~ cen
her and the fire she might be better able
to sleep--,he nickering ligh, disturbed
her, and The moonbeams stealing be-
tween the window curtains cast ghos,ly
shadows on The wall. So. she carefully
shut out the ligh, on that side. and turned
again 40 slee;. Whether she had or
had mol quite lost consciousness she
could no, well remember. but she was
soon thoroughly aroused by feeling the
bed heave under her. She started up.
and awaited with beating repetition
Of the movement, but il did not come
II must have been return Of The ner-
vous iancies which had twice assaiIed
her already that night. Laying her
head once more on the pillow, she de-.
rmined 10 control her groundless ter.
rOrs.
And again she started up. This time
there could be no doubt; the bed had
heaved more than once accompanied by
strange guigling sound, as if Of crea-
.ure in pain. Leaning on her elbow, she
listened with ,ha. intensity of fear which
desires. almost much as i, breads. re-
currence Of the sound that caused it,
IL came again, followed by loud rust
H.