Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-11-27


demand that Ashley should tell him
where he had met his wife.
And he did tell him, sparing nothing !;
saying plainly that she had been brought
to him by the body snatchers a. a sub
iect that she had lain as dead upon his
table for a night, sheeted and shrouded
like a corpse.
"And you dared" burst in Holt, who
was almost beside himself
~ saved her life," said Ashley, gently;
he had softened as he thought Of that
restoration. evil you come with me
to the grave that we may be very sure q
ono, no, no." Holt moaned; the fury
was passing away, and giving place to
dull sorrow. 81 can bear no more. It
is as certain, more certain than death.
that your wife is mine. God help usl'
Which of the men was the most to be
pitied?
There were some moments Of horrible
sitsncc, in which each heard the beating
of his heart, like a heavy drum. Holt
spoke again.
"Ask Edith TO come here. Surely she
can not have forgotten me-"
"Mary-I call her Mary. 1t will only
distress her. / give you my word Of
honor that she has no memory of any
thing before the trance"
But when he saw the passion in Holt's
face he judged il bost for his sake that
she should come. Since he cfose to
hear from her own mouth what he had
refused to believe from bis friends be
should do so.
She came quickly at the sound of the
loud voice, and glided in the room, look
ing like an angel Of peace between two
evil spirits She stopped short as she
caught sight Of Astlty's face all drawn
and set with the effort to suppress his
emotion. and then drew her arms around
his neck with cry of love and terror.
But lie unwound her arms, and for the
first time drew back from her embrace.
"Mary, my love"-I1olt's eyes flashed
fire at the tender words and tones-''teil
Mr.. Holt if you remember any thing in
your life before You awoke from your
trance in this house 2"
81 do not" she said; l remember moth
ing. ! have said it so many times"
"Swrar il, cried Holt.
II swear it," she said, shy my hus-
band, Richard Astley."
Poor Holt! He threw himself at her
feet, clasping her knees, and crying pas
sionately:
"Oh, Edith have you forgotten me,
your husband, David HoltY Oh, my
darling, you must remember me, and
how happy we were for that short two
years f'
But she broke from his grasp, and
threw herself into Astley's arms, crying
out:
"Scnd him away! What does. he
mean2 Send him away! She was pale
and trembling with terror.
Let her go!' shouted Holt, co. by"
The oath was interrupted bv Ashley.
"Holt, God knows | will try 10 do
what is right, and for her sake ! ask you
to be calm" He placed her in q char,
where she sat weeping for very fright,
and went on:
"You shall say all you can to bring
the past to her memory, and if she can
remember in the taintest degree, | will
give up my claim to yours. But il she
does notch, Holt, | saved her life :"
The struggle was an awful one, and
shook him as the wind shakes a reed.
"You tell her." said Holt, bitterly :;
perhaps she will believe what YOU say.
AT any rate, she will listen TO it,"
1t was hard to begin the cruel task !;
yet for her sake he undertook it, his
voice trembling, though he tried with all
his will to steady it,
"AIary, love, listen. You know that
you must have lived twenty years be-
fore you were brought here that night" {"
IL do not know" she said; Il can not
remember"
'But it must have been SO, for you
were woman then.
81 can not understand" she repeated
Il have no recollection OF any thing be-
fore that day"
Ashley turned to Holt with a look of
agony. "You see how it is; let us end
this torture"
"Give me back my wife :" said Holt,
fiercey.
"You will not take her." Ashley cried,
as the thought of his doing so against
her will struck him for the first time.
"She is mine," said Holt. go on ;
tell her the whole story. II she does not
understand it, she will believe it when
YOU tell it to her" The sneer with
which the words were spoken was a cruel
one, but misery had made him cruel, and
he scarcely knew what be said or did.
Aud Ashley told her all in few words.
She looked bewildered.
at must be SO, if you say so, but /
can not recollect. aud, oh, Ashley, l love
only YOU" ..
"She must come with me-" shouted
Holt savagely. The demon had got the
better of him, and the poor wretch, mad
with jealous pain, spoke bitter aud un.
Just words, that made the terrified wo-
man cling more closely to Ashley for
protection.
The scene must be ended for her sake,
and Ashley besought Holt to leave them
till the next day, when, if they could
but decide upon what was right, 1t should
be done. For her sake, too, he conde-
scended to plead with the frantic man;
and seeing Mary had tainted in his arms,
he laid her down, aud led Holt from the
room, that the sight of her might no
l,nr,ar n,oddau him His raua dIpd nnt