The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-08-31
lew BLooMFIEID, PA. TUESDAY, AUGUST 81 1880

and he pricked his mule with one spur
and rode forward hummlng ballad,
all the while thinking of the beautiful
Julia.
The sun was sinking behind the hori-
son as he gained the suburbs of the city.
Suddenly his mule made plunge, and
losing her footing came to the ground
with her rider.
ga bad omen,' muttered the count as
he rose unhurt and gazed at the mule,
which was almost instantly on her feet
again. She had always been remarka-
bly, sure-footed beast, and the count,
who was not without certain tlnge of
superstition, appeared uncertain whether
to proceed or retrace his way. As he
stood dangling his bride in his hand,
his eyes caught sight of an old public
house by the wayside.
Well tarry here for the night" he
said, and leading the animal, he walked
towards the building.
The house in question was of large
dimensions, the windows few and small,
and were set deep within the thickness
of the wall. Immediately over the por-
tai hung weather-beaten sign, an
nouncing the house as the Raven Inn.
For an instant the count hesitated, as
the gipsy's warning came to his mind;
but the feeling passed off instantly, and
pulling the bell, he awaited the opening
of the heavy courtyard doors. The
count was tired and required rest, and
rs he was determined not to enter the
city that night, one place was as good as
another to tarry in. Had he known the
reputation of the Raven he doubtless
would have sought other lodgings. So
long had he been absent from his coun-
try, that many local events had trans
pired of which he knew nothing, and
one of the most noted occurrences had
been the trial of Antonio Hernandez
(the proprietor of the Raven) for mur-
der, and his acquittal of the same. But,
Notwithstanding Hernandez saved his
life through the exertions of his advo-
cate, his character was entirely lost, and
the business of his house almost destroy
ed, for few people believed in his inno-
cence, and mothers pointed him out to
their children as a murderer. Years
before it appeared that q rich guest was
murdered in his bed, and the landlord
was suspected and arrested. The cir
cumstances made great stir, for the
murdered man was we'll connected and
widely known. Every one who valued
his reputation Stunned the society of
Hernandez, and his house at last became
the resort of contrabandists from the
frontier and the low characters who
infested the city.
Impatient at the long delay in an
swering the summons, the count jerked
the bell-rope vigorously, and at length
the host, followed by pale girl (the
only domestic in the house,, showed
themselves.
With many profound bows and apollo
gies for the delay, Hernandez took the
mule to this stable, while the count fol-
lowed the girl, whose name was Isabella,
to the interior of the place. There was
something so gentle and interesting
about the girl that the count found
himself gazing after her wherever she
went. He fancied there was sadness
in her face, and her large eyes sought
his as if she would have spoken to him.
But the appearance of Antonio Herman
dez put a stop to the effort that Isabella
was meditating in the nobleman's be-
half, for the landlord never for an
instant left the girl alone in the counts
presence. Once or twice, when the
count yawned as If he were tired, Isabella
turned her eyes mournfully upon him
as if to beseech him not to retire to bed.
The count noticed the look, but could
not interpret its significance, and during
the evening he saw her no more. A
feeling of WEAKNESS at length oyercom-
ing him, the count arose from his seat
in the quaint old parlor and signified
his intention of seeing his room.--
Hernandez at once secured lamp and
escorted the count up stairs, ushered
him into large ghostly chamber, in
which every article in the cumbrous
furniture was deepened by age to funeral
blackness. Two large mirrors adorned
the walls, and by their reflection seemed
to stretch out the dimensions of the
dreary apartment to boundles extent.
This was the room In which the ter
rible murder had been committed, and
II was never occupied, save when some
dark deed was to be done. The land