Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-02-15

then he made me shake her gently, then
more briskly. Then he made me call her
gently. then loudly, and finally satisfied
him that she was in state of coma. He
raised her eyelid, and looked at her eye,
and stopped, as he did so, very close toh her
fece. Then he stood again at the side of
her bed, looking down on her, with his
lips compressed and drawn down at the
corners, and hard frown, and he nodded
once or twice as he was thinking.
"That will do" said he "Let US 60
down."
Iwas very much alarmed; his face
frightened me- led him again to the
front room.
"Is it anything very serious, doctor?" l
asked, very much afraid of the answer
that was coming.
Serious enough" said he.
..,..>. ou 60 something for itr'
sad.
"Nothinr ~ he answered.
Cool Heaven! sir, what is 1T" | ex.
claimed.
You and your vicar may do her more
goo than could" said Doctor Pelham.
But what is it?" exclaimed. in some
thing bordering on distraction.
He smiled family, and nodded. and
looked out througl the window for mo-
ment, and then, turning to me with little
shrug. l., said:
al ,oo +1aro ,ro ,,,ora Thin oro in henven
and earth than are dreamed of in your
philosophy. Have you read your Arabian
Nights p
"Genii?' I asked. thinking he meant
thereby to indicate supernatural agency.
You remember, then,' he continued,
ca story of lady who had cer,ain unac-
countable peculiarities which puzzled her
husband. He lay awake one night, pre-
tending to be asleep, as usual he watched
her. saw her rise, and leave the room. He
followed. keeping her in view, and tracked
her to the tombs, where he saw her in
fernal repast, and discovered her to be
ghoul%
"a ghoulw ~ exclaimed.
"Now, in this case" he continued, "you
must practi:e a similar stratagem. You
must have nerve to follow 1t up"
"And what shall sect" l said
Wonders" he replied.
"But what?" insisted.
"Say nothing to put her on her guard.
and your eyes will tel yoa that. 1.shant
saw a word more on the subject. Good-
ni.ht.' he sad. and went quickly to the
ha'l-Goo..
followed him, and tried to slip his fee
into his hand as lie passed me. But he
percmptorily declined it; and repeating
"Good night" ran down the steps. through
the garden. jumped into his carriage, and
hal driven away before | half recovered
the stun of what lie had said.
took long walk next day. kept as
much as possible out of my wi:e's way.
The doctors mysterious conduct had given
me vague and secret m;sgivings about her;
and q sense of the espionage meditated.
duplicity imposed upon me a' matter
of conscience. and such as | had never
embsrrass me in her presence.
don't know whether it was fancy. but
thought her fine black eyes followed me
about, with steady but stealthy suspicion.
all that evening, as If she were intuitive-
" informed OF the altered state Of my
thoughts, and knew, with fearful antici-
patton. that light was about to break in
upon me.
did my best to appear unconcerned and
easy. We played our short game OF ecarte
as usual after tea. read aloud charter
Of Miss Burney's charming novel of Ce;i-
lia. and then our portion Of the Pilgrim
Progress, and. lastly. our accustomed
chapter Of the Bible
saw her look at me. as did So. in
marked and suspicious way. and be fore we
went upstairs she asked little abruptly:
Are you quite. we'll this evening.
jerry"
laughed (what hypocrite I was be-
coming) as well as was able. and assured
her that nothing was amiss with me. that
never felt better, and only wishel that
she were half as well.
She seemed satisfied. and we went to
rest.
1t was my habit, ever since had dis
covered her liability to the seizures which
have described. and which appeared to
me since my secret interview with Doctor
Pelham, the night before. unspeakably
more awful than ever to keep q light
burning in the room all night. was
therefore furnished without any departure
from ordinary habits. with means and op-
portunjty OF observing all that should pass.
| affected to fall INTO a sounl sleep; my
wife appeared to me really to do so.
At about a quarter to twelve my wife
sat up in the bed, and looked at me- had
closed my eyes. except the least bit in
life She sat as still as wax image, look.
ing a. me. TEen she leaned over me and
listened. Then softly and lightly she slid
out of bel at the far side, without a sound.
unlocked press in the wall, and applied
ha,