The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-24

here together this present winter night were
hardly less curious; while read by such light,
they were seen to cohere towards the further
ance OF continuous and an intclllgible pur-
pose. EE1
Vendale's awakenei thoughts ran high while
his eyes musngly followed Obenreizer pacing
up and down the room, the river ever running
to the tune:-"Whefe shall rob him, If can
Where shall rob him, If l must?n The secret
of his dead friend was in no hazard from Veu-
dale's lips; but Just as his friend had died of its
weight so did he in his lighter succession feel
the burden of the trust and the obligation to
follow any clue, however obscure. He rapidly
asked himself, would ne like this man to be the
real Widingt No. Argue down his mistrust
as he might he was unwilling to put such
substitute In the place OF his late guileess, out
spoken, cbildlke partner. He rapidly asked
himself, would he like this man to be rich No.
He had more power than enough over Margue-
rite as it wac, and wealth might invest him with
more. Would he like this man to be Mar
guerite's guardian, and yet proved to stand in
no degree of relationship towards her, no wever
disconnected and distant? No. But these were
not considerations to come between him aud
ddelity to the dead. Let him see to it that
they passed him with nosother notice than the
knowledge that they had passed him, and left
him bent on the discharge of a solemn duty.
And he did see to 1t, so soon that he followed
his companion with ungrudging eyes, while he
still paced the room; that companion, whom he
supposed 10 be moodily rejecting on his own
birth, and not on enother man's-least of all
what man's-vlolent Death.
The road in advance from Basle to Neuchatel
was better than had been represented. The latest
weather had done it good. Drivers, both of
horses and mules, had come in that evening
alter dark, and had reported nothing more diff
cult to be overcome than trials of patience, har-
ness, wheels, axles, and whipcord. A bargain
was soon struck for a carriage and horses, TO
take them on in the morning, and to start before
daylight.
apo you lock your door at night when travel
ling Z" asked Obenreizer, standing warming his
hands by the wood tire in Vendale's chamber
before going to his own.
mot l. sleep too soun1ly."
"You are a sound sleeper" he retorted, with
an admirlng look. What olessing!"
Anything but a blessing to the rest OF the
house." reioined Vendale, eff l had to be
knocSed pin the morning from the outside Of
my bedroom door,"
~ too" said Obenreizer, "leave open my
room. But let me advise you, as a Swiss who
knows: always, when you travel in my country,
put your papers-and, of course, your money
under your pillow Always the same place."
-, y ou are not complimentary to your coun-
trymen," laughed Vendale.
"My countrymen," said Obenreizer, with that
light touch of his friends elbows by way of good
night and benediction, II suppose, are like the
majority of men. And the majority of men will
take what they can get Adieu AT four in
the morning."
"AdIeu! At four"
Left to himself, Vendale raked the logs to-
getber spTinkled over them the white wood
ashes lying on the hearth, and sat down to COM
pose his thoughts. But they still ran high on
tended 10 agitate rather than TO quiet them. As
he sat thinking, what little disposition he had to
sleep departed. He felt it hopeless to lie do Wn
yet, and sat dressed by the fire. Marguerite
WildiDg, ObenreIZer, the business he was then
upon, and a thousand hopes aud doubts that had
nothing to do with it, occupied his mind at once.
Everything seemed 10 have power over him but
slumber. The departed disposition to sleep kept
far away.
He had sat for long time thinking on the
hearth, when his candle burned down and its
% I wa Of TnO ts
was light enough in the fire. He changed his
attitude, and leaning his arm on the chair-baek,
and his chin upon that hand, sat thinking still.
But he sat between the fire and the bed, and
as the fire flickered in the play of air from the
iast-hOwing river, his enlarged shadow huttered
on the white wall by the bedside. His attitude
gave 1t an ar, hall OF mourning, and half of
bending over the bed implorng. His eyes were
obsergant of il, when he became troubled by
the disagreeable fancy that it was like Wilding's
shadow, and not his own.
slight change of place would cause it to dis
appear, He made the change, and the appari-
tion of his disturbed fancy vanished. He now
sat in the shade OF little nook beside the fire,
and the door of the room was before him.
II had a long cumbTous iron latch. He saw
the latch slowly and softly rise. The door
opened very little and came to again, as though
only the air had moved it. But he saw that the
latch was out of the hasp.
The door opened again very slowly, until it
OPP ned wide enough to admit some one. 1t
at terwards remained still for a while, as though
cautiously nelu open Oh the OLDer Slue. Inc
figure of man then entered, with its face
turned towards the bed, and stood quiet Just
within the door. Until it said, in low, half
whisper, at the same time taking one step for
wards, 'Vendale !"
"Wbat nowp he answered, springing from
his seat "WhO is itW
1t was Obenreizer, and he uttered cry of sur
prise as Vendale came upon him from that un-
expected direction. mot in bedw he said,
catching him by both shoulders with an lnstinc-
tive tendency to struggle, "Then something is
wrong ~
"What do you mean Yn said vendale, releasing
himself. =
First tell me; you are not ill.,"
"Ill? No.n
~ have had bad dream about you. How is
II that see you up and dressed w
my good fellow, l may as well ask you how
is II that see you up and undressed.n
~ have told you why. l have had bad dream
about you. / tried to rest after it, but it was
impossible, l could not make up my mind to
stay where l was, without knowing you were
sale; and yet could not make up my mind to
come in here. have been minutes hesitating
at the door, 1t is so easy to laugh at dream
that you have not dreamed Where is your
candlep
Burnt out"
81 have a whole one in my room. Shall /
"DO So"
His room was very near and he was absent
for but few seconds. Coming back with the
candle in his hand, he kueeled down on the
hearth and lighted it. As he blew with his
breath charred billet into flame for the pur-
pose, Vendale, looking down at him, saw that
his lips were white and not easy of control.
"Yes!" said Obenreizer, setting the lighted
candle on the table, lit was bad dream. Only
look at mel"
His feet were bare; his red-Aannel shirt was
thrown back at the throat and lis sleeves were
rolled above the elbows his only other garment.
a pair of under pantaloons or drawers reacbinp