The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-03-27
thing struck her ear which sent the blood
~ /, Z.

lllluS StTuCk ucT car WHICH SeuG TIC DlOOQ
tingling to her heart.
Itywas like the trailing of a long mus
lin robe over the thick carpet which COW
cred the floor, and a cautious rustling of
paper; the one sound following the other
with the slow and regular monotony Of a
machine.
The night was at its darkest, and the
head of the bed was in an alcove, so that
view of the room could not be had; but
Dora OWNED, with choking of the
breath, the meaning of the strange
sounds. .
Penelope Arlingford was in the room
Before she retired, Dora had read a
chapter from large bible which lay on
her table,
She perfectly rccollected placing it on
the end Of the sofa near the window when
she had finished reading it. at
She felt that her rival was on her knees
before that book, impregg9ating its leaves
with the 'volatlle poison" which Walter
Cary had spoken of, and that as she fin
ished each leaf, and turned 1t slowly over
her long muslin sleeve swept the edge of
the book, making the stealtfy sounds
which had aroused her intended victim.
Dora lay bound hand and foot by
feeling which almost stopped the beating
of her heart. ~
Remember. she had grown up amid
acenes Of passion and violence; she had
been among the helpless ones at Gavin
pore, when the Sepoys massacred their
victims in cold blood; and death was not
so strangea weapon in the hands of a
young girl, to her, as it would be to us;
nay, 1t seemed the one weapon by which
Penelope Arlingford would most likely
strike for love and wealth.
Motionless, her eyes distendcd, the cola
dew of agony dripping from every limb,
the orphan girl lay and listened to this
evidence of treachery.
All at once a board at the side of the
bed creaked, as though wary foot was
passing over it, and the long swish of the
garments followed. ,.-S--.. .'>
Then the door softly burst open as if
without hand, flow Of air from the pas
sage rushed across the girls rigid face,
and she heard amid the sutfocatlng throb-
bings in her ears, the first crow Of some
neighboring chanticIcer.
Her terror ended in swoOn.
When she came to herself it was broad
day light. . -.
The golden sunshine was lying across
her pillow, ana the perfumes of the red
honeysuckle came in through the open
window and filled the pretty cham er.
All seemed peace and innocence around
her, but the soul of the orphan girl was
filled with establishment.
She could scarcely arrange her
thoughts at first, so terrible was the Or
deal through which she had passed but
at les 9Th she saw that she must leave the
house Immediately; that she must relin-
quish both her affianced and her fortune,
it she would feel her life safe.
ooh papa! my papa!" wept the poor
Dora ''you have made terrible mis-
takem
When she joined the family, in an
swer to the breakfast bell, she was in her
travelling dress, and her trunks were all
repacked.
"Why. cousin Dora what is the matter?
Are you i'll, dearY" exclaimed Penelope,
in a soft, cooling voice, which seemed
habitual to her.
Dora turned her back on her midnight
visitor, and striving TO speak calmly,
said to Mr.. Arlingtord, II wish to go to
London to day, sir. Please allow some
one to drive me to the station
There was pause Of CONSERVATION,
then they all with one accord began to
plead with her to change her mind, and
none OF the three were so urgent and ten
der aboutit as Penelope. I'll e..
"Just try us dear cousin,' she entreated
'SOf course you will be lonely at first
every thing is SO ditferent-but who will
make you happier than we can? Has any
body offended you, dear Dora2''
emo" answered Dora, shuddering; ''but
l shall prefer to live alone" Il
You are so young, so ignorant of the
ways of our towns" said quiet Mrs. Ar
lingford, here Ginning in ahxiously, lit
is mad thing for you to think of, child.
~ most go,'' responded the orphan,
averting her pallid face that the dark
misery of it might not be seen.
SO, When the persuasions of himself.
and the pleadings and tears of his woman
availed not, Mr.. Arlingford got offended,
and cried, LET her please herself, Pessie.
Ring and order Sam to bring the car
riage round" @-r-+3
Dora swallowed cup of tea, and chok-
ed down morsel of bread, and then she
went back to her room to put on her hat.
Locking her trunks took but few
moments. ...s ~...-
She flung herself upon chair, and
wcpt silently, feeling. herself to be the
most desolate and friendless being on the
face of the earth. 5-a.r
What should she do in London?
20 to fathers lawyer, and tell him she
did not wish to marry Walter Cary, then
live alone in scch lodgings as the rem
nant OF her fortune could afford her.
Alb! it was, indeed, a terrible mistake,
that clause in the will.
But into the midst of her musings stole
a sound which thrilled her once more
with awe. ALI.
The swish of garment, the rustic of
paper, just as it aroused her last night.
Dora gazed upon her like one bereft
of reason. Ir ,S
The large, old Bible lay quiet enough
and closed exactly where she had placed
tho living thing was in the room but
herself.