The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-02-07

out? God help you.
The moments wore YEARLY on. Mr..
Juanez' restlessness and frequent moaning
had ceased, and as he now lay quite mo-
tionless, and, as she thought, scarcely
breathing, her apprehensions were again
fully aroused. With despairipg cry she
said: "when will this weary night end,
and help come to my poor boy9"
Going to the window she looked out at
the eastern sky. No signs CT day; she
turned-her heart almost ceased beating,
and she sank into chair that fortunately
was near
The door leading to the corridor was
wide open and on the threshold stood a
man.
Heavens how could he have opened the
door, locked as it was without her kDowl-
edge?
She instinctively glanced on the bed on
which her protector lay. Alas he cannot
aid her; she must rather protect him.
She tried to speak to the intruder, but no
sound came through her white lips. She
tried to rise from her chair, but her limbs
refused to support her.
The man stood motionless, staring direct
ly at her.
She thought, perhaps, he is burglar.
81 will give him all and he will go, OF y
and she grasped eagerly at the idea" he
lo tn oil MI
possible"
Making violent effort to speak, she
said to the intruder:
"Who are you, sir, and why have you
come at this hour of the night to an infect
ed honse ?''
The man was apparently about forty live
years of age, tall and spare in form. His
grizzly hair, long and straight, hung in
heavy mass upon his shoulders, Coatless,
hatless, shoeless, though he was, he was
still a commanding looking person, and
Notwithstanding her great alarm, Mrs.
Juanez thought of portrait she had once
seen of Melancthon.
Except for the hard glitter in his eye,
and cruel expression about the mouth,
one might have supposed him some eccen-
trio scholar or philosopher.
As she addressed him, the man bowed
politely, glanced furtively about the room
and over his shoulder into the corridor,
then stepped stealthily into the room, plac-
ing upon the floor the heavy pendulum of
a clock which he carried in his hand, and
sat down.
He looked steadily at Mrs. Juanez again
with peculiar contraction of the mouth
that seemed habitual.
At this moment Mrs. Juanez rose to her
feet almost wild with terror, the mans
manner was so appalling,
Should she fly past him, down the long
stairway, out into the night, and shrek for
helpo Useless. He sat where he could
instantly seize her if she made the attempt.
Her next impulse was to throw open
window and scream with the energy of dis
pair. What use; he could kill her if he
chose before she could take three steps.
The man seeming to divine her thoughts,
rose from his chair, shut and locked the
door, putting the key in his pocket.
There could be no aid for her. What
ever her fate might be, she must meet it as
best she could. A strange calmness came
to her. Resuming her seat she again said:
"Why have you come at this hour to an
infected house?
Still no reply.
The mans furtive gaze now rested for
the first time upon the features OF Mr.
Juanez, and his expression changed to one
of perfect malignity.
Swinging his long, bony arms aloft, he
began 4 furious harangue; ideas, words,
laughter, loud and dscordant strangely
interviewer. The fearful gibberish; the
uncomfortable fury of the man told the
despairing woman that she was face to face
with raving maniac.
Higher and louder rose the hideous
shouts and laughter.
How long he went on thus she knew not;
it seemed an age. Suddenly he ceased and
dropped into his chair, yet without the
least appearance of exhaustion.
Her suspense was horrible; if he intend
ed, in his maniac fury, to kill both Mr..
Juanez and herself, she almost wished he
would do the fearful deed and end her
agony. The sick man lay quite uncon sci
Gus of what was taking place. The poor
wife thought with a SILVER, he might even
then be dying, or already dead. He at
least knew not of the terrible danger.
How the freight danced and flickered,
lighting up the now CHASTITY features of the
madman, as he sat nervously clutching his
bony fingers together. Mrs. Juanez tried
to rivet his restless gaze, and thus, perhaps,
hold him subdued till help, for which she
was so fervently praying, should come, but
she could not hold his wandering eyes for
moment.
She thought, with what keen despair, of
the little revolver which she knew how to
use and which usually lay on the bracket
within reach of her hand, where she sat;
but alas on this fatal night; it lay upon
stand directly behind that fearful crea-
ture. Could she by any strategem get
possession of it, she resolved, vain as it
seemed, to sell her life as dearly as possible.
With the strong contraction of the
mouth, and low laugh. the maniac drew
from his pocket black razor case, and
took from it the glittering instrument;
held it up in the freight to watch the
laird danes upon its polished surface; and
breathed upon it, intensely watching the
slow evaporation of the moisture.
Another wild laugh and he swung aloft
his long arms.
Had the moment come? No!
Pluckng long hair from his matted
locks, he held it by one end suspended in
the air, saying:
"Look, madam" as he dextrously sew
cred it; "Oh, this is finer than the famed
steel of Damascus; good blade, your
wounds are deep and clean ~
"Madam,' he continued, ,"you are a
brave lady. When saw you below stairs,
knew you were my subject. fain would