The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-06-25

- hC tCOnutCco buTuSn AWAY,
pale as ashes, and Conway drew deep
breath of relief, and turned to his friend.
"RalphS no said, vT.mist 90. Heaven
knows why I should be the only person
TO know,her secret, but can't stay here
longer and keep it. Are you ready?",
what was the matter just now?"
What could possess eher>to come and
talk to me? I, told you there seemed to
be a dark mist about her head. Well,
while she spoke, it leaned over her
shoulder, and the mist seemed to open.
could see it's face almost distinctly"
What was itlikeP"
.':A corpsel The features set. and
pinched and white-that was all could
make out" 72joh
.,"She suspects something. Come, we
had better go" .,.,
They moved slowly towards the doot,
Murchison stopping here and there to
speak to nm acquaintance as he passed.
But at the last moment he again turned
to Conway.
"Look once more," he snid and MS he
spoke he felt himself shndder, for the
horror Of the vision had begun to infect
him. Take ono last deliberate look at
her, and don't carry away any fancies."
Conway obeyed. He glanced around
the room in search of the countess. She
was quite at the further end, and had
her hand on the handle of door, as .if
going out; but at the moment when the
two friends paused, looking at her, some
one spoke to her, and she turned from
the door to reply. Murchison just per-
ceived this, and then, trying in Con
ways face to discover what he saw, took
alarm at the awful pulor which crept
over it, and drew him quickly out into
the hall. t,"'
For Heavens sake, what was it?"
For moment Conway seemed unable
to answer. His lips were white aud stiff,
his hands trembled, and he grasped his
friends arm to support himself.
''The mist was almost gone from about
it" he said at last. "It is corpse, long
dead, decaying, livid, phosphorescent-
I don't know what to say-it glimmers;
it has shreds of shroud hanging about
it. Oh, it is horrible it is horrible"
He trembled convulsively. Murchi-
sons own nerves thrilled.
"Come into the dining room mi
mute, he said; there are two or three
men there yet, and then we'll be off, :"
They went in. 1t was still early, and
the host sat patiently waiting the ending
of q political argument. Three or four
of the guests were absorbed in it. They
formed little group at one end of the
table. The rest of the room was empty
The two young men, after exchanging a
word or two with the earl, sat down
apart. and Murchison asked: 80.
s:''Yeu saw it more clearly then?
Eyes, quite clearly. Don't ask about
it now. I'll answer all your questions
after"
"Better do it now. It is either fancy,
or the most awfnl visitation that ever
mortal was subject to-"
Fancy? I tell you it is no fancy
You saw her take lier hand off the han
die of the door when that girl spoke to
her? Well, the-tbing-put its horrible
hand on the handle as ii to open the
door, and its other arm was round her
not close, not absolutely holding her,
but making as if it would open the door
and draw her into the next room. But
the horror was, that it looscd the han
die, and raised its arm, as l looked, and
looked ut me and beckoned!' 'ii
Their talk was suddenly interrupted.
A shriek. ringing through the house,
broke it off. Doors opened and shut in
all directions; and the whole party rush
ing into the hall, found servants hurry
ing wildly about, and tho countess
French maid screaming and exclaimiug,
My lady! my lady She is DYING
she is dead-she is poisoned! iNniHeu-
reuse que je suiSi"
Struggling on with the crowd, the two
friends reached the door of small draw
ing-room opening from the larger one
In low chair, near the fire, sat the
countess, her eyes closed, her face white
aud rigid. A coffee-cup had fallen from
her hand. and lay broken on the floor,
a stream of the dark liquid marked her
rich white dress. Beside her, on the
table. was small case, and the room was
full of a subtle deadly odor.
AS the bolder or more intimate visitors
gathered round, following the earl, Con
way laid his hand on Murchison's shoul-
der
"There it isl" he said, "close beside
her. bending down. 1t puts its arms
around her,
The rigid figure, so still in the midst
of the. terrified excitement, suddenly
moved. The countess opened her eyes.
She turned her head slowly, as if looking
for some one close at her side
UAt last Philjpn she said diatinoflv