The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-08-09


aroused her intended victim.
Dora lay bound hand and foot by a
feeling which almost stopped the beating of
her heart.
Remember she had grown up amid scenes
of passion and violence she had been among
the helpless ones at Cawnpore, when the
Sepoys massacred their victims in cold blood
and death was not so strange a weapon in
the hands of young girl, to her, as it would
be to us nay, it seemed the one weapon by
which Penelope Arlingford would most like.
ly strike for love and wealth.
Motionless her eyes dstended, the cold
dew of agony dripping from every limb, the
orphan girl lay and listened to this evidence
of treachery.
All at once board at the side OF the bed
creaked, as though a weary foot was passing
over it, aud the long swish of the garments
followed.
Then the door softly burst open as if with
out hand, a flow of air from the passage
rushed across the girls rigid face, and she
heard amid the sufiocating throbbings in her
ears, the first crow of some neighboring
chanticeer.
Her terror ended in swoon.
When she came to herself it was broad
daylight.
The golden sunshine was lying across her
pillow, and the perfumes of the red honey.
suckle came in through the open window
and filled the pretty chamber.
All seemed innocence and peace around
her, but the soul of the orphan girl was
filled with astonishment.
She could scarcely arrange her thoughts at
first,so terrible was the ordeal through which
she had passed ; but at length she saw that
she must leave the house Immediately that
she must relnquish both her affanced and
her fortune, if she would feel her life safe
oh, papa my papa ! wept poor Dora,
you have made terrible mistake ?
When she Joined the family, in answer 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 ill, DEAR? 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. Arlingford, Il wish to 60 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 tender about it as
Penelope.
Just try us, dear cousin = she entreated.
of course you will be lonely at frst-every-
thing is so diffcrent-but who will make you
happier than we can? Has anybody offend.
ed you; dear Dora?
No. answered Dora, shuddering but
shall prefer to live alone
You are so young, so ignorant of the
ways of our towns said quiet Mrs. Arling.
ford, here Ginning in anxiously, lit is a mad
thing for you to think of, child
4 must 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 women availed
not, Mr.. Arlngford got offended, and cried,
Let her please herself, Pensie. Ring and
order Sam to bring the carriage around
Dora swallowed a cup of tea and choked
down morsel of bread, and then she went
back to her room to put on her hat.
Locking the trunk took but few mo-
ments.
She flung herself upon chair, and
wept silently, feeling herself 10 be the most
desolate and friendless being on the face of
the earth.
What should she do in London?
Go to fathers lawyer and tell him she did
not wish to marry Walter Cary, then live
alone in such lodgings as the remnant of her
fortune could afford her.
All it was indeed terrible mistake, that
clause in the will.
But into the midst of her musings stole
a sound which thrilled her once more with
awe.
The swish of garment, the rustic of
IA paper, just as it aroused her last night.
Dora gazed around her like one bereft OF
reason
The large old Bible lay quiet enough and
closed exactly where she had placed it-no
living thing was in the room but her
self.
And then she saw the whole mystery.
The window was partly opened, and a
slight puff of wind had blown out the crisp
white curtains in tie room then receding,
had sucked them outward through the aper-
ture, while the imprisoned air, running up
the blind, had caused the tissue paper hang
ing at the top to rustic.
There came another puff-the trail of the
curtain over the carpet, the rustic of the pa
per hanging.
Dora sat gazing at the window, her face,
in its astounding thanklulness, study for
an artist.
At this moment Penelope came in. She
had been weeping.
The carriage is ready, dear cousin;' sighed
she, tremulousiy.
Dora passed her hand over her forehead,
then facing her rival, asked in a hurried
tone. Were you up late last night anytime,
Miss Arlingford?
Yes answered Penelope, in surprise,
about o'clock rose and closed my window.
The wind was rising
did you hear cock crow as you did
SOP
Yes, ] did, why do you ask, dearY Stay 4
know why. You we're frightened by hear
ing board creak beside your bed should
have told you about that board how stupid
Of me-
Il heard a board creak, said Dora, scarce
y belieying her own ears.
Yes, it ought to be fastened down. 1t
runs the whole breadth of tho hnusa and