The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-08-31

and shut the door. The count turned
the key, and then by the dim light of
the lamp surveyed the apartment. 1t
was so gloomy that he turned and
walked to the window, supposing that
1t looked on the street. He was disap-
pointed to find that 1t opened on small
neglected yard, filled with coarse vege-
tation and some mouldering timber.
The moon was partially obscured by
clouds, but ever and anon threw flick
ering light upon the desolate scene. A
vague presentiment of evil stole over
the count, and his mind became gloomy.
Beware of the Raven" The words of
the sibyl kept recurring to his memory.
Could the warning of the witch have
been prophetic? The count would have
left the room but for a certain sense of
shame the act would engender.
"Pshaw !" he cried, and leaned out
the window to snuff the air.
AS he did so his ears caught the sound
of suppressed hiss. He listened at
tentively, and it came again. Casting
his eyes through the darkness, he en-
deavored to discover from whence the
sound proceeded, but he could see moth
ing, and it was only when he raised his
eyes upward toward a small window
directly over his head that he discovered
the figure of Isabella by the struggling
light of the moon.
She was gesticulating towards him,
but the moon was 80 frequently hidden
behind dark clouds that he could not for
some time guess her import. Suddenly
the great orb came out into the clear
sky, and the count could see the girl
plainly. She was two stories above
him, and he could not hear her words
distinctly, for she spoke in such low
she quickly disappeared.
For the love of the Virgin. do not
go to bed, senor," she said. "Antonio
Hernandez is my uncle, but he is a bad
man, and if you go to sleep, senior, you
may never see the light of the world
again. Don't betray me, for my uncle
would kill me if he knew had spoken
these words. Adieu ~
The count felt beneath his girdle and
instinctively laid his hand upon the hilt
of his dagger. Then he walked to his
chamber door, turned the key and un-
locked it, intending to look out into the
corridor, but to his surprise, he found it
was fastened upon the outside-and he
xuac a triad IN n
open, but it resisted all his efforts. He
sat down, and, leaning his head upon
his hand, began to mediate. AS he did
SO the oil in the lamp became exhausted
and the light went out. He felt strong
conviction that some unseen danger
hovered near, and that which was sus-
picion became certainty. Nothing
remained now but to await the attack,
and sell his life as dearly as possible.
The thoughts of the beautiful Julia often
again that he became involved in his
present condition. He thought, too, of
the gypsy, and wondered what order of
being she was to forecast the peril that
should befall him.
The clouds began to break away from
the face of the heavens and the count
was enabled to see more clearly about
the chamber. He heard the clocks in
the city toll the hour of midnight, but
ali desire for sleep had left him, and he
was very vigilant.
Approaching the bed, he pulled down
one of the pillows and disarranged the
covering, throwing it in a sort of heap,
as If a person was reposing there. Then
he walked over the room and stood with
his back to the wall, watching the
chamber door, screened from the imme-
diate sight of those who might seek an
entrance there by tall chair which he
placed before MIN.
While thus upon the alert, large
mirror close upon his right gave click
like the lock of pistol, and then flew
open at the touch of some person behind
it. The heavy frame work of this
antique ornament rested against the
chair and concealed the count from
view. Notwithstanding cold drops of
perspiration stood upon his brow, he
was perfectly calm. In the mirror upon
the opposite wall the count could see the
mutiied figure Of the landlord, with a
knife in one hand and lamp in the
other, step from the wall. Cautiously
he approached the bed and raised the
weapon in the act to strike, satisfied
that he only had to contend with a