, 1879-05-01

| minutes OF twelve; the OLd year Is
breathing his last; we have watched,
but as yet have not seen the ghost of
his departing form, and the necessity OF
speaking the literal truth compels me to
add, nor any other ghost. Let us"
"Hark" said Miss Vernon.
We listened, and from the further end
Of the long hall we heard footsteps ap
preaching, and the sweep or Il silken
robe Our faces grew white, but we
stood spell-bound. The ladies were too
frightened to scream-all but Miss Yer
non, who seemed more excited and in
terested than frightened. The steps
came nearer and nearer; the door swung
open, and a woman dressed in heavy
black silk, and whose long ravetbhair
almost swept the floor, paused on the
threshold. She looked at us, standing
in breathless group before her. Sud-
denly her eye fell upon Miss Vernon
who stood next to me. With q shrek
that curdled the blood in our veins she
bounced forward and before one could
think, much less act, her right hand,
which had hung by her side, buried in
the folds of her dress, was lifted, and
then we saw a cleaning knife descend
ing toward Clara Vernon's heart.
flung myself before her in time to
receive the blow in my side. The gen.
tlemen gprang forward and disarmed
the now furious maniac, who fought so
hard that four of them could scarcely
hold her. And just then the New-Year
chimes pealed out from the neignboring
churches.
They carried me out to the library,
stopped the blood and bound up the
wound as we'll as possible. To the cred
it of the ladies be it said, not one of
them tainted.
"Why did you try to kill mel" asked
Miss Vernon of the mad woman, who
had grown quieter.
81 thought you were she, the woman
with the red gold hair, the woman he
loved. But her eyes were black, if l
could kill her he would love me again"
We knew she must have escaped from
the not far distant insane asylum, and
some of the gentlemen volunteered to
take her there. She went quietly.
They met men looking for her shortly
after leaving the castle, and gladly gave
her into their care
was almost exhausted from loss of
blood. Ihardly know how they carried
me home, The excitement, the cold,
anG the wound, proved too much for me,
and the next morning found me delirious.
1t was month before 1 could leave
my room, but l had the best Of care.
Once I lay apparently unconscious, and
hot tears fell on my face. When it was
safe to do so opened my eyes, and saw
Miss Vernon pass out of the door.
When / did get up the guests had de-
parted-all but Miss Vernon. Dick
had gone up to the city day or two to
look after our mutual business interests.
But / was frst-class hero with those
that remaiped-I never knew why; any
man would have did what l did if he
had stood in my place; no one could
have done less.
Miss Vernon would thank me for saw
ing her life, though 1 begged her not to
do so
1t was the middle Of February, and l
was well enough to 60 home. Dick
had come down to accompany me. 1t
was my last night with Clara Mr. and
Mrs. Ainslie, understanding the situa-
tion, kindly vacated the parlor Dick
had gone to see his betrothed, Alice
Logan.
do not know when l first discovered
that was hopelessly in love, but such
was the fact. When we were alone,
Miss Vernon became more icy than L
had ever known her.
"By the way" she said, 81 had let
ter from Lucille Davenport last week.
AM to congratulate youl"
"For what, pray" asked, because
| had such lucky escape in regard to
her"
"Escapel' she repeated, wonderingly.
care you not engaged"
"Well, no; l have not that honor"
answered. odd she say sol" con-
tinued, suddenly understanding the
coldness which had so bafiled me.
"Why she certainly said something
that led me to think So" she returned,
with an embarrassed blush.
"May | see the letter, or that portion
of it, L meanP
After an instant's hesitation she rose
and went after it. | went to my room
and procured letter received from my
friend, Ralph Durant, few days be-
fore, We met again in the parlor. Lu-