Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-02-09
VOL. XII: NO. 4

w nat tool | am ~ she ,jacnlatul in
few minutes. '.l'm thinking of what Nh.
sailors said. Those two things that look
IKE eyes must be cleaning jewels, And
the candle ont and ! not to hay, had M.
sense to bring matches will, me -
She put out her hand she mcnt to null
them forth, those cleaning Jewels. and
look at them i'll the moonlight: Int her
ilngers came in contact witli-wlatl A
lace A dead face. beyond Doubt, for il
was cold and sttf. A cry of awful nyo,,v
broke from her, cchoing in the silence of
the dread room, and Geraldine (Iytton
iiew away, she knew not how or where.
Instinct took her towards her own cham
Der and near it she ran against Sinus ,b.
maid. '' ''o
.'Ma'am whatever is the matter -
SelznS The astoni~hed servant by the
arm' she pulled her into the chamber. and
closed the door She clung tn her M
though she would never let her 20 again.
She cronchcd down in the warmth and
light of the fire, her teeth cllattering. her
breath coming in gasps.
"But What is it ," reiterated Sim,ns.
more ana more amazed. "Ilas ANYTHING
frightened you ma'am 7"
"l--thought-l--saw something in IN.
eofillor,' came the cvasivc answer. Per.
haps an owl had got in, Simms
She caused herself to he dressed Sb.
was alive to the importance of diy.rtin,,
suspicion from herself. when Mr.. Yalcn,ia
should come to discover the raid ON tl,
chest, and she descended to the drawing
room. Mrs. Gore, its only inmate. wa.
asleep by the fire; the Major was sure to
be IN the dining room, for he liked to sit
long and ENJOY private cigar but wcr.
Auta and MIR. Nalcntia A soft, silyery.
happy laugh seemed to answer from tk,.
conservatory, aud Geraldine Clvttpn turn
ed 10 II; the mirrors, as she passed them,
reflected her own scared face, into which
the warm blood wonld not come.
Auta was indeed there, with Mr.. Vnl.n-
TIA. But now her l;Aas were claspcd i'm
his; his face was CLOSE to her bent and
niusl'rg one. For one bissful moment
Geraldine Clytton thought she saw some
deceptive vision that had no place in
reaiity-that could have none. The next
she had awakened to the truth. and stood
therc spcll-bound. .4at~ his love whom
she mad surely Thought. But Whisper
eli words were stealing distinctly on her
ear; words that well nigh drove her mad.
aud turned the current Of every pulse sh,
Posstsscd In'0 hving anger.
MY heart went out to You frcm tho
irst. Auta; and think YOU could not
have misunderstood me Geraldine
NONSENSE She sought me: did rot
her. never had a Thought of love but
Tor You. My darling, my darlinsn,
Auta Gore started from Ills arm with a
cry! Hat angry "oaian, with inHamea
! lace' ana naughty mlen, was hearing down
upon them like one possessed ot am evil
"p;rct; Au'a never distinctly remember
ed what followed. There were ra s.d
voices rccrinIinating words, and some
strange that lifted her Very hair from her
mead: Major Gore stood holding his
daughter back and Mrs. Gore only half
awake was staring with her cap hanging
to one ear by ii single string Mr.. Val~n-
TIA alone remained calm and cool. The
firts consecutive wortscame from him,
d" not understand it any more than
You d"' Mayor. do know that this is tho
iharp'est hour of my life, for Your niece
has promised to be my wife: but what il
Is MIS-. tlytton would accuse me of,
really dan't know"
She can never be your wife," rcturteA
hrs ,iv'ton. 'lou marry again ! would
You take second wife, to murder AS YOU
did your frstn
Mr.. Nacntia's sleepy eyes Cor one. w..o
opened as wide as his antagonists.
Murdered my first wife - he quietly
rrcl"inrd. Thank you. was not aware
had done ANYTHING of the SORT
" gu know You did" came the painting
answer. You know that You got L.a
concealrd IN that ebony chest; that YOU
had her IN it ON board. while falsely nr.x
| ~ lut 1, Il 81 f,,,
sailors knew what was in the chest and
nearly broke "ut N mut!ay; they said
1t brought curse on the snip / accu..
You George Nalrniia, though You havc-cs-
capped accusation frcm others. | have
seen the chest anl its horrible burtbeu, |
have touch d 1.-THE cold deual face If her
yon keep there"
The bewildrrIucnt in Mr.. Valcn:in's
countcnaucc gave place to sudden smile
OF light. as if the puzzle had cleared it
self. 1--WE will 90 and see the dead face.
Major, all of us. Mrs. ClvttaM. ! mu.s
particularly request Your company. 1t
will n4; alarm you, believe Inc, Mrs. Gore.
AuIa. my dearest. do not trcmblc so; I
will take care Of yoa'
1t lay III !hc ebony chest, exposed mt
once to their ,icw-caln. heaccfuI. inf
nitciy pretty; not the dead taee Of a once
living woman, ut the wax work model NJ
"A lovrly child, its dark eyes wide open, and
Il roscleaf color ON its smooth checks.
when my child died. my little Auta,
who was more precions to me than any-
thing have Yet possessed on carth,-I
was fond and foolish enough to have n wax
model taken Of her." said Mr.. Valen,ia, q.
"A low tone. As You NAV perceive. hay.
not vet Uisturbrl il Nrs f,I,,,,,, =.