The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-13

pinched, and whitehall was all 1 could
make out"
"She suspects something. Come, we
had better CO."
They moved toward the door, Murchi-
son stopped here and there TO an &C
quaintance as he passed. But at the
last moment he again turned to Conway.
'LOok once more" he said; and as he
spoke he felt himself shudder, for the
horror Of the vision had begun to infest
him. "Take one last deliberate look at
her, and don't carry away any fancies."
Conway obeyed. He glanced round
the room in search of the countess. She
was quite at the further emo, ,and had her
hand on the handle of a door, as il going
out; but at the moment when the two
friends paused, looking at her, some one
spoke to her and she turned from the
door to reply. Murchison just perceived
this, then trying in Conway face to dis
cover what he saw, took alarm at the
awful pallor which crept over it, and
drew him quickly out into the hall.
"For heavens sake what was itT'
For moment Conway seemed unable
to answer. His lips were white and stiff,
his hands trembled, and he ,grasped his
friends arm to support himself.
"The mist was almost gone from about
it," he said at last. "It is a corpse long
dead, decaying, hvid, phosphorescent-I
don't know what to say-it glimmers-
1T has shreds of a shroud hanging shout
it. Oh, it is horriblel horriblep'
He trembled convulsively. Murchi.
sons own nerves thrilled.
"Come into the dining-room a min
ute," he said; "there are two or three
men there yet, and then we'll be Off"
They went in. It was still early, and
the host sat patiently waiting the end of
a political argument. Three or four of
the guests were absorbed in it; they
formed a little group at one end Of the
table. The rest of the room was empty.
The two Young men after exchanging a
word or two with the earl sat down
apart, and Murchison asked:
"You saw it more clearly, then?"
eyes, quite clearly. Don't ask about
it now. "Pll answer all your questions
after"
"Better do it now. It is either fancy
or else the NEST awful visitation that
ever mortal was subject to-"
"Fancy! I tell you it is no fancy.
You saw her take her hand off the handle
of the door when that girl spoke to herY
Well, the-the thing put its horrible
hand on the handle as if to open the
door, and its other arm was round her
not close, not absolutely holding her, but
making as if it would open the door and
draw her into the next room. But the
horror was, that it loosed the handle and
raised its arm as I looked, and looked at
me and beckonedW
Their talk was suddenly interrupted.
A shrek. ringing through the house,
broke it off. Doors opened and shut in
all directions, and the whole party, rush
ing into the hall. found servants hurry
ing wildly about, and the countess
French maid screaming and exclaiming
"My lady! my lady! She is dying
she is dead-she is poisoned! Malheu-
reuse que je suisp'
Struggling on with the crowd, the two
friends reached the door Of small draw
ing-room opening from the larger one.
In a low chair, near the fire, sat the
countess, her eyes closed, her face white
and rigid. A coffee-cup had fallen from
her hand, and lay broken on the floor
a stream of the dark liquid marked her
rich white dress. Beside her. on table,
was small case, and the room was full
of subtle deadly odor.
As the bolder or more intimate visitors
gathered around, following the earl, Con-
| way laid his hand on Murchison's shoul
der.
"There it isF' he said, "close beside
her, bending down. 1t puts its arms
round her."
The rigid figure, so still in the midst
Of the terrific excitement suddenly
moved. The countess opened her eyes
She turned her head slowly, as if looking
for some one close at her side.
"At last, Philip!'' she said distinctly,
and died.-[B [Blackwood.