Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-09-25

NO. 227.

said proudly. why. hut yesterday we
were strangers"
''No; not strangers evea them" said.
with sudden impeiuosity. When | saw
you here first. | knew you-knew you to
be the same Sylvia of My dreams; the
bodily presence of visions that has haunt
ed me long; the ideal OF all that beauty
and excellence of which my heart has
been dimly conscious. which my waking
hours have found at last -
Your dreama" she said. with faint
wonder. but. thank Heav en-. with no dis
belief in sweet true eyes. that met and
dropped before my own.
Il dreamt of you the fist night came
to Slverdesne." said earnestly. "A
strange dream it was. and one whose
memory have never been able to shake
off. thought saw You standing by my
uncles coffin. and that you piaceda a packet
ofpapers or letters on his breast. and COW
cred them with
l stopped abruptly. The girls face
grew ashy gray. She was trembling like
a leaf.
Sylvia" cried. in wonder. "what is
the matter? What have said?"
= Swiftly she came 10 my side her tremb-
ling hands clasped mine
"Iou dreamt that :" she said. ''Oh. for
Heavens sake don't speak of lido not
tell any one else - above all. Lady
Helen
! Ere could answer her Il iaint rustlinG
in the bushes made us both turn in that
direction. We started like guilty things.
as facing us there we saw the cold, cruel
lace and glltterlng eyes of my uncle wife.
There is no need to tell Lady Helen
anything she saidtriumphantly, ''tor she
has heard all. Mr. Graham. accept my
sincere thanks for the assistance your
dream has given me in my researches. |
think now shall be able 20 find the miss
inm WILL" and she moved away through
the chequercd lights and shadows of the
pretty glade, triumphant, smiling, merci-
less.
And YOU insist upon this proceeding,
| Madame P"
u insist upon it.
"You offer no explanation of your rca-
sons ?''
| None whatever. They will be ex-
planned when ray directions have been car
/ ried out
1T is most strange--most singular.
/ Nevertheless
Nevertheless, repeated the imperi-
Gus voice of the newly bereayed widow,
you are called upon to grant the neces-
Sary certificate, for | insist upon the re-
mains of my late husband being disin-
TERED, and the coffin opened, in the pres
cnce of myself and those members of my
family whom / shall see fit To summon. "
/ looked at Sylvia. How pale she was
and vet there was no fear, no tremor. .in
face or feature now Sad enough she
looked but not rs Lady Helen must
have expected her TO be if her base sus-
picions were indeed well founded. How
| hated myself for being the unlucky
cause of all this disturbancc-for having
repeated that wild and foolish dream on
which basis a jealous and suspicious wom-
an had founded Il fabric of evidence that
seemed to crimnate my innocent darling.
! For she was my darling now. | loved
her as | never thought IL was in me to
love any woman. ! loved her all the
more in her deienccless weakness-her
simple. girlish pride that held her aloof
from my sympathy, and denied to me her
companionship. ] loved her-oh, how
: dearly so dearly that | would have for
feited wealth and lands and all my care
encumbered heritage, so that might win
her love by right of my own.
1t was night. aud we stood a gloomy,
silent party, in the vaults Of the old
church. whera many Graham OF Silver
desne lay at rest.
| The two lawyers were there. and the
clergyman, and sexton. anG Mr.. Heath.
the nearest magistrate, whose presence
had been desired and necessitatcd by the
strange proceedings IN prospect.
In the b;;Gt ground stood Lady Helen,
and little apart from hi,r were Sylvia and
myself.
1le din, light reflected Itself on our
pale and awc=ir.rck faces. the voices were
hushed almtSt to q whisper. When the
coffin. which only yast,yday morning was
laid there, was once again upraised and
set before us, "a shudle' ran through even
the calmestI and less nervous Of the group.
Then in SOLEMN silence the worlmen pro-
ceeded; the lid was forced open. and be-
fore our eyes lay that Geld, still face whose
peace and solemnity seemed TO rebuke the
sordid passions which had not even spared
the sacredness Of death.
Lady Helen stepped forward. and
think there was not one among the stern
er sex there assembled but was conscious
Of feeling of disgust and shame at that
desecration OF her husbands last resting
place.
II was Ter hand that raised the shroud,
her voice that gave that fierce low cry of
triumph, her face that flashed round upon
US all, rs with 4 sudder gesture she turned
and held up packet oi papers sealed and
tied with broad black ribbon
There, Did ! not tell you was sure
the will had been hiddenby some cunning
hand ?" she cried aloud. II call upon YOU
all to witness where found it,"
We all drew back. A shudder of dis
gust stirred me. turned away; yet not
even then--oh, thank Heaven, not even
then--did one thought of suspicion enter
my mind, not one unworthy feeling assert
itself in my iudgmentof the pale and
trembling girl, whose accuser confronted
her with such merciless cruelty.
Madame said the grave voice OF the
clergyman. staying the torrent Of angry
speech which was podring from her lips,
'.before repeating such accusations it
would be better TO verify their truth. Your
lawyer is present. Let him examine these
papers and see If they are what you sup
pose