, 1873-01-12

] feather-bed8 implied by my waketulEess- " So-na
people can never sleep the first night II astrang
Liked the feather-bed q mattr:zs at tie top"
'.Yes, I did Sleep" answer, gloomily. 81
wish to heaven !. had not!" :
Observation-Disclosures? :" re-
pause between each word, ny dear child, 70,
!! what other purpose did sou go to bed7"
"1-1 had bad dreams," 6ny /, pluddering 4
little, and then taking her hand. roses and all
In mino. "Dear Jane, do not think me quite
run mad, but-but have you gotta Bradshaw in
| the house,"
"a Bradshaw!' What on earth do you want
witch .Bradehav:'" says my hostess, her fncc
lengthening considerably, and slight tincture
OF natural coldness coming into her tone. :,
say l, still holding her hand and speaking almost
an afraid that-that-that shall hare to leave
! yon-to~day ?"
ITO lea1e u.s." repeats she, withdrawing her
! hand and growing angr1ly read. '':What! when
! month with us? What have VIC done between
then and now to disgust you With us :"
| "Nothing-nothing," cry I eagerly; chow
can you suggest such thing? I never had =
kinder welcome nor ever saw place that
chsEned me rnore but-but-"
But Whatf" asks Jane, her color snhaidiug,
! and looking little mollided.
!" It il best to tell the truth, suppose" say
ElGnlDE, even kNouSn knoW tlAt you WILL
laugh at me-will cali ma yaporisb-7ao!tishly
superstitious ;: but had all awful and hideous
dream last night"
is that Ill :" she gays, looking relieved, and
beginning to arrange her roses IN an Old china
bowl. And 10 you think that all dreams are
confined to this house 2 I never heard before
Of their affecting any one special place more
than another. Perhaps no sooner are you back
in Dublin, in your own room aud your own bed,
than you will haro q still worse and uglier
one."
/ shake my head "But it vas about this
81 About n1e?" she says, with an accent Of
little aroused interest.
'sAbout you md your husband" answered,
earnestly s'ahall tell it you? Whether you
a warning, Such things hare hsppsned. Yes,
say what you will, I cannot believe that any
vision 80 consistent-so strangely real and
utterly free from tho junlblcd ineong11,itioa and
unlikclineasea OF ordinary dreams-could have
meant nothing. Shall begin7"
.sRy all means" answers Mrs. Watson, sitting
down in an armchair and smiling easily, II
am quite prepared to listen-and dlsbolieve."
You know" eaid narratiyeIy, coming and
standing elose before her how uttSFly @ tired & op
hardly answer your questions for yEwning. do
not think was ten minutes in getting into bed
and it seemed like hoa7on when laid nay head
down on the pillow. felt as II could sleep till
the Day Of Judgment. Well, you know, when
time, aud ! have no idea what hour it was really;
but, at eou,o time. In tue backcst and darkest OF
tho night, seemed to vale. It appeared as if
noiso had woke n1e-a noiso which 1t first neither
frightened or auprieed mo in the least, but
counted fc. il the muldied, drowsy way In
which one does account for things when half
asleep. But, Is I gradually grew I'd fuller con-
gciousuege. found out, with @ cold shudder.
to the night; nothing that Que could lay on wind
in tLo chimuey, or mice behind tie vainscot or
i}l-fttiug boards, It Was . eoupJ OF 1nu6icd
STRUGGLING, and once heard q sort Of cLoked,
stranclcl try.' I eat IN in bed perfectly purobcd
With fright. and for a moment could hear no.h-
loud b.tter;rS Of my heart against my side.
Then + Thought il it were auytlinr bad--if I
we're going to 10 murdered-t had, ut least,
rather be il the light than the dark, znd see in
aodes Aaq had atap iasseten
nv Eeariness overnight. to put the matches BY !
tho bedside and could not for the lie Of mo re-
collect where they wore. Also my knowledge OF !
tie Utter bIackness, without oven tho paIest,
grayess 7ey from the window to help me, was I
6y no mems sure III which direction tbs door |!
lay. I can feel now the pain Of the blow gave |
this right side against the sharp corner Of tho
tEp19 Ill p8AG1uK NaA quite surprised
morriuu net to ind the mark Of bruise there.
At list, in my cropping, Gang upon the handle, |
md turned tie key ID tbs lock. II eavo litt,o
goueak. and arafn | stopped for q moment. over
come by uncoye,uable. fcar, Then I silently
ouened the door and looked out. You know that /
Fhi1r door ia eYactly opposite nine. b. the line
b red IcLt undeyuea Ii it, could see tlat. at al
events, soune one was awake and astir within,
for tue light Was brighter than that gtvon by d
night-ugit. By the broader band OF rcd light
"a tho r79bt side Of it could also perceive that
Ehe door was atar. stood stock-stiu and lis
|ened, Tho two sounds Of struggling aud
,hokedly crying had both ceased. All tie noise
hat remained was that Of some persou quietly
noy!pa sbout On unbooted feet. teruaps james
ior sr1art e III. and pLo is ettine upvith it, she
ras saving last night, I rGmember, that ahe wa
lfraid it WAS Beginning with tic digtem-
,er. perhaps either gho Or hnr old mzn has
zen taken With some trifling Temporary eioI-
,ess Perhans TIM noiso of crvinr orE. that
.orfEini- hoard. was one Of them 6chtinr WITH
he nirhtrnnrt.' Trrinr. bv such-liRo snogas-
lima 10 baarton mvsalf u5sI sIo1a across tbe
,assnee and neepod IN"
us,.ss Il, nv narrative.
"Wcll ?" saYg jane, $ litt]o impat;ertly.
She has dropped hor MOWERS, TLey lie in
,dorone, do7y confusion in her Ian. sic Is