Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-05-25

strange expression Of her eyes, We raj
down aud talked business.
$3.50 you have signed the contract
mon chcry she said, smiling curiously
"Ycsi | concluded TO do 80
"And-the policyY
"I took II ont, There was nothing
else to DO done, That Perez IL n Ecoun
drel, but he'll find I'm too much ioi
him.
"'The amount You said was
"Hore II H., | replied, IT Ia fol
OO,OOO-athcr o dig in tho way Of
premium, but lot II 60,
"Sho seized the policy and read Il
with flushed checks, Sho then folded
II up again and handed II back to me,
"'Oi course, II Is mere form, SHE
said, in low dull voice, NO harm cal
happen to you. Tho yomiio-'
"'Wc won't talk OF that ] said. u
nm not afraid, I'll 60 with tho iron
and come back quick and thon-'
81 made q motion to embrace
madam, but she shrank away iiom me,
looking rather pale.
WI-I am little unwcll, she said,
In the same low, dull voice. ] am sub
jet to these attacks-my nerves, ]
will he back in minute.
"With this she went out OF the room,
leaving me rather astonishod at her agi'
tation, which / could not in the least I'M
dcrstand. As / was little tired with
my steamboat trip, l stretched myself
on sofa and took up magazine which
was lying open upon II. IL was open at
n curious article giving an account Of
remarkable criminal, Janus Weather.
cock, as he called himscl, who figured
in London in the eighteenth century, ]
think, or may be later. He was a dandy,
author, society man, fine gentleman, 0
little OF everything and full of high
spirits, He married one of two beauti'
full sisters, and insured the life OF the
other in about dozen different com,
panies for amounts that aggregated
comething like fifty thousand pounds
sterling; then no poisoned her with
strychnine and claimed tho amounts
through assignmcnts from hon TO him,
self. OF course the companies suspected
his game, and he was arrested and exc
cuted, or died, or something. The ar.
ticlc in the magazine gave full account
of him, and l was reading it with inter-
est when Madam Hermoncieux came
back smiling. As soon as she saw what
I was reading, however, she suddenly
turned pale, and seemed to wish to take
the magazine from me. scarcely no.
ticed this at the time, but remembered
it afterward.
"What makes you so pale ? asked.
Gam / pale?' she said, in low voice.
Il was so flurried at the idea that you
were coming-you must pardon mep
at was not such an objectionable
thing, so no more was said about it
and after long evening l retired to my
room and was soon asleep. Do you
believe in warnings? l do. 1 fell
asleep in a rail-car once, and voice
said to me: Get out at the next sta.
ton 1t made such an impression on
me that did get out, and ten miles
further the train was wrecked and hall
the passengers crushed to death. On
this night I dreamed that Alice Hale
came to my bedside and threw her arms
around me with terror-stricken look,
turning her head as she did 80, over her
shoulder, as if she was defying an enemy.
It made me shiver, and awoke and lay
awake till daybreak. 1t had another
curious effect. All at once felt that
this was the only woman really loved,
and I remembered feeling sort of de-
SPAR at the idea that l was going to
marry the madam-and lose
Alice for ever.
"Well, came down to the drawing
room in the morning in this mood OF
mind. Everything was calm and peace
full. The room was full OF flowers, and
through the open window l could see
the bright morning sunlight on Bayou
Teche. Madam was not yet up, and to
pass the time I looked round for the
magazine had been reading. WANTED
to finish the "Janus Weathercock"
article-but the magazine was nowhere
to be seen.
"In the midst of my search for it,
Madam Hermoncieux entered the room.
l mover saw her look so pale, and there
Was black rings around her eyes.
"'You are unwell 7 I said.
"All fancy she said, forcing
laugh. Il did not sleep very we'll, that
is all. A bad headache-but breakfast
is ready. That will revive me-
owe went into the bright little break
fast-room, where q small circular table
was set for Observation-Disclosures china,
heavy silver and flowers. A French
maid brought in the chocolate and rolls,
and then retired. We were left alone,
except for madam's pet lapdog Fiji,
who gamboled about frisking his tail.
"'You really are as pale as DEATH l
said, as we took our seats ut the small
table. Whats the matterY
"'Nothing,' she said.
GAS she spoke she tried to laugh, but
never heard anything more hollow and
unnatural.
"I am little unwell. II shall be
better soon. I will give you your choco-
late-but Stephenie has forgotten the
sugar-dish.'
"She rose and walked with an I'M
steady step to small rosewood side
board, which she opened with o key
which she took from her pocket. l re-
member it clicked in the lock, and Won
dered why madam should be so much
agitated. But she came back in a min
ute with the sugar-dish, sweetened my
cup of chocolate with an unsteady hand,
and extended it to me across the table.
As she did so her hand trembled so that
part was spilled in the saucer.
81 was looking at her with the great
est establishment, trying to understands all
b is, when suddenly the music Of band
on passing boat hoated in through the
window. l had Just raised the cup to
my lips and was about to drink the cho-
colate, when this music interrupted me.
The air PLAYED by the band was Good