Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-08-14

tlll ucdlo eli0
dreadful restlessness had come upon
me. 1t seemed as if the silent night
side of lifaswas busy waking now, but
the silence and solitude of my antique
chamber became toor:uch for me. l
rose from my bed, and paced up and
down the room. l raked up the dy-
ing embers of the fire, and drew an
armchair to the hearth. | fell into a
doze. By and by I woke up sudden
ly, and I was conscious of stealthy
footsteps in the passage. My sense
Of hearing became painfully acute.
I heard the footsteps retreating down
the, corridor, until they were lost in
the distance. I cautiously opened
the door, and, shading the candle
with my hand, looked out-there was
nothing to be seen; but I felt that l
could not remain quietly in my room.
and closing the door behind me, l
went out in search of knew not what.
The sitting-rooms and bed-roomsln
ordinary use at The Mere were in the
modern part of the house; but there
was an old Elizabethan wing which l
had often longed to explore, and in
this strange ramble of mine soon
had reason to be satisfied that | was
we'll within it. At the end of an oak.
paneled narrow passage a door stood
open, and l entered low, sombre
apartment fitted with furniture in tue
STYLE of two hundred years ago.
There was something awfully ghossy
about the look of this room. A great
four-post bedstead with heavy hang
ings, stood in a deep recess; a round
oak table and two high-backed chairs
were in the centre of the room. Sud.
denly, as 1 eazed on these things, ]
heard stealthy footsteps in the pas
sage and saw dim light advancing
Acting on a sudden impulse, I extin,
guished my candle and withdrew In
70 the shadow of the recess, watching
eagerly. The footsteps came nearer
Ny heart seemed to stand still with
expectation. They paused outside
the door, for moment really-for an
age, it seemed to me. Then, to my
astonishment, saw Mr.. Maryon en-
ter. He. carried small night-lamr
in his hand. Another glance salts
fed me that he was walking in his
sleep. He came straight to the round
table and set down the lamp. He
seated himself in one Of the high.
backed chairs, his vacant eyes staring
at the chair opposite; then his lips
began to move quickly, as if he. were
addressing some one. Then he rose
went to the bureau, and seemed to
take something from it; then he sat
down again. What a strange action
of his hands At first could not
understand it; then it flashed upon
me that in this dream of his he must
be shutting cards. Yes. he began to
deal; then he was playing with his
adversary-his lips moving anxiously
at times.
A look of terrible eagerness came
over the sleep-walker's countenance.
With nimble fingers he dealt the
cards, and played. Suddenly with a
sweep of his hand he seemed to fling
the pack into the Fireplace. started
from his seat, grappled with his un.
seen adversary, raised his powerful
right land, and struck a tremendous
blow. Hush! more footsteps along
the passagel Am I deceived? From
my concealment I watch for what is
to follow. Colonel Bludyer comes in,
half dressed, but wide awake.
"You maniac" I hear MIN mutter;
81 expected you were given to such
tricks as these. Lucky for you no
eyes but mine have seen your -abject
folly. Come back to your room.
Mr.. Maryon is still gazing, hiss
lifted wildly above his head, upon the
imagined foe whom he had felled to
the. ground. The Colonel touches him
on the shoulder, and leads him away,
leaving the lamp My reasoning fac
ulties had fully returned to me. [
neld clue to the secret. and for Ag-
mes sake it must be followed up. |
took the lamp away, and placed it on
a table where the chamber candle
sticks stood. reit my own candle and
found my way back to my bedroom.
The next morning, when | came
down to breakfast, l found Col. Blud-
Yer warming himself satisfactorily at
the blazing fire | learned from him
that our host was far from well, and
that Miss Maryon was in attendance
upon her father; that the Colonel
was charged with al kinds of apollo
gies to me, and good wishes for my
safe return home across the snow. |
thanked him for the delivery Of The
message, which | felt perfectly con-
vinced that he had never been charg
ed with. However that might be, |
never saw Mr.. Maryon that morning,
and started back to The Shadows
through the snow.
For the next two or three days the
weather was very wild, but con-
trived to get up to The Mere, and ask
after Mr.. Maryon. Better, l was
told, but unable to see any one Miss
Maryon, too. was iatigued with nurs-
ing her father. SO there was moth
ing to do but trudge home again.
Reginald lIestcar, -.Hic .Hic Mcrc as
yours Compei ./ohn Mayon 10 poy
ne debt 4t honor T.
Again and ag.:in these words forced
themselves upon me, as listlessly
gaz-d ont upon HE white landscape.
The strange seen" that had witness
e'l on that mcn lable "ight had
passed henealh Mr.. Mary"ns root
had brought them back to my mem
ory with redoubled force, and l be-
gan to think that 'he apparltion 1 had
seen-or dreamed ot-on my first
night at The Shadows had more of
truth i'll it tllan ht, been willing to
believ,