The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-06-28


possession of her as with fixed eyes she
watched him leave the room then,
with piercing scream, she started up,
and, catching hold Of Colonel Hollis
arm, cried, Save me, save mep and
fell back fainting Into his arms. The
usual confusion consequent on such an
event ensued. "She must have air and
quiet,' said Colonel Holt; and begging
his wife would summon Susan, he car
ried the girl out of the room into his
study, where in time she recovered.
"Oh, that face, the awful face of my
dream" she moaned, pressing her
hands to her head
"NIy dear child, what has distressed
YOU Tell me what has made you Ill ?''
asked Colonel H6lt. His wife had by
this time returned to the drawing. room,
leaving her husband and Susan with
Effie.
''Those dreadful eyes, that face" was
all she would say for some time.
do you know what she means ?"
Colonel Holt asked Susan, who shook
her head, and, in a whisper, expressed
hurried opinion that Miss Efiie's
nerves were often like this, and that
most likely she meant nothing.
Perhaps she will tell me if we are
alone, thought Colonel Holt, and he
made sign to Susan to leave the
room.
Now, dear, try and tell me what has
frightened you; and who it is has such
dreadful eyes; or would you rather tell
Agnes? If so, ! will fetch her."
"No, no." said Eflie, clinging to
him 81 will tell you; it will be better;
but it makes me shudder so to speak of
it." Colonel Holt soothed her as best
he could, and at length she managed to
tell him of her dream of year ago.
tAnd oh 10 she cried, "that man who
brought the coffee to me had the same
face as the man in my dream, and when
looked up his dreadful eyes were look
ing at me in the same murderous way as
in my dream"
"That man Do you mean Sim
mons, my butler ?" asked Colonel Holt,
laughing, trying to reassure her. " Fan
cy turning old Simmons into villain
of romance. Why, he has been with me
for years, and is a steady as old Time.
You are tired and over. excited this
evening, Ef1ie, and your imagination
has run away with you. That is all,
believe me-"
He rang the bell and summoned
Susan, who persuaded Eflie to go to her
room. Colonel Holt then returned to
the drawing room. His guests were
departing and very soon he and his wife
were left to themselves.
- must go to that poor child" said
Mrs. Holt. "What could have brought
on such an attack POI
"Oh, some nonsense about dream.
/ wouldn't tease her with questions to-
night. Give her soothing draught,
and let her go to bed; and ask her maid
to sitwith her till she falls asleep"
Left alone, Colonel Holt rang the bell,
desired Simmons to put out the lights,
and see that all was safe, and then
betook himself, with many yawns, to
his dressing.room, where he intended to
solace himself with pipe before going
to bed; and, fer want of better food for
thought, his mind reverted to poor little
Effie's bysterical tale of her dream.
Pish-nonsense-rubbish! !" he NUT
tered between whiffs, when suddenly an
unpleasant thought struck him, and he
started to his feet. "By Jove! what if
there should be something in it. The
mans manner is not satisfactory and
it is odd, to say the least of it, that the
very day she was to have come last
year, and the very day she has come
this year, he should have behaved so
queerly. Well, suppose I'm an old
fool, but l won't go to bed till dawn at
any rate. What is the time now? II
O'Clock. If anything is to happen it
will happen soon, L suppose
He opened the door softly. The house
seemed wrapped in complete silence.
Not sound was to be heard. Leaving
the door ajar, he placed his armchair
behind it, put out the candles, and re-
seated himself, devoutedly hoping he
might not fall asleep, but thinking it
was more than likely he should do so.
When the clock chimed the halfhour
after midnight Colonel Holt started
and changed his position. Surely he
had begun to ioze; this would never
do. Why on earth had he given him
self so much discomfort? He, who
would willingly so to bed at 10 o'clock