Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-04-16

thhl ne would come to-day, either
IN the body or out Of L., and claim
me for his wife. He will keep that
promise. Between this and mid
night be will come"
She had hardly ceased speaking
when the door opened, aud Paul de
Courcy and George Leslie entered
the room. Lulie sprang forward to
meet her lover, but as they advanc!
ed toward the light, she saw that
their faces were deathly white, and
their garments dripping wet. She
could not speak, she could not
move, but stood there terrOr.strick-
en-, until Paul advanced and took
her hand in his, and then she al
most shrieked, for his hand was
cold and clammy. He stood there,
holding her hand, and George Les
lie placed himself before them with
a book in his hand and opening 1t
at the marriage service, passed his
pale fingers slowly along under
each line, his lips moving, but no
sound escaping them, while Paul
and Lulie bowed In response to the
questions which be asked only by
looks. The book was closed and
the spirit. bridegroom turned and
pressed his cold lips to those Of his
bride and then his form and that
of the pastor became shadOwy, and
in a moment they had vanished and
Lulie stood alone.
The rest ofthe family now crowd
ed together, dumb with fright, for
they, too, had seen the strange GER
emory. Calm, though pale, and
cold as marble, Lulie went to her
room, and sat there alone all that
dreary night, knowing that Paul
was dead, and believing that Mr..
landlord was his murderer.
lie came the next day, and claim.
cd the fulfllment Of her promise.
"Mr. landlord" said she, "you
have no claim upon me. Paul came
last night, as he promised to do,
and made me his wife,"
"lmpOssible!' he replied "he is
dead"
slow do yon know that he is
dead Z" she asked, quietly, fixing
her eyes steadily upon his face.
lie turned pale as death then
tried to reply carelessly. "Oh, |
don't know. | only supposed it
must be so, as he did not come"
"You murdered him, base wretch
that you are! And do not think
that you will escape punishment.
| shall devote my whole life, il
need be, to the discovery Of your
guilt"
1t is needless for me to enter into
all the details Of the poor girls
weary search. II took four long
years to gather sufficient proof Of
Mr. landlords guilt; but at the
end Of that time he was In jail
awaiting his sentence. By the ad-
vice Of his counsel, he made a full
confession OF his crime. The letter
purporting to come from Pauls
brother he had forged for the pur-
pose Of Turing him from home. He
followed him but the presence Of
George Leslie prevented him from
accomplishing his purpose as soon
as he had intended to do. Paul
found his brother well: and entirely
ignorant of the letter which had
announced his illness. But he insist
ed upon their remaining with him
as long As they could, aud still have
time TO return upon the appointed
day. They started home upon the
morning Of the twentieth. But a
railroad accident detained them for
a short time /; and 1t was dark when
they left the train, and they had
five miles to 60 on foot, their path
leading a part Of the way close to
the bank Of a river. landlord had
come down by an earlier train, and
with an accomplish, whom he had
hired to assiet him, lay in wait for
him near this lonely river path, ex.
pecting them to come before dark.
They did not come as he expected
80 he sent his accomplice out to re-
connoitcr, and he, hearing Of the
accident, came back aud watched
until the unsuspecting men came
along close TO the edge of the high
bank, and then they rushed upon
them, knocked them s~enseless, and
threw them into the river.
landlord died in prison, but his
accomplish was never found. He
also confessed that Mr.. Greyson
urged him TO commit the deed, aud
knew that he had done SO; but
Justice was batlled there, and Mr..
GreysOn had been dead two years
when landlord was arrested.
Lulie GreysOn had never been
married. She Is an old woman
now and very calm and peaceful
her life has been since that fearful
time. The poor and needy never
apply to her In vain, for she lives
only for the good Of others, while
she longs for the time to come when
freed from earth, she can meet Paul
In that better land. Sometimes she
will speak Of the fact, and unclasp
a lOcket which she wears fastened
to a ribbon round her neck, and
disclose the picture of a dark.eyed,
bearded man, with lofty brow aud
noble mien, and say that Is Paul,
her spirit-husband, and that his
b%lue-eyed, golden haired girl is
herself, as she looked at the time of
her betrothal.