The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1864-04-01

chance of escape, the thought struck me
that by getting on chair and looking
through the opening, I might ascertain
something that might be of service to me.
Next moment I had placed one of the two
riekety ehaira close to the door, and mount
ing it with caution, found that my eyes
were exactly on level with the opening.
On looking through, my glance traversed,
first, the floor of the passage, following the
thread of water, and tracing it back by
degrees to the door of Jacoby's room,
which, as stated before, was opposite mine,
at the other end of the passage, and which
L now saw, as I followed the stream with
my eyes, was standing wide open. Aav-
ing traced the stream Of water, till 1t was
lost behind the angle OF the entrance OF
the pedlar's room, my glance tell on
small dressing-table standing in the room
exactly opposite the door: and from the
dressing g-table went up to an oval looking
glass placed thereon, and then stopped,
transfxed with horror at seeing the rehec-
ton of ghastly face staring intently at
me from the glass.
1t was the face of Jaeoby without doubt,
so much l could clearly distinguish; but
although the eyes were wide open and
staring with grim fxity of purpose; and
although the half-open lips seemed grin
ming at me in bitter derision; it was none
the less the face of dead man.
That my poor friend had been foully
murdered | could not longer doubt; but
how did it happen that had escaped a
similar fateP There was the white face,
changeless and speechless; but beyond
that all was conjecture and vague surmise.
got down gently from my post OF obser-
walton, feeling very sick at heart, and
more overcome just then, think, with
pity for the sad fate Of my friend, than
with apprehension for what might happen
to myself. Still that same deathlike and
oppressive silence, so that the buGzing OF
fy on the window sounded in the still
ness unnaturaly loud and intrusive.
More impressed than ever with the ne
cessity for immediate action, began, as
, soon as had in some measure recovered
, from the effect of seeing the face in the
glass, to cast about in my mind for some
t means Of efecting my escape. Picking
I'D nv knife from the floor where it had
f lain neglected for some hours past, J. ~
] once set at work to cut away one OF th'
: panels of the stout old door; but l brok'
4 NV knife before / had been at work iiv'
/ minutes, and then gave up the attempt II
! 1aspairs There was a dreadful iascinatlo
S about the race IL tIIe glass WnfrII -'fSys1Esi
: il impossible to resist, and standing on tn
y. chair, 4 again looked through theopenin,
!, IN Ehe doOr and turned my eyes slowl.
d towards it, half expecting to ind that
y had disappeared. Rut it was still there
as grim, ghaatly, and immoyable as be
e fore. The pallld lips seemed to ltir wit
a inaudible words as l locked; butthe wide
: open e;es stared steadlastly into min
: With classy changelessness OF expression
T that chilled my blood to look upon.
If Gathering heart somewhat after time
q I again went TO work on the door with m
a broken knife; laboring on, hour after houl
!. with wearying persisteney, but maxim
such small progress that had | not tel
that my life depended on the success c
7 my efforts, l should have given up th
u task hundred times in despair.
: Noon came and went. A dull gnawin
L pain began to make itself felt, which
y knew proceeded from the want Of too(
y though hunger in the ordinary sense OF th
= word l did not teel; began to get veal
!. er, TOO, as the AFTERNOON advanced, ana
- labor like a man in dream. / think thi
= after time l must have fallen into kin
y Of stupor, induced by WEAKNESS and e.
~ haustlcn, as 1 sat before the door with IL
= = head resting on my hands. When can
- to myself again, found that the wind ha
= risen, and that the first shades Of evenin
= we're beginning to creep into the room.-
| stood up, weary, sick, and faint at hear
70 and asked myself how it would be possib
. to live through another night all alone
eS thatterrible house. | calculated thai eve
: : with daylight and my full strength,
NC would have been work OF several hou
'si to have cut my way out; and now bo
- daylight and strength were failing me ra
~ -. idly.
81 A dull lowering evening, with ra
,aV and heavy mind. Hark what blast "
nc thatl it seemed to shake the rickety {
'ei house to its foundations, making the Aot
creak, and the windows rattle, and
u whole tumble-down ediAce to shiver a
by groan in the grasp Of its invisible arms
me Suddenly l was startled by the clashl
ION of some distant door; thea there wa:
by faint rustic and whisper up the stairs a
he along the passage, as though the ghost
nd the murdered man was coming back to
visit Its tenement; then the strong g
vas outside swept swiftly away down the Y
old ley inland; and brief lull followed.
vas was needful that should lock once mo
to on the face in the glass while there v
- still sufficient daylight left to see IL
,ut felt drawn to do this by some inward !
to cessity, some occult magnetism work.
lat against my better nature. What; th'
ce, was my surprise and horror, when,
ac- looking once more through the opening
gh the door, and staring steadfastly into
at glass, saw that'it was blank-that
ant face was no longer there!
ok | looked, and looked again, with
all same result; the face had certainly dis
but peared; the glass reelected nothing but
lull opposite wall Of the room, and part of
nee furniture of bed The blood round
heart grew cold as l looked; got of
ing chair, and went and sat down in the
nd. ner of the room farthest from the 4,