Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-04-01

w OO Abs
| He paused a moment, hesitating
whether or not to push open the door
and 60 in, when the same deep sigh
ing, almost grooming, struck his ear.
Instantly his hand grasped the door
handle. 1t turned, and the door softly
opened few inches. What a sight
met his astonished gaze. Opposite
the door, on large table, originally
intended for dissecting table, lay the
body ola young woman. Over it
stood De Vaux. He was chatting the
thin white hands, and murmuring in a
low voice, words Of tenderest endear-
ment. Every moment he would stop.
and bending over the still form, press
the most passionate kisses on the pale
white lips. He raised the beautiful head
to his shoulder, and straining the frail
form to his breast, whispered almost
fercely:
"My darling! come back to life and
love. Oh, Leila, my own, my beauti-
full one, speak to me, look at me-"
The eyelids quivered, the pale lips
moved. Supplied, Adrian stood root
ed to the spot. What could it mean?
Who was the dead girl? The name
Leila! What Leliaa How came she
there! Was DR.. De Vaux grave rob
Der, was that the body of his Leila !?
Dumb with horror and establishment,
he sood and gazed through the partly
opened door.
lie was aroused by the faint sound
of calriage~wheels. De Vaux started !;
Selling large heavy blanket, he COM
menced wrapping it around the still
form.
Pulling the parlor door softly togeth
err, Adrian passed out, down stairs into
the street.
The avenue was thicklv studded with
trees, and moving back into the shad-
ow he stood still and waited.
The next moment a carriage drove
up, and stopped before the door. The
driver got down, and putting his hand
to his mouth, he gave low whistle.
He then turned and opened the car.
riage door. Adrian recognized the
maj man, (, ...s
large blanket and shawl. AS he at
tempted to lift his burden into the cars
riage part of the blanket fell back and
revealed face-horror of horrors, it
was indeed the pale, lifeless, dead face
of his lost Leila. De. Vaux laid it on
the seat, got in himself and closed the
door.
The carriage started and rolled al
most noislessly away down the deserted
street
Adrian Gale stood and gazed in be-
wildered horror after the retreating veS
hicle. The moment it passed out of
sight he awoke from the benumbed
stupor which for the moment had par
alyzed his whole being.
Like mailman he rushed up street
toward the residence of Colonel Sum-
ner. To arouse the grief stricken faith
err and his whole household was his act.
A few moments suficed to explain the
cause of his great excitement.
Colonel Sumner, half afraid that A
, drian had lost his mind, made haste to
obey his directions. He ordered three
| horses to be d1led, one for himself, a
second for Adrian, and third for a
stout, middle-aged man, who had been
IN his employ long time.
Together the three went out in pur-
suit of the wretched man who had done
them so great an injury.
On the road they had time to dis
cuss and decide the best course TO pur-
sue. That De Vaux would attempt
desperate means of defense was no more
than they expected.
After about two hours good riding,
they came in sight of the carriage.
Luckily they had not mistaken the
road.
Colonel Sumner, followed by the 9th
ers, rode up to the side of the carriage,
and ordered the man to stop.
The man obeyed.
Hearing the noise, De Vaux opened
the window on the side next to them
and looked out. Instantly comprehen~
ding his situation, he sprang to the OPP
posite door, twisted it open, leaped to
the ground and darted into thicket of
pines which grew close to the edge OF
the road.
As he disappeared into the thicket,
he whirled suddenly and fred two pis-
toll shots. One bullet hit Colonel Snm
ners horse, in6icting wound near the
shoulder, the other just grazed Adrian
cheek and slightly singed his hair.
De Vaux was never seen again.
| In the carriage they found Leila: not
dead, but alive, and sufficiently con
scious to understand what hal happe NJ
ed. Though to all appearance dead
when placed in the vault, she had never
boo,, entirely unconacious