The daily gazette., 1878-01-12
lone and helpless In that SOLITARY cham
,cr fioated vividly before HIS mentai

Dor 'fioated vividiy before his msnsai
sight. , nh' - 1ll'-s Tsi- liT'IT-
He pictured to himself her terror as
she beheld his mad plunge into the sea,
her agony when the terrOrs of heI situar
tion flashed across her, her frantic at
tempts to open the door, her wild, ap-
Pealing gaze out at the moaning sea, her
despair az the daylight crept slowly but
surely out OF the shadowy room, the
black darkness gathering likela presence;
the deathly stiffness unbroken save by
the dash of the sea or the ghostly sounds
OF the house. And more terrible thought
still crept In upon his narrowed mind,
chilling his very hearts blood. He rose
from the bed and gazed frantically
senseless and inanimats here-how long?
and Maud, his beautiful betrothed, was
starving Lying In that awful house ~
The thought brought back strength to
his bruised limbs, his bloed coursed like
FIRE through his veins. He would 60 to
her. Dead or alive he would be- ar her
from that fatal house of haunting sha-
dows and fearful sounds. He rushed
from the house and fed to the woods
the sunlight crept through the trees and
fell with broad bars Of golden light on
the green sward; the rabbits sprang
across his track, alarmed at bis hasty
tread; the birds twittered merrily In the
leafy branches. All was life and Joy and
seemed to jeer and mock his woe. Heed
less of the cramping pains In his limbs
and upheld by the feverish strength born
OF intense excitement, he strode rapidly
out; but when the delapidated ruins
loomed still and sombre In his gaze he
checked for moment his mad speed
A, cold chill crept through his veins and
his trem bling limbs refused to obey his
WILL But Maud! An! His darling
Maud
"Tm coming, Maud, I'm comingr' be
shouted, rushing fraatically up the
crum bling steps.
The wind. SO warm without, met him,
chill and cold, as he pushed open the
as 1t struggled in the semi-dark ness. The
dash of the sea as 1t broke against the
cold gray rocks sthote his ear with
mournful sounds; his own football echo.
ed like knell. An incubus of dread and
fear seemed to settle upon his heart; he
felt stified, and unable TO advance. But
ah, anything rather than this terrible
suspense. He rushed hurriedly up the
stairs to the door of the fatal room. Il
was still closed-aHd all was deathly 81
lent within; with desperate effort he
pushed 1t open, and gave Mortified
fearful gaze within. Yes; there-thera
upon the floor, with starry eyes anC
pinohed ,pallid features, lay his beloved :
a corpse! For moment he gazed or.
rifisd; th en-, with groan, sank uncun
scious to the fl ,or. a.. af.l-.,. Il.
n
"Paul-- PAUL." Inurmurmed sweet
voice, and a lingering kiss was imprinted
upon his lips. "Do you know me at las
Paul?'
Drowsily opening his eyes, he saw ths
dead face of Maud above his own, TAI
and fresh as he had last seen 1t befor,
that fearful fell upon the rocks.
"Where am II What does IL mean
Are you, indeed, my own sweet Maud %
only her gloritied spirit"
Maud laughed happy little laugh, al
though tears shone like pearls in her blu
eyes.
at is only the horrid phantom of de
lerium that still vexes you, Paul I an
no spirit, but a living breathing real
ity"
And then she told them how soue fish
ermen, sailing by in their little boat, hat
heard her terrified scream when he wa
precipitated to th@ rocks; how they hao
come TO their aid, and carried them botf
to little cottage near by; how he, bruis.
ed and bleeding, yet not dead, had passed
from Inconsistencies to the maddening
tortnres of brain fever. ei t3 .f- ~
Though subjected TO long and pal n.
full illness. Paul could not fail to recove
hisiwonted health under Mauds ministra
tions. Yet he was permanently lame
However, Ii the evident devotion of ,
bride can confer happiness on bride
groom, Paul, leaning upon a staff Will,
Returning wi 'h Maud from the hymenia
altar, was the happiest of Benedicts.