The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-05-02
Two Dollars a Year.

MS bNAAt anu Atft luANlpfu Was SUSPECTED
and arrested. The circumstance made \
great stir, for the murdered man wa.
well connected and widely known. Eve
~ one who valued his reputation Stunned
the society of Hernandez. and his house
became mt last the resort of contraban.
dists from the frontier aud the low char,
acbers who infested the city.
Impatient ut the long delay in answer
ing the summons, the count ierked the
hellrope vigorously, and at length the
host, followed by pale girl (the only
domestic in the house,, showed them
selves
With uany profound bows and apollo
gies for the delay, Hernandez took tn,
mule to the stable, while the count fol-
lowed the girl, whose name was Isabella.
to the interior of the place. There wa,
something so gentle and Interesting about
the girl that the count found himself
gazing after her wheresoever she vert
He taneied there was sadness in hei
face, and her large eyes sought his
as if she would have spoken to him,
But the appearance of Antonio Herman
dez put n stop to the effort that Isabella
was medtating in the nobleman's behalf
for the landlord never for an instant left
the girl alone in the counts presence.
Once or twice, when the count yawned
as if he were tired, Isabella turned her
eyes mournfully upon him as If to beseech
him not to retire to bed The count no
ticed the look but could not interpret it.
significance, aud during the evening he
saw her no more.
n feeling of WEAKNESS at length over
coming him the count arose from hi.
seat in the quaint old parlor and signified
his intention of seeing his room.
hernandez at once procured Il lamp
and escorted the count up stairs, usher,
ing him into large, ghastly chamber, in
which every article in the cumbrous fur
nilure was deeped by age to funeral
blackness. Two large mirrors adorned
the walls, and by their reflection
seemed to stretch out the dimensions
of the dreary apartment to Il boundless
extent.
This was the room in which the terri.
bic murder had been committed, and il
was never occupied, save when some dark
deed was to be done. The landlord
placed the lamp upon the table, and
wishing mis- guest good night, went out
and shut the door. The count turned
the key, and then by the dim light OF
the lamp surveyed the apartment. II
was so gloomy that he turned and walked
to the window, supposing that it looked
on the street. He was disappointed to
find that it opened on a small neglected
yard, filled with coarse vegetation and
some Wondering timber.
The moon was partially ohscured by
clouds but ever and anon threw flicker
ing light upon the desolate scene. A
vague presentment of evil stole over the
count and his mind became gloomy
beware Of the raven" The words OF
the sybil kept recurring to his memory
Could the warning Of the witch have been
prophetic? The count would have LEFT
the house but for a certain shame the
act would engender.
"PhawP he cried and leaned out the
window to snuff the air.
As he did 50, his ears caught the sound
of a suppressed hiss. He listened atten
lively, and it came agaia. Casting hi
eyes through the darkness, he endeavoreC
20 discover from whence the noise pro
ceeded, bat he could see nothing, anC
it was only when he raised his eyes up.
ward toward a small window directly
over his head that he discovered the hg
ure of isabella by the struggling light OF
the moon.
She was gesticulating towards him
but the moon was SO frequently hidden
behind dark clouds that he could not foi
some time guess her import, Suddenly
the great orb came out into the clear sky
and the count could see the girl plainly.
She was two stories above him, and he
could plainly hear her word distinctly
for she spoke in such low voice, and.
after she had warned him she quickly
disappeared.
"For the love of the Virgin, do not 90
to bed, senior, she said, "Antonio Her
nandez is my uncle, and he is bad man,
and if you 60 to sleep, senior, you may
never see the light of the world again.
Don't betray me, for my uncle would Kill
me if he knew | had spoken these words.
Adieu"
The count felt beneath his girdle and
instinctively laid his hand upon the hill
of his dagger. Then he walked To- LIS
chamber door, turned the key and un.
locked it, intending 10 look out into the
corridor, but to his surprise he found il
was fastened upon the outside and he was
prisoner. He tried to force 1t open, bul
it resisted all his efforts,
tie sat down, and, leaning his head
upon his hand, began to mediate. a,
he did so the oil in the lamp became ex.
hausted and the light went out. He felt
strong convictions that some unseen dan
ger lowered near, and that which wa:
suspicion became q certainty. Nothing
remained but to await the attack, and
sell his life as dearly as possible. The
thoughts Of the beautiful Julia often re
Cured to his mind, IL was 10 see hel
again that he became involved in hi
present condition. He thought, too, o
the gypsy, and wondered what order o.
being she was to forecast the peril thai
should befall him.
The clouds began to break away from
the face of the heavens and the count
was enabled to see more clearly about the
chamber. lie heard the clocks in the
city toll the hour of midnight, but all de
sire for sleep had left him, and he wai
very vigilant.
Approaching the bed, he pulled dowr
one of the pillows and disarranged the
covering, throwing it in a sort of heaI
as if person was reposing there. Their
he walked over the room and stood witt
his back to the wall, watching the cham
Der door screened from the immediate
sight of those who might sock an entrance
there by tall chair which he placed be
fore him.
While thus upon the alert, a large
mirror close upon his right gave clicl
like the lock of pistol, ami then flew
open at the touch of some person behinC
it. The heavy framework of this an
tique ornament rested against the chail
and concealed the count from view.