The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-10-04

would not be back until late perhaps not
until tomorrow.
Once more the tears came within my eyes
as contrasted my lot with Vctor's or shud-
dered at the fate which would have been
mine, had followed my first mad impulse
to be his at any cost.
Yet, had not the loss of the girl he loved
FASTENED his doom The physicians said
not but their verdict would not satisfy my
nervous dread sighed long, tremulous
sigh at this latter thought
And surely-was it imagination some
where within the room the sigh was re-
echoed.
We had in the month of roses two long !
French windows, s,draped with blue satin and !
lace opened on a veranda which, as the |
evening was cool, were closed and fastened !
but as glanced round, with strange, mis-.
giving st my heart, saw the folds of one
tremble.
The window must then be open yet
felt 10 air
With this thought | arose from my seat,
stepping forward to ascertain the cause, but
had barely taken a single step when stopped
my blood frozen, unable to make another
movement, or even part my lips to scream
for help.
On the blue surface was mans hand
no rutiians hand, but white and hand
some.
A ring cleaned on one of the fingers, and
on its lustre my eyes rested fascinated as the
dove by the serpent. Where had seen that
ring before ? Somewhere, surely, where,my
tortured mind could not reason
Then summoning all my strength and
courage, with desperate effort | turned to
| leave the room. Once put closed door be-
tween myself and tina: white hand, whose
invisible owner might at any moment step
from his concealment, | might know what
best could be done
Now was blind with terror and could
scarcely see, though the room was brliliautly
| lighted, to grope my way to the door.
At last | approached it and reached out
my arm to open the way to freedom, when
five white fingers, one bearing the cleaning
| ring, were laid on mine, and slowly drew me
| back into the room.
"Look at me !" said a voice. TT is your
work. you need not fear"
Then realized the truth and glanceing
up, saw Victor Struthers standing before
me-
Ny first sensation was of relief His eyes
| ;,t ,,; Ivt ba ole q
ness; around his mouth was the old smile
and, though his words were bitter, his hand.
some face was only kind.
Could he be mad ?
Or had recovery come to him, spite of the
physicians hopeless decree
| laughed a nervous laugh as answered
"1ow could you so starte, me, Victor
What a strange way to pay me visit
Surely you could not doubt your wei
come ?"
81 have not yet received it," he replied
though have walked one hundred miles
that you might give it to me. take no wei
come but the old one, Elsie
And he stopped as if to kiss me, but
drew back shuddering.
"What no greeting ?" he exclaimed
and slowly there crept into his eyes look
had never seen there before--a look of Gun.
ming and of moral dread.
He glanced round the room.
81 have waited 50 long-waited to fud yor
alone. We are going on journey tonight
you and |. Elsie. But you will not fear i
you are with me, even if death be the boat
man to row Us across. Listen, Elsie. an
tired of life. But one thing only has mad,
t me cling to it so long, and that is, the gate
of heaven would not open to receive me un
less you were by my side, so have come 70
) you"
In that moment knew the the truth
knew that this man by my side, quiet as h
was, was indeed mad, ready at any momen
to throw off even this mask of sanity, an,
D seize me in his powerful grasp.
Once more l glanced around my prett
room.
My husband'f eyes looked into mine fror
his portrait on the wall, as if to say, "Fo
|
{ you. Do not let me return to find desolat
home, with your blood staining the thres
hold"
5 "Victor," l said suddenly, before we G
on this journey tell me of yourself-of a
you have been been doing"
"Of myself? What is there to tell ?' h
. | questioned, with rising passion in his voic
"Of what | have been doing | shall indee
tell you Working for this hour slavin
: for it, enduring for it with but one ambitio
in the wreehed struggle they call life
meet you face to face, to look into your eye
as they rested on your work, to tell you
the burning brain which could find no reli
in tears the weight of iron breaking II
> heart on which your hand had placed
All it is little hand white and fair
clasping it within his own-"even to lift
monstrous weight ; yet you placed it wei
not missing single nerve-slender, pret
. fingers, but oh, so cruel Elsie, have yC
no remOrseY'
a "Nictor, you are the cruel one; you {
At me injustice unworthy of yourself!'
"Ay, injustice You sit here in your bea
q tiful home and let the world go by unheed
and uncared for. What memory had "
>. for the man you had doomed whose stru
!. giles, whose agonies you could watch as Il
cat plays with the mouse? | saw him ki
d you last night, the man you call your hu
v band forgetting my right to the title-fC
.. getting, in the sight of heaven, that you a
q. my wife; you rested on his arms, you la
ic your head upon his shoulder looking wi
adoring eyes into his face. You whispt
n ed words of love in his ear, but for the Ii
W time | would have killed him, but thai
s. wanted you alone in that other world
ID which we are going. Elsie, darling, YOU