Connecticut western news., 1882-08-30

set eyes before2 Could these two have been known to each other in some by gone love affair, or was the man gone out of his wits or had he taken too much drink?
 How this memorable dinner struggled on to conclusion hardly remember. The more fidgety I got the more irre- sistibly was drawn to watch A. His face wore pale, scared aspect, quite foreign to him, for he was ordi- narily cheery, common-sense fellow, not easily disturbed. At length it seemed that our hostess became aware of the intent observation she was being subjected to, and before the ladies rose from the dinner-table her handsome features had grown very white, there was 8 visible trembling movement in her hands, and her eyes took an uneasy expression not previously there.
 As soon as we men were left alone, and almost before we could reseat our- selves, A. turned to our host, and in an odd mufaed voice announced that he felt unwell, and begged permission to take his departure. MT. M glanced at me with puzzled air. "He was verry sorry. Gould he do any thing And, of course, the carriage was entirely at Mir. As service" By this time it was evident something was really amiss with A; so I made some sort of excuse that feared he had had hard days march and got soaked, sent our sincere apologies to Mrs. M, and rejecting the kind offer of the carriage, we found ourselves out again in the moonlight. The moon was well up, and as we passed the old ruin- ous chapel you could see, through a little pointed window in the gable, the wall beyond half lit up, and dappled over with long shadows from the thorn trees alongside. We walked for little while in silence, I deliberating what to say, whether to be stern or sympathetic, but decidedly inclining to the former. Indeed, whether he were we'll or ill, the extraordinary gestures and demeanor of A that evening were unbecoming in the extreme, and, taking place as they did in the presence of his senior officer, could not be passed over. "A-," at length began, in an official tone, "I must ask what is the meaning He had been hurrying on with his face averted from me; but now, as spoke, he suddenly stopped, turned round, and grasping my arm, broke in with, "So help me God, Major, the devil stood behind her P 'The devil stood behind her ]" I said, in utter amazement, what on earth do you mean ?" "I mean what I say, the devil was standing behind her all the time." His voice fell almost to whisper, and he looked back toward the house, which was still m sight. could have no doubt who he meant by her, but I was so taken aback, that what to go on saying to the man knew not. It was obvious he was under some strange mental delu sion. Presently he spoke again, as ii 1 to himself Behind her by the mantle piece; behind her chair; that fearful things face; those fendish eyes; my l Gcd p
 As said before, am not supersti- tious, but it was neither quite comfort able nor canny hearing these queer ex clamations under the peculiar circum: stances; in moonlight walk, dark, umbrageous thickets on one side of us, on the other black, cavernous cliffs, and the melancholy murmuring sea.
 As far as my memory serves, we were still little way from the lodge gate when A stopped again an instant and said: "Listen what's that2'' could hear nothing, but in few seconds came the distant chatter of gallopine
 horse along the drive. Something hal happened to her," whispered A
 laying chill hand on mine. "Any
 thing the matter ?" I shouted to tn,
 groom who passed us on horse. Tn,
 man called out something which W,
 were unable to catch, and galloped on
 We could see him pull up at the gate
 and woman came out to open it but
 by the time we reached her, horse ant
 rider were out of sight. She was stand
 ing staring down the road after them
 and I asked her if anything was wrong
 "Jesu save us, sur p she exclaimed
 crossing herself, the man says mee
 lady is dead-she has taken her life 1!
 "Dead taken her life P was my ejacu
 lation. "Why, we've only just left tn
 house." Here was indeed a climax t my bewilderment ! But what an an nouncement was utterly unable t
 realize it-it seemed too monstrous. M first impulse was to run back at once the hall and see if we could be of an use; but on second thoughts it seeme 5 better not. Then, as we hurried out c ) the park through the tall massive gate way, heard my companion mutter, ev 7 idently still possessed with his halluci ] nation, "Did she see it too?'
 3 About halfway to Moynetown W l met our car coming out to fetch us, am ] mounted it. ''I seen Ms mal l ridin' by jist now like smoke" was tn : remark of our whilom taciturn iarvie 0 "there's somethin' up, belave. The - tells quare tales of that house, an tn i, ould chapel, an the lights seen about O nights, an the sthrange noises paopl l hears thereabout. Och, thin, sure ar t there's bad luck in that house, Sur f l was too stupefied to stop the fellow d gabble till his words were out, and the. o have often recurred to my mind since D When we got back to our inn, the i