Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-09-26

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sive.
Certainly" The woman started up
with alacrity.
s'Where are you going to put him 20
asked the guide.
Sup chamber" @.x
/ .'Put him in Isaac's room.''
emo" 3a&
s'It's the most comfortable" Il
81 tell you no." nl9
But here / interrupted the whispered
colloquy. :. =
II am not PARTICULAR don'tcare where
you lodge me, only make haste" .
So was conducted up a steep ladder
that stood in the corner Of the room into
an apartment ceiled with sloped beams
and ventilated by Ole small window whore
a cot bedstead, crowded close against the
board partition, and pine table, with two
or three chairs. formed the sole attempts
at furniture.
The woman set the light-an old oil
lamp-on the table.
Anything more I can give you, sir ?"
Nothing, thank You.' IS
SAT O'Clock in the morning. it you
please, I must walk over to R station
in time for the o'clock express"
"Ill be sure to call you, sir.''
She withdrew, leaving me alone in the
gloomy little apartment. sat down with
no very agreeable sensation.
II will sit down and write to Alice" /
thought; ''that will suit my nerves and
quiet me, perhaps" ~
I descended the ladder; the fire still
glowed readily on the hearth beneath; my
companion and the woman sat beside it,
talking in low tone, and third person
sat at table eating, stout, villainous-
looking man, in red flannel shirt and mud
dy trousers.
I asked for writing materials, and re-
turned to my room to write to my wife.
"Ny Dear Alice"
Ipaused and laid down my pen as I con-
cluded the words, half smiling to think
what she would say could she know my
strange quarters.
Not till both sheets were covered did
lay aside my pen and prepare for slumber.
AS folded my paper happened to glance
toward the couch. af
Was it the CLEAN of a human eye observ-
ing me through the board partition, or
was it my own fancy? There was a crack
there, but only blank darkness beyond.
yet could have sworn. that something
had sparkled balefully at me.
T took out my watch. It was l O'Clock.
It was scarcely worth while for me to I'M
dress for three hours sleep. I would lie
down in my clothes and snatch what
slumber I could. So placing my valise at
the head Of my bed, and barricading the
loekless door with two chairs, extinguish-
ed the light and lay down.
At first was very wakeful, but gradu-
ally soft drowsiness seemed to steal over
me like misty mantle, until all of sud-
den some startling electric thrill coursed
through my veins and / sat up excited and
trembling.
A luminous softness seemed to glow
through the room-no light Of the moon
or the stars was ever so penetrating
by the little window I saw Alice, my wife.
dressed in floating garments of white, with
her long golden hair knotted back by lit
tie blue ribbon. Apparently she was COM
ing to me with outstretched hands, and
eyes full of wild, anxious tenderness. N
Isprang to my feet and rushed toward
her; but, as reached the window, the fair
apparition seemed to vanish into the stor-
my darkness, and was left alone. At the
self same instant the sharp report OF pis.
tol sounded could see the jagged 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 myself over the edge of
the window, jumping some eight or ten
feet into the tangled bushes below, and as
| crouched there, recovering my breath. |
heard the tramp of footsteps INTO my
room.
SIS he dead?" cried voice up the lad
der-the smooth, deceitful voice Of tho
woman with the half-closed eyes.
"Of course he ISL growled voice back;
sthat charge would have killed ten men.
A light there, quick and tell Tom to be
ready" Il :
A cold agonizing shudder ran through
me. What den Of midnight mrGdeyegs