The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1869-11-11

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a convenient preienee to hide her gniliy
accomplice Worried by the importu.
mites of her friends aud the slanders Of
her enemies, excited by the angry face
Of her f ther and the sad, reproachful
grief of her mother, she became ner-
yously excited, almost to insanity.
Her highly sensitive Organization.
weakened by her severe Illness and
overtaxed the exciting emotions ever
present in her mind, became oyerpower.
ed and uncomfortable. She became
feariully susceptible to all external in.
auences she would start aud shiver at
the least unusual sight or sound; and
sleep came not 10 the guise Of ''sweet
rcstorer," but as a tormenting spirit.
with harrassing dreams aud agonizing
Nightmares in its train.
The physician feared recurrence Of
fever and permanent insanity. He for,
babe all illusions to topics Of a distress.
ing character, and recommended strict
quiet and seclusiou from all visitors.
One night, uuder the combined in.
fueuce of per ect quiet aud the sooth.
ing presence of her mother, she sank
into profound slumbcr. With brood.
ing watchfulness Mrs. Gray kept vigil
over her.
For time she lay in deep uncon.
sciousness, then she wildly tossed about
the bed, moaning aud signing as if uu.
der the influence of some evil SPELL
Suddenly she arose, her eyes fixed and
CLASSY, aud an eager, anxious expression
on her wasted face.
Terrified, her mother hastily awak eued
her father, who was sleeping in the next
room. He arose, and, hearing light
football on the front porch, hurried out
Of the house
Out of the porch she glided into the
shimmeripg moonlight, down the narrow
footpath to the gate Passing out OF
the gate, she paused for a moment, as
if undecided. Her night robe futtered
in the passing breeze; the bright light
OF the full moon filed her staring eyes
with supernatural light, aud illumined
her pale face with unearthly radiance
She turned toward the narrow lane
which led to the barn, aud feetly sped
in its direction.
Mr.. Gray followed in wondering
silence. She entered the barn. The
moonlight streamed in at the open door
and through the creviccs Of brok en-
boards, lighted up the interior of the
building. To her fathers amazemeut,
she rapidly and safely assembled the
long ladder placed against one of the
upper beams. Speechless with horror,
he saw her walk with swift swaying
motion, cross a beam, aud reach with
eager hand in the dusky obscurity Of
the rafters. She clasped something in
her hand with cry of joy, and turn.
ing, rapidly retraced her perilous jour.
ney. Mr.. Gray watched her with ago.
nizing fear, for false step would have
precipitated her twenty feet or more
To his great relief she reached the
ladder in safety, and began to descend,
holding the bundle in one hand. As
she stepped upon the floor she tripped
in her robe, aud would have fallen if
her father, with ready baud, had not
caught her trembling form. A cry of
alright broke from her lips. The fixed
stony gaze was gone. Weak and terror.
stricken, she gaspei.
Where am l.? o, where am II"
Mr.. Gray raised her slight form in
his arms aud tcqderly carried her back
to the house. The bundle which she
had so perilously obtained was found to
contain the missing money and papers.
Carrie could give no account OF the
motives that led her to seek the stolen
money among the dim, dusky rafters Of
the old house. 1t was all blank to
her; she remembered nothing from the
moment 10 which she fell asleep with
her mothers kindly face bending over
her, until she awoke to ind herself In
her fathers arm in the old barn.
Relieved from the distressing copse
quouces of her oath of secresy, she rap.
idly recovered her bodily health. Her
mis-. placed confidence and love still bore
heavily upon her heart. She could not
at once forget the handsome face aud
manly form of her lover, although he
had proved himself villian.
Claude Hamilton, 10 the meantime.
bad existed in torture. He did not
know how far he might depend upon
the honor Of the girl whose love aud
trust he had SO cruelty betrayed. But
as the weeks few past, and he was un.
suspected and unmolested, his evil pro.
pensities returned with irresistible
force. He attempted to rob house 10
which he knew he would find ample
plunder. He was seen, pursued, and
shot, What was the surprise aud hor.
ror Of all the village to discover that
the courtly, fascinating Claude Hamil-
ton was a ooutempitible tsicf.
Thus relieved by his death from the
crushing influence Of her oath, Carrie,
with tears, told the frightful details Of
that dreadful night when she surprised
her lover riding her fathers secretary