Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-06-02

ly ghost, or anybody else, girls. Twice
she threw herself on couch with the in
tention of resting, since slumber was out of
the question; but between the storm and
the mysterious sounds through the house,
rest was impossible. AT length, about 2
O'Clock, she fancied she heard some one
moving about the room very cautiously;
and, nothing doubling but that was as
wakeful and restless as herself, she resolved
to come in and speak to me. A sudden
gust of wind in tine corridor extinguished
her candle, and she entered my room in the
dark, save for the faint rays of the moon
| light which shone through the carelessly
drawn curtains.
Gas your aunt gently approached my bed,
she saw a form advancing on the other side
with uplifted hand, in which something
white cleaned in the moonlight. Quick as
thought, without moments hesitation,
her arm was thrown across my neck. The
knife of an assassin descended with terri
ble force; and glancing of the bone, in
flicting long and jagged cash in her arm.
The assassin, who had no. seen or heard her
approach, instantly fled, leaving his weapon
behind and was aroused from my slum-
bers by Edith's shrieks, to find myself
bathed il her blood. Binding my silk
handkerchief around her arm tightly, TO
check the bleeding, l sent a servant-for
the whole house was aroused by your aunt 5
shrieks and the violent ringing of my bell
for the nearest surgeon, and then proceeded
to search for some traces of the murderous
intruder. Mechanically l went first to
Jeff's room, probably because l was aston
ished at not baving seen his face among the
wondering group gathered round my door.
| 1t seemed amazing that he should sleep so
soundly through such commotion. The
door of the east room (Jetrs) was open,
and so W as the window, but the room was
empty.
Where was jeff: Why had he gone so
suddenly and mysteriously. Why the
open window! l was all the more pain
fully perplexed, as the most careful exami-
nation failed to disclose any other means of
exit by which the would be assassin could
have escaped. Every door was securely
barred, every window except that of the
east room was safely fastened. In the
I fio,x-ar h,i ,,pdarnaa.h Il tbora ,rara tractS of
mems feet leading from the window, none
whatever leading to it.
These things made me terribly unhappy,
and some suspicion of my thoughts must
have crept into my countenance, for Edith
devined them at once. However, she re-
mained silent about the appearance of the
man who attempted my life, and refrained
from questioning her. At best there could
be but a conjecture-the room was dark,
the man disguised and your aurt frigh;e1-
ed. The knife which lay upon my bed ap-
pealed with terrible force to us both. Ii
was my pruning knife, and that very af-
ternoon Edith had seen me lend it to Jeff
Lawson. Whether the knife had been
poisoned, or whether your aunt's wound
had been badly dressed in the first instance,
| do not know, but Inflammation set in and
for weeks she was dangerously i'll. For
days her life was dispaired of, and it was
only saved at last at the expense of the
brave right hand that had saved me so well
from terrible and sudden death.
'The matter made sensation, which
was something more than a nine days won
der in our village; but as l kept my sus-
PIGEONS to myself. no one else ventured to
express any, and Jeffrey's name was never
mixed up in the matter. Indeed it got
circulated that he left Garrick the evening
of the attempted murder and no one con-
tradieted it. The object of the attack,
which was evidently robbery as well as
murder, for every drawer and desk in my
room was thoroughly ransacked, caused
much wonder and discussion. 1t was pretty
generally know that my allowance as a
minor was scarcely adequate to my few
simple wants"
''What became of jeff Lawson, father p
jess asked, with stolen glance at aunt's
face.
''From the night he said goodbye to us
in this very room, thirty -one years ago, l
have never heard of him nor from him. He
disappeared in the most extraordinary man
ner. Doubtless he is dead; and as far as
he is concerned, have no hope of the mys-
tery of that awfnl night ever being cleared
up"
"And his mother, papa?" Fred ques-
toned
"Ah, his poor mother, she broke her
heart over his disappearance, my boy.
Mothers will do such things over the NEST
worthless sons. Well, Upton, what's the
matter? ?'
1 .slf YOU please, sir, there's a gentleman
wants to see you, said our old butler, clos
ing the door behind him, and looking mys-
teriously around ''He says his business is
urgent, but he won't give his name.
"a strange gentleman, at this hour and
on such night" exclaimed papa, rising.
'sHe must be some belsted traveller. Show
him in"
We all looked at each other, and glanced
toward the door in eager, nervous curiosity,
as an elderly gentleman. with very white
hair and beard, entered the room, made a
courteous bow. which embraced everybody.
and proceeded to unbutton an enormous
travelling cloak, In which he was enveloped.
For a moment or so his eyes wandered
round the room, as if in search Of some
thing. and then he smiled sadly.
'.You don't know me, Mr.. Neville, :"
quoth the gentleman, after what seemed an
omlnous silence, drawing more directly
into the light of the fire, which blazed
cheerily.
az have not that pleasure, SIR" papa re-