Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-12-01
Than the effects Of travelling" was my

insisted upon bearing detailed account
Of my foreign experience. Uneasy and
restless as was, l was compelled to
submit, and for full hour my tormen.
tor compelled me to sit and answer his
questions. Meanwhile, ! was in per.
feet agony Of fear and uneasiness. / fol-
lowed every movement that he made,
lest some chance clew might bctray the
presence Of Helena, and / alternately
adopted and rejected thousand expe-
dents to rid myself of him. Ny posi-
ton at length grew absolutely intolera-
Bile; not in the least among my thoughts
was that of the suffering OF Helena con-
fined in the sitting air of that miserable
closet, and was on the point of init
mating to the tormentor that / wished
to be alone, when he exclaimed:
"Ah let me examine your ring!n
And before could make a movement to
prevent him, he had slipped it from my
finger and was intently examining it."
"a pretty ring" he observed, eyeing
me sharply, "May / ask where you OBJ
tanned it,"
purchased it some time since," was
my careless reply.
How / hated the monster for this ques-
ton! How / wished to hurl him head
long down the stairs! But forbore.
did you ever give away an orna-
ment like this ~ was his next question.
II never did"
The answer came emphatic aud posi-
tive, and my wrath rose almost beyond
check. Never may / have a harder
struggle to refrain from striking hui
man being to my feet. idiot! villain!
he was numbering life worth more
than thousand of his own every mo-
ment Of bis stay.
"Well," he continued, 81 asked be-
canse l had particular reasons for asking
very particular reasons they are, l as
sure you. You know my wife~
II have met her." ! replied, with an
involuntary start.
''Itis something that concerns her. /
will tell You exactly what ! mean some
day."
81 do not ask Your confidence" was
my answer.
''No, bnt ! mean to give it, neverthe-
less" he rejoined, with d grim smile,
rising to 60. Doctors are sometimes
very useful advisers in family affairs
He was gone at last. With three
strides ! reached the closet, when the
outer door again opened on my tormen-
tor. He had merely returned to make
some trivial remark, and again he was
gone. Now, however, I waited until
his footballs had ceased to fall on the
stairs, and then the key was again in
serted in the lock. But / could proceed
no further; the reaction of my terrible
nervous excitement of the last two honrs
0vercame me, and | leaned weak and
breathless, against the door. The
thought occurred to me to call her name
and accordingly ! spoke it, "Helenaw
1t was in low whisper and there
was no response. | repeated 1T aloud,
but no answer; still louder, with the
same result. A mortal, dizzy sickness
oyercame me, and / could scarcely force
vitality enough to my fingers to I'M
close the door. But I did. and looked
in fearfully, shudderingly. Helena was
leaning against the wall, her face hid
den in her hands. Again repeated her
name, and when she gave me no reply,
! placedmy hand gently on her shoulder
Her whole body yielded to my touch,
and | found myself supporting her in
my arms. She had doubles tainted.
So thought as carried her from the
closet and placed her inert form in my
office chair for not until then had seen
her face. God of mercy! what reve-
lation did that face contain 1t was
white and ghastly, every muscle set
with q rIdged expression of fear, the
dull eyes gazing upon me with their ex
pressionless, stony gaze. My heart gave
one great throb, and stood still: III an
instant l had applied my fingers to the |
wrist. The pulse was still--the blood |
was stagnant-a stroke of the lancet |
had failed to draw 1t forth! The horri- !
BILE truth was apparent. She was dead. |
Fear alone had killed her.
Here my strength failed me: Ireeled |
and fell to the floor, lost in stupor Of |
insensibility.
1t was night when | awoke, and slow
" the horrors Of my position came to !
me. But | was calm, at least; and |
there in the darkness of inidnipht. and |