The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-22

"More guests, my boy - he exclaimed,
shaking the letters at me as we met. "By
Jove we shall have to get the manor honse
enlarged by next Christmas"
"Indeed 20 .a .
''Yes; and as IL is we shall have to quarter
one of the newcomers on you-a friend Of Sir
Harry Finch's. You may know him, by the
way; he is at the bar"
"Does Sir Harry mention his name ~
"Oh, certainly-let me see, yes; here II is
Gilbert Stone."
/ was conscious of starting and changing
color. Yarnold looked surprised, as he well
might, for he could little guess the strange
thoughts and misgivings which were already
shaping themselves in my mind about the
man whose name he had mentioned as about
to come there as his guest. However, sub
mitted to his surprised looks, rather than
make any statement as to those doubts and
m isgiviDgs. They were, indeed so vague
that could hardly have put them into words.
l oontented myself with Temarking that l
believed knew Sir Harry's friend, and Var
mold himself, to my relief soon changed the
subject.
Three nights after, Gilbert Stone came down
His surprise at seeing me was naturally very
great. / had not mentioned to him in to Wn
where l was going to spend my Christmas, and
it certainly seemed strange coincidence that
his friend Sir Harry Finch should have
brought him down to the same place. II was,
though he did not suspect 1t, more than coin
cidence; it was destiny. He did not mention
his letter transmitted to me that morning, and
of course l said nothing about the discovery
had made, identifying the writing with that of
the fragment left by my spectral companion
in the railway train. In truth, little passed
between us, for | fancied that, great as was
his surprise at seeing me, his uneasiness was
greater. Nor, | could tell was this lessened
on his hearing that it was my room he was to
share. He affected to be charmed, bat saw
that his lower lip dropped and quivered.
had already come to regard him with grave
suspicion and l determined to observe him
closely.
There was dancing that night, aud Stone
threw himself into the amusement with en-
thusiasm--I thought with recklessness if not
desperation. Suddenly, when the gayety of
the scene was at its height saw him give a
hurried glance round the hall and steal away.
l followed him, but at distance. He assembled
the stairs, and traversed the corridor leading
to our room. His step was noiseless, and |
pursued him like his shadow.
The room was full of moonlight. As he went
in he thrust to the door, but did not close it.
l stole up and looked in. He was STOPPING over
portmanteau from which he took out small
writing desk; a key attached to his watch chain
enabled him to open this. What could be his
object The moonlight was strong enough to
of open letters. Bat a man does not leave the
dance to read letters by moonlight. No, nor
by lamplight; though while the thought was
in my mind he struck match and lit the taper
by his side. Then he held out one of the let
ters towards the hardly kindled flame, so that
the corner Of the paper almost ignlted. His
object, then, was not to read, but to destroy
to destroy something before l was there to
observe his movements.
In the instant of my detecting that inten-
tiOn was in the room, nay right hand had
firm hold of his wrist, and we were glaring at
each other, eye to eye.
"Stay, Gilbert Stone ~ I cried. "You de-
stroy nothing"
"Who will prevent me ?' he demanded
fercely.
81 will"
"And by whose authority
"That of the dead p'
His look changed, and he staggered from
me. Then, with the courage of desperation,
he summoned up all his strength and made
rush, seizipg me by the throat. Our struggle
was short and sharp threw him, and he lay
at my feet glaring.
In the contest the letters had fallen and lay
scattered about us. Among them was the one
he would have destroyed in the flame. | recog-
nized that at glance, for it was much
crumpled, and a half-circular piece had been
torn ont of the bottom of it. Hardly second
glance was necessary to convince me that had
in my pocket book the missing piece, which
would render it complete.
AS Stone gazed at me with vicious eyes,
tore out my pocket book, produced the frag-
ment and fitted it into the letter, which it
matched with exactness.
Chow dare you come here to pry into my
letters ?" the man demanded, with an attempt
at swagger.
81 have given you my authority" replied;
''It is that of the unhappy woman to whom
you wrote these words:-'You know that
have promised to make you my ,0ite, and L shall
not forget that promise when the proper time
comes, unless you by your foolish impatience
ruin all, bring disgrace upon your family, and
lend yourself to an eTpsSue that will assuredly
have TO be regretted. Be reasonable, and con-
fde wholly in your devoted adorer.''
1t will be seen that pieced out the sense Of
the fragment (in italics) by means of the let
ter itself.
The horror of Gilbert Stone as did 80 was
intense, and was only exceeded when in
few stem words told him how it had come
into my possession. At that narrative all his
manliness left him; he fell at my feet and alb
jectly implored my pity-my compassion.
reminded him that as yet l only suspected
him of some offense dark enough TO arouse
the spirits of another world to rise up to
avenge it.
"Yes," he exclaimed with shudder, at
was she-it was Agnes"
What Agnes RathgraveW / cried in
amazement.
"The same. 1t was to her that this letter
was addres ed"
| was bewildered, confounded, and / said
IYnu shall know all - he said tChut M