The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-05-18

the more so, since you confess yourself
guilty OF the crime of sacrilege and
no man heedlessly or thoughtlessly
will be his own accuser in such case
Still there is one part of your statement
which find 1t hard to believe, and this
more especially concerns myself and
her whose memory hold dear. Heintz
Wherart, l will myself at once hasten
to the church. IF your story be true
not moment is to be lost You must
lead me to the vault into which the re-
} mains of my beloved wife were consign-
ed this morning"
3" Oh, no, no, dare not - exclaim-
ed the sexton, with uplifted hand q
dare not return :"
''Then l must tell you, plainly, that
L do not believe what You have been
telling me-" returned the Baron. with
II frown.
ooh, my lord. say not so. l have
: been tempted to commit an act at which
l now shudder, but do nope that you
will not accuse me of adding falsehood
to my crime"
Why do you refuse to accompany
me2 . the Baron asked.
dare nOt-my courage fails me, y
replied the man.
"Can it be possible that you, who
are the sexton, should be afraid of the
dead2"
Heintz Wherart, paler than the
corpse be had just visited, trembled
from head to foot He made no reply
to the last question
You look like man who has been
terrified by the sight of ghost or
spectre. Any such unearthly visitor
would move you to the last extremity
of fear
''Alas, yes, murmured the sexton.
Your brain is disturbed with some
strange feeling of this description :;
but tell you plainly that you must
pluck up courage and return to the ca
thedral with me. This is the very
least you can do to make amends for
the guilty act"
g do not deny it, my lord said
Heintz, "my duty prescribes it, my
will is good, but"
cat present you are unnerved. Say
| not right?
Such is the ease / plainly confess
it, " returned the trembling fepentant.
The Baron poured out from bottle
goblet of some potent liquor, which
he handed to his companioii.
Drain off the contents of this, " he
SAID IN confident tone; it viii give
you courage. I'm the course of n few
minutes you will be another man
Heintz WEerart obeTed Under the
influence of the draught, he regained
little of lis composllre.
"Now," observed his superior,
/. prepare to accompany me. You NAV
not like the task, but it is one YOU are
bound to perform"
The sexton bowed his head in tacit
acquiescence.
Are you ready" asked the Baron.
am, was the ready response-for
by this time the sexton was fully aware
that All circumstances would be use
less; he therefore made virtue of
necessity, and proceeded at once to the
cathedral, accompanied by the Baron.
During the sloft journey he answer
ed the queries of the latter with as
much brevity as possible. Upon reach
ing the half opened door to the sacred
edifice his heart beat violently, but be
stroye as best he could to conceal his
trepidation. And, assuming an air of
confidence, he strobe boldly along the
aisle of the church.
Heaven preserve and protect us, y
murmured the conscience-stricken
Heintz, as he approached the entrance
to the vault.
eff you have any fear, Heintz
Wherart, said the Baron, in a conciIia-
tory tone, "say SO, and ] Will enter
the vault alone"
81 would not have it 50, my lord, ="
returned the sexton. q know the
way far better than you can possibly
do Duty dictates that ] should enter
first. "
The lamp was still burning. 1t shed
a sickly glare upon the sombre walls
and melancholy relies of mortality en-
shrined within that gloomy receptacle.
The sexton who had been closely fol-
lowed by the Baron, uttered an ex-
elimination of terror and surprise.
Wherefore this sudden fear" said
the latter.
''Look yonder The saints be good
to me, guilty sinner that ] am 'eiacu-
lated Heintz, falling on his knees and
clasping his hands, as if making a
mute appeal to some patron SAINT.
Upon the instant. the Baron's ewes
We're directed to one object in the
vault, at the further extremity of which
he beheld his wife seated on a stone
She looked more like a spectre than a
denizen of this world, albeit she regard
ed the new corners with vacant stare
such as person might display who has
been suddenly awakened from a long
deep sleep.
Heavens Am l dreaming, or do
my senses deceive me?" exclaimed the
Baron. "Shroeder, my dear wife,
speak-answer me! Say, is it YOU
Speak, dearest! For mercyS sake,
speak z"
Where am Land what is the mean
ing OF all this ~ murmured the Lacy
Shredder, in faint, weak tone
Her husband sprang forward and
clasped her III his arms He took her
cold hands within his own, clasped
them, and covered her face with warm
kisses. Meanwhile, the sexton rocked
himself to and fro, calling upon all the
saints in the calendar to shield him
from harm
Lady Shredder had already realized
her position After Heintz's depart
ure she awoke from her lethargy, and
passed some terrible moments. TO
her surprise she discovered that she
was clothed in silk She glanced
around, and her position was but too
palpable. Instead of being III u warm
bed, she was reposing IN a narrow cot