The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1878-05-07


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
chapter from large Bible which lay on
her table.
She perfectly recollcted placing it on
the end Of the sofa near the window
when she had finished reading it.
She felt that her rival was on her
kness before that book, impregnatng
its leaves with the "volatile poison"
which Walter Cary had spoken of, and
that as she finished each leaf, and turned
it slowly over, her long muslin sleeve
swept the edge of the book, making the
stealthy sounds which had aroused her
inteded victim.
Dora lay bound hand and foot by a
feeling which almost stopped the beat
ing of her heart.
Remember, she had grown up amid
scenes Of passion and violence; she had
been among the helpless ones at Gavin
pore when the Seboys mastered their
victims in cold blood and death was not
so strange weapon in the hands of
young girl, to her, as it would be to us
my, it seemed the one weapon by
which Penelope Arlingford would most
likely to strike for love and wealth.
Motoness, her eyes distended, the
cold 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 crealled, as though wary foot was
passing over it, and the long swish Of
the garment followed.
Then the door softly burst open as if
without hand, flow of air from the
passage rushed across the girls rigid
face, and she heard amid the sulfocating
throbbing in her ears, the first crow of
some neghboring chantieleer.
Her terror ended in sweon.
When she came to herself it was broad
daylight.
The golden sunshine was lying across
her pillow, and the perfumes of the red
honeysuckle came in through the open
window and filed the pretty chamber.
All seemed innoeense and peace
around her, but the soul of the orphan
girl was filed with establishment.
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 relinquish both her atiianced and
her fortune, if she would feel her life
safe
ooh, papa! my papa" wept poor
Dora, "you have made terrible mis-.
take !"
When she joined the family, in answer
euae g a4ss and sf euapags were h af
repacked
"Why, cousin Dora, what is the mat
ter? Are you i'll, dearl' exclaimed
Penelope, in soft, coeing voice which
seemed habitual to her.
Dora turned her back on her midnight
visitor, and striving to speak calmly
said to Mr.. Arlingford: :" | wish to 60 to
London to day, sir Please allow some
one to drive me to the station
There was a pause OF CONSERVATION,
then they all with one accord began to
plead wish 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 en-
treated. "Of course You will be lonely
at first-everything is so different--but
who will make you happier than we can :?
Has anybody offended you, dear Dora p
"No," answered Dora, shuddering |;
"but shall prefer living alone"
You are so young,so ignorant of the
ways of our towns" said quiet Mrs. Ar
lingford, here Ginning in anxiously, "it
is mad thing for you to think of,
child
81 must CO." responded the orphan,
averting her pallid face that the dark mis-
cry of it might not be seen.
80, when the pursuatons of himself,
and the plcadngs and tears of his wo.
men availed not, Mr.. Arlingford got
offended, ." Let her please herself, Pen
sic. Ring and order Sam to bring the
carriage round"
Dora swallowed a cup Of tea, and
choked down a morsel of bread, and
then went back to her room to put on
her hat
Locking the trunk took hut few mo
ments.
She flung herself upon n chair and wept
silently, feeling herself to be the most
desolate and friendless being ON the face
of the earth.
What should she do in London?
Go to her 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 a terrible mistake,
that clause in the will,
But into the midst of her musings
stole sound which thrill her once more
with awe.
The swish of a garment, the rustic of
a paper, Just as it aroused her last night
Dora gazed upon 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
herself.
Aud 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 the room; then
a,,o-al than, p,tt,var I'D