Feliciana sentinel., 1879-06-07

asked for writing materials and re-
turned to my room to write to my wife.
'sMy dear Alice
Ipaused and laid down my pen as I
concluded the words, half smiling to
think what she would say could she
know of my strange quarters.
Not till both sheets were covered did
lay aside my pen and prepare for slum-
bier, As folded my paper I happened
to glance toward the couch.
Was it the gleam ofa human eye OBJ
serving me through the broad PARTITION
or was it my own fancy7 There was
crack there, but only blank darkness be-
yond, yet could have sworn that some-
thing had sparkled balefully at me.
took out my watch-it was o'clock.
1t was scarcely worth while for me to
undrcss for three hours sleep. I. would
lie down in my clothes and snatch what
slumbler could. So, placing my valise
to the head of my bed, and barricading
tinguished the light and lay down.
At first was very wakeful, but gradu-
ally soft drowsiness seemed to steal
| over me like a misty mantle, until, all of
a sudden, some startling electric thrill
coursed through my veins and I sat up
excited and trembling.
A luminous softness seemed to glow
through the room-no light of the moon
| or stars was ever so penetrating-and by
the little window saw Alice, my wife,
dressed in floating garments of white
with her long, golden hair knotted back
by blue ribbon. Apparently she was
coming to me with outstretched hands,
and eyes full of wild, anxious tender.
| ness.
| sprang to my feet and rushed toward
her, but as reached the window the fair
apparition seemed to vanish into the
stormy darkness, and was left alone.
At the self-same instant the sharp report
of a pistol sounded-I could see the jag
| ged stream of fire above the pillow
straight through the very spot where ten
minutes since my head had lain.
With an instantaneous realization of
my danger swung my self over tho edge
of the window, jumping some eight OF ten
feet into tangled bushes below, and as I
crouched there recovering my breath
heard the tramp OF footsteps into my
room.
ISIS he dead :" cried q voice up the lad
der-the smooth, deceitful voice of the
woman with the half-closed eyes.
"Of course he is," growled voice back
''that charge would have killed ten men
a light there quick; and tell Tom to be
ready"
A cold, agonizing shudder ran through
mo. What den OF midnight murderers
had fallen into! And how fearfully
narrow had been my escape!
With the speed that only mortal terro,
can give, 1 rushed through tho wood
now illuminated by faint glimmer OF
star Light. I knew not what impulse
guided my footsteps. never shall know
how many times crossed my own tracks,
or how close stood on the brink of the
deadly ravite; but merciful Providence
encompassed me with a guiding and pro
tecting caro-, for when the morning dawn
cd, with faint, red bars of Orient light
against the stormy Eastern sky, I was
close to the high road, some seven miles
from R..
Once at the town, told my story tc
the police, and detachment was sent
with me to the spot.
After much searching and many false
alarms, we succeeded in finding the ru
inous old house; but 1t was empty-oul
birds had flown nor did I recover my
valise and watch and chain, which latter
had left under my pillow.
"It's Drew's gang" said the leader OF
the police, ''ard they've troubled us these
two years. don't think, though, they'll
come back here just at present"
Nor did they.
But the strapgest part of my story i:
| vet to come. Some three weeks subse
quently received letter from my sis
ter, who was with Alice in her Englisl
home-a letter whose into lligence tillet
me with surprise.
"I must tell you something very
strange" wrote my sister, "that happen
ed on the mig of the 18th of October
Alice had not been we'll for some time
| in fact, she had been confined to her bed
for nearly week, and was sitting be,
sede her reading. 1t was late-the clock
had Just struck when all at once she
seemed to faint away, growing white and
rigid as corpse. l fastened to call as
sistance, but all our efforts to restore an
imation wore in vain. was just about
sending for the doctor, when her senses
returned as suddenly as they had left
her, and sho sat up in bed, pushing uI
her hair and looking wildly around her.
"'Alce,'I exclaimed 'how you have
terrified us all Are you i'll p
"'No, not ill., she answered, 'but feel
so strange. Oracle, have been with my
husband"
"And all of our reasoning failed to con.
vince her of the impossibility of her as
sertion. She persists to this moment
that she saw you and was with you on
the morning of the 18th of October.