Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-05-04

distilled rich odors In the warm night
Minerva paused, and hummed little son.
net. The past was folded away in soft oh.
scurity, like the lines of forest on the bori.
zon the future lay beyond, bathed in light
like the peaceful meadows about the Lich.
tenthal convent; life was full Of placid
contentment to Minerva, who also impart.
ed this soothing influence to the man at hei
side. There was silvery radiance on the
fountains wavering column, on the glossy
leaves of pendent branches, and on the
road.
All the particulars of their fist meeting
were rehearsed minutely-the surprise, the
wonder of recognition, the doubts and fears
of possible aversion aud then, where the
shadow was deepest beneath the trees,
Herbert Wilson stopped 10 whisper, with
his lips touching Minerals cheek, IL love
you"
u.--JANE's STORY.
Jane passed along the street alone. She
was half-minded to take walk by herself
then decided TO spend an hour on the bal
cony instead. The street consisted of a
several hotels. These houses resembled
ornamented paper boxes, and were exactly
alike, even TO a range of tiny gardens
adorned with a green arbor, wherein the
first floor lodger might partake of morning
coffee. Jane passed man and woman on
the pavement. The man was bare-headed,
and smoking cigar; the woman-a maid
servant escaped from duty-was chatting
coquettishly. Jane opened the yellow gate
and walked up the gravel path. The house
door stood wide open, as usual. Jane paused
TO peer into the landlady's room, where
that affable but unwieldy person usually
lurked, ready 10 exchange pleasant word.
The landlady was not there. A dim light
burned in one corner of the hall, and Jane
ascended the winding stair. The first floor,
wbe re our travellers occupied one suite of
rooms, was very dark. Jane fumbled for
the key on the nail where it was placed by
the servant, and found it still in the lock
instead. Mentally reprehending such care
lessness, she entered the room aud groped
for the match box. Jane was the type OF
woman who always knows where the
matches were last placed her fingers there
fore sought instinctiyely, certain small
table, and came in contact with human
head. James heart gave one thump, and
see emed to stand still. She expected to be
seized and perhaps strangled the next mo-
men in the almost palpable darkness.
"Who is theref" she finally managed to
articulate, and stepped back with an ire
pressibly quick movement, which upset a
standard, and sent down a shower of glass
and crockery and jingling spoons with a
crash. The conviction that Minerva would
have tainted kept Jane from doing so her
self.
There was no answer save a soft rustling
sound and long respiration, bali sigh and
half groan. Jane never knew how she
gained the door again, but when faint ray
from the hall revealed candle and the
matches, she conquered her first cowardly
impulse TO run, and determined TO investi-
gate matters. James whole aIter-life was
destined to be illuminated by that match.
Good heavens she was in the large bed
room instead Of the salon. Where were
her large trunk and Minerva's basket Of
flowers The first object on which the
light OF the candle fell was a pair of mas
culine boots, and the next black coat sus-
pen ded with a weird and limp aspect as of
ghost about to embrace her. Jane opened
her lips to scream, and clutched the candle
convulsively. What had become of the
head2
Awful silence, and the candle made a
feeble ray without penetrating obscurily.
Wondering ii she were asleep or in pos
session Of her seven senses, Jane peered
about her. Something cold touched her
foot. The upset stand lay amidst ruin of
china bowl, lea-cup, phial and water Ca
rafe, and the fluids were streaming across
the floor. She had overturned the stand
only how had it been placed there al all =?
The head was over yonder, and belonged
to shape stretched on the bed. James
teeth chattered, and her brain began to
whirl.
Somebody had taken possession of their
rooms, wearing boots and a black coat.
Stay, the atmosphere was permeated with
medicine, possibly from the broken bottle
on the carpet. Had the stout landlady base
ly turned them out, bag and baggage, on
the arrival of an invalid? Fear impelled
Jane 10 fly and learn the truth so perplex-
ing in lis mystery, and an equally fascin-
ating horror held her motionless, staring at
the intruder. The swift change of circum-
stances was overpowerng to Jane. She
was stupehed, bewildered; realities be-
came suddenly swallowed up in a dream, a
fearful nightmare. The head reposed
on the pillow so quietly that the stiffness
became awful. What If it was that of q
corpsef The thought nerved her to most
desperate valor. She had read stories about
such things many time, voices in the
street impaired additional courage she ad.
vanced cautiously with the candle held be.
fore her, and inspected the occupant of the
couch. The hair on the pillow was gray, as
was the beard on the cheek. The intruder
was either insensible or in the lethargy Of
drugged sleep.
"Why, 1t is the Rev. Mr.. Powerton n
exclaimed Jane, in excessive astonish'
ment.
IH.-THE RESULT.
Tho lovers strolled home at twelve
o'clock, and there were many last words to
be whispered at the gate. The house was
dark, and the door still open.
"Poor Jane must have gone 10 bed," said
Minerva, with degree of conscientious re-
proach in her own happiness.
Then Herbert Wilson departed TO his no
tel, and Minerva entered the garden. The
fat landlady greeted her on the threshold
even made some half-intelligible remarks
as she passed up stairs, to which she assent
ed vaguely. Minerals knowledge OF Ger
man was very imperfect. The rooms were
excessively black and silent.
"Jane janet" called the younger sister
softly.