Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1880-07-29

and asked who was there. A well-known
voice replied and now, his doubts and fears
removed, he opened the door, and admitted
Ferrand.
Still studious said the newcomer, enter.
ing. Upon my word you ought to take more
care of your delicate brain. l have come to
rouse you-to look after your health; SO put
away your books, and come and sit here be-
fore the fire. So saying, he drew an easy
chair right in frolt of the hearth for his host
and took an ordinary chair for himself.
Its very good of you to look ME up said
Butler, and to think of my health. But you
startled me a good deal by knocking at this
door,
Startled you,' said the other. what, are
you still nervous about that wretched af-
fair?'
4 didn't know who it was knocking, you
know explained Butler. 1T might have
heen'-and here he gave an involuntary shud-
der it might have been the murderer him.
self outside . ..
| DO look like muir derer? answered Fer
rond, laughing-a clear, unbroken, open
laugh, while his eyes glanced and glittered as
if with merriment. Certainly he did not look
like the ordinary vulgar notion of the secret
assassin. Butler was now sitting in the arm
chair Despite the comfortable seat, and the
blazing fire in front of him, and the presence
L CIOS6 ~ lis SluG Ot us JruStcu 1fleDu, ne QlG
not seem at his ease. Looking suddenly
round at Ferrand, he asked; Why do you
keep your hand in your coat like that?' Fer
rand's coat was buttoned tight. 1t was a
great-coat, and his right hand was buried
deep in the inside pocket of it harmless po-
sition enough, one might imagine
why not he answered carelessly; It's a
way have. But how nervous you are to-
night, old fellow. Shall l sport your oak for
you? Then you must be quite safe ,
| No no, don't do that said Butler. But
Ferrand had already left his seat and closed
the outer door with reverberatng slam.
Then he shut the inner door, and walked back
| to his place he again took his seat on his
chair; he noticed that Butler was nervous,
and he set himself to amuse and beguile him
with talk. He told him story after story, in
| teresting, racy anecdotes, aud was gradually
| eXertlng his potent spell over his host he
| drew his own chair closer to the arm chair in
which Butler was reclining; he put his hand
on his shoulder, and '.a'
Who can tell what induced Butler at this
moment to rise from his seat? Some sudden
wave of mental forboding perhaps it was
! Whatever the cause, he rose and walked
slowly to the door-opened it-opened the
| outer oak
| what are you doing 2? shouted Ferrand.
| I'm just going to see if the Dean is in his
ROOM, said Butler 'Oh-all right: don't be
| long; I've something to say to you,' returned
| Ferrand; and he heard Butler knock al the
Deans door just opposite. Ferrand may have
been disapp ointed at this exit. At any rate
he was now by himself in the room that was
one advantage. and he knew Butler would
soon come back. He looked carefully round
Nobody there. Then he thrust his right hand
| still deeper into his coat, and slowly drew
| no hro CT of h,1f Ilxy ~,
strument-the little Moorish dagger that two
hours afterward was hanging above his fire.
place. Did he always carry this ugly looking
| 'plaything' about with him ? Or what was its
use now? He held it in the ruddy glare of the
| fire; there were one or two dull places on the
blade: he wiped it on his sleve-but the spots
would not come out. He felt the edge and
point; he was satisfied, and broke the stiffness
| of the untenanted chamber by grim and
| CHASTITY chnckle of delight. Low, unearthly,
| diabolical was that laugh of his; it rose fit
fully, and fell again it swelled into CHASTITY
| 1aroxysm of joyless Rerriment, then subsid-
| ed; it hardly stirred his features nor could it
add to the fiery, gleeful sparkle of his eye.
The Deans door meanwhile had opened again,
and Butler was crossing the narrow passage to
his room. Ferrand had just time to thrust
back his dagger into its hiding place.
Ferrand Are you here? shouted Butler,
on the threshold, without entering.
| OF course | am answered the other.
| what on earth Did you. hear some one
| laughing-a most peculiar sound?'
| Come and sit down again ! said Ferrand !;
upon my word you will make me nervous
Come and sit down again in your chair-shut
the door first; is it right? Now, sit in your
arm chair again-we'll listen for the noise to-
gether What was it .like?
| 'Oh, dreadful!' said Butler, seating himself
once again in his chair. i can't describe it,
1t sounded like madman's laughter
4 am rather good at initiating different
people, said Ferrand. WAS the laugh some
thing like this P And again-was he testing !?
he broke out into that unearthly and mo-
netonous chuckle Butler looked at him in
horror. He sat up in his chair, and gazed
with fascinated yet dilated orbs at the un-
laughing lips that were uttering such fearful
sounds-at the eyes that were sparkling with
a light that was not the light of mirth.
'Ferrand he tried to shout-he could only
whisper; What does this mean What-what
are you doing?'
| 1t was quite three hours later that the group
of collegians, among whom were Rutherton
| and Elworthy, was starting under Ferrand's
| guidance on its tour of inspection round the
college to see that all was safe. l will not
linger over this part of the story the dreadful
narrative draws to close. Suffice it to say
that after visiting several rooms, and finding
no cause whatever for alarm, most of them
| began to consider that they had done enough
| for the protection of their fellow undergradu.
ates, and the band of volunteer watchmen was
! about to dispense, when Ferrand suggested
| that they had not yet been near the Deans
room-perhaps it would be as well to see to
| his safety. The fancy tickled the Others in
as much as the Dean might be supposed to be
| the guardian of the collegians, rather than the
! coegians of the Dean and without thinking
twice they started off for the Deans staircase.
! Arrived at his room, however, they found his
outer door closed, 81 they hardly considered
| that it would be advisable to rouse him from
| slutnber. They turned away from the Deans
room aud finished their evenings search in
| the chamber which had been that of Butler
| The room was quite dark, the fire having gone
| out long before The part just near the en-
| trance was dimly Illuminated by the rays of
| the passage lamp; but the further end
| the tireplace-was in complete Obscurity. One
of the party felt his way to.the nlautelpiece
| in order to strike light, while the others
stood at the door.
Don't tumble over the armchair, was Fer
rand's warning. .r-.
Armchair? Where is it ? Lean see nothing
IN this pltchy biackness replied the voice
from near the fire.
Just in front of the fire. answered Fer
rand.
How do you know where the arm chair is {?
said Elworthy.
oh, I'm friend of Buffers, / know his
room,' Ferrand rejoined, with apparent care
lessness.
you seem to, remarked Eworthy and as
he said this his eyes met those of Ferrand
they looked at each other for a moment and
Ferrands eyes dropped. ...... -...t....
'You havn't been here. once before tonight,
have you, Ferrand p. Elworthy asked quiet
ly. b hu ssgisgf stF @.alI rs ss.'4 ls.-, .
what do you mean !? Ferrand was rejoin-
ing fiercely, when the pioneer suddenly struck
a light, having steered his way safely to the
mantelpiece where the finder box was kept,
and holding the piece of lighted paper over
his head. teoka survey of the room. Only