The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1868-04-30

7 lifted the latch and pushed the door
Contrary to my expectations, Il wal
not locked 1t 'swung open, and Ienter
y cd, taking the p~recaution to close it i'm
y mediatsly. The room was obscnre and
s unligltcd, but / knew the positions o.
the furniture. This was bis library
study. and sitting room, beyond which
was his chamber. There was lounge
in the corner, and I was cropping my
way toward 1t, when I stumbled, anc
almost fell PROSTATE over a body lying
: fiat on the carpet. Thoroughly alarm
! ed, l struck a match, which l fortunate
! ly had with me, and lit a lamp, which
found overturned on the table; and
then stopped down and examined the
senseless face. 1t was that of Aber.
i. shaw. He lay extended at full length
. his arms thrown back over his head,
, hisface CHASTITY pale, his features con-
i. torted and still ~twitching nervously,
! and himself wholly inanimate. With
the exertion of all the strength I could
command, l raised his shoulders and
dragged his supine body to the lounge /;
and then saturating his handkerchief
with the contents ola camphor bottle
on the table, l laid it on his face. and
!, awaited the result; it must have been a
full minute before he raised his hand
and removed the handkerchief. AS he
{ thus revealed his face, it bore an ex-
preston of intense pain which I had
never seen before. His eyes rested on
me first, with their keen searching look
which had often before made me un-
comfortable-and suddenly stretching
forth his hand he grasped my wrist and
held it with painful pressure.
4 II know you," he whispered. Don't
speak; I wish to discover myself why
am lying here, and why you should
be with me-"
His eyes took a rapid survey of abe
room, noting every object in it, and
then returned to their scrutiny Of my
face. He rose to a sitting posture,
though evidently weak, and leaned
against the wall.
"The clock has just struck three"
he said, 81 heard my watch strike the
quarter, so I know I have not been
long unconscious. I was sitting on the
chair by the table; ii is overturned.
and l must have fallen to the floor
You carried me to the lounge, and re
viyed me. Am l rightw
l bowed assent.
"How long ago did you discover me
in this condition ~
"Lcss than three minutes"
GLOW
1t was as impossible to evade the
sharp, direct, almost fierce interrog ga
tories of the man, as to withdraw from
the fascination of his eyes; and I re-
peated to him the circumstances which
led to the discovery
~ groaned, you say. Did you hear
any Ineligible words
In answer to his question, l repeated |
his u%tterances exactly as l remember
ed them. A look, half of pain, half Of
relief, came to his face, and he closed
his eyes. still retaining his grasp upon
my hand. Several moments passed
tn this way, without speech or motion,
and as his hold had perceptibly relaxed
| began to fear that he was growing
again insensible; but before / had act
ed upon the belief, he applied the hand
kerchief to his nose and mouth, and
again opened his eyes.
II think l may believe YOU" he said
quietly, "if you ssh Inc, upon your
honor, that you have repeated to me
all that ! said
~ have certainly done so,'' was my
reply land Doctor Abershaw knows
rs well as any person that my should
not he doubted"
He pressed my hand foreibly.
"Nor do ! doubt it in the least"
Then there was another moment of
silence, which became awkward, at least
to me / was inclined to seek no ex-
PLANTATION, but simply to bid him good
night and leave him, now that l saw
he was recovered from his attack; but
he still held my wrist, and l awaited
his movements.
"You know perfectly WE'LL" he ab.
ruptly continued, "that l have no con-
tidents, and have allowed no intimac.es.
The events ofthis night have been such
that | am constrained to reveal to you
certain things which ! have not hereto.
fore been sure l should not carry to the
grave with me. Perhaps it ia better,
after all, that chanae has determined
for me what my hesitation might have
concealed in my coffin and since it is
to be so, l know ofno man to whom l
would more willingly give my conf
dence than you. The office is one of
and a strange one, indeed,
for me to ask; but l know that l, who
am no mans friend, cannot coun. the
number of my own. viii you accept 4.
it ?"
l wished, at that strange moment, to
the admiration / had felt, In |
common with others, for his genius ,
and abilities, and the wonderful pow '
ers he had exerted over the minds of :
men and the affections OF women; but |
that nameless repulsion of his manner ,
anything of the kind. l sim G
ply assured him thst I was sincerely ,
glad Of an opportunity to serve him
and after he had thanked me he chang 9
ed the subject. l rose in q moment to c
tBke my leave, and followed me 10 the I
door.
zone moment MORE" he said. "You ;
will not mention this affair outside this :
room ?" I
Certainly not doctor" g
Thanks, then-and good night. ,
You will hear from me- concerning it