The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-08-04


The thunder rolled, the trees swayed,
the woman vanished. Professor Horton
winked several times, and opened his
mouth to speak, then closed his lips
without sound. The object thus unex-
pectedly consigned to his care was a |
small leather bag scarcely more than a |
tobacco pouch, and heavy. Mechanically |
he thrust it into one of the wide pockets |
step crushed the gravel on the path to
own feet as if moved by spring, his
knees shook, his teeth chartered,
deadly fear smote him.
Fear of what evil? He did not know.
To shrink to the left, gain the next
self, was the work of q moment, and
he knew every inch of ground from
many of these trees which now proved
friends? The hiding place gained was a
larch surrounded by stiff little Japanese
cedars, aud forming sort of laby-
rinth. Scarcely had the professor
glided into his shelter than q vivid
sheet of lightning Illuminated the whole
country side. He saw himself seated
on the rustic bench beneath the larch-
tree! He could not believe the evi-
dence of his own senses; the breath re-
mained suspended on his lips. Had he
been devout Catholic he would have
crossed himself, invoking the protection
of calendar of saints; chill of super.
stitious dread certainly stagnated his
blood. Was he to believe that his hour
had come There sat his own image on
the rustic bench, the soft felt hat
pulled down over the brow, the broad
shoulders, the slouching manuscript at
tire; nothing was lacking to complete
the resemblance. Was he still asleep,
victim of nightmare, or had he gone
mad? He pinched his flesh and rubbed
his eyes violently. The figure under
the larch-tree did not vanish. Swift
realization of the truth dawned on the
drowsy scholar. He was alone, at dis.
had in his pocket bag which belonged
to the other. What If this unknown
| had found him still on the bench?
stranger, and gave him the bag?
II should be murdered as surely as
| there is heaven above US, shuddered
/
for which he could give no reason.
AT this iuncture the wind freshened
and the rain fell in torrents, while the
lightning became less frequent. Pro.
fessor Horton quilted the larch tree,
reached the hotel with surprising agility,
found window of the recent ball room
unfastened, groped his way through that
deserted apartment and gained his own
chamber. The bag was gone. He had
lost it from the wide pocket, probably
in his fight. His watch marked 2
o'clock. The professor extinguished the
candle, opened the shutters of the win
dow and seated himself with his eyes
fixed on the eastern horizon. He was q
prey to the most exciting emotions.
The room was stifingly hot, but be
lighted his lamp and forced himself to
read an extract from DR.. DolliDger,
while moths blundered about the fame,
frying themselves to condition of uu.
pleasant crispness and mosquitoes stung
his temples. His watch marked mid
night, and still the movement of the
|, ball room and the twang of musical in
struments reached his ear, precludine
the possibilities of sleep.
"Squeak, squeak, fiddles! Boom
away, bass violsl Keep it up till morn
idg, by all means. / wonder if that il
, the music of the future? a hr Here
! the listener clinched his teeth, with {
truly diabolicai expression of counter
| ance, as the violins shuddered over hi
nervous system, snatched up his broad
, felt hat and strobe out of doors, actu
: ated by the impulse of escape.
The night was sultry and oppressive
The professor breathed sigh of relief
as he quilted the vicinity of the hotel
? which sparkled with many lights through
the trees like an ogre's eye. Darkness
| and the obscurity of shrubbery vel
E coined him abroad at this unusual hour
. He strolled about the gravel paths, fan
? ming himself with his hat, and paused
beneath the projecting roof of the orna-
mented kiosque of the Silver Spring.
3 "There will be thunderstorm befor
morning." soliloquized the professor
3 replacing his hat.
D All was deliciously still here, and fa
below, guarded by the encircling basin
: bubbled the Silver Spring, cool ant
8 limpid, source of health, as the pro-
| fessor firmly believed. Had not tn,
, nymph of the fountain spread her wing
in startled flight in the disastrou
) change from rural tranquility to fash
ionable resort? The professor Leaned
: on the parapet and peered into the crys
9 tai depths of the spring, musing in thi
/ vein. As he did so he perceived TIVE
D persons advancing from opposite direc
: tons to meet q few yards distant from
: himself They proved to be man ant
8 woman, and they scarcely paused be
8 fore separating again with the same
2 rapidity of movement as they had met
y Professor Horton was the first votar,
!, of the Silver Spring abroad next morn
: ing. If he was feverish and haggard
9 with slealthy, even furtive aspect, th
t boy at the fountain did not notice tn
D circumstance. Always an early riser
t, the professor slipped glass of the spar
/ king water, and then walked along th
r upper paths of the grounds. Cautiousl
: he skirted the rustic seat beneath th
g larch tree and approached the lareh. !
: short, dry laugh of triumph escaped til
: lips of the usually undemonstrative stu
: dent. A leather bag, half pouch, lay
9 concealed by the long grass, beneath TIN
spreading boughs. The larch tree hat
I kept its secret well. The bag remaine'
{ where it had fallen from the professor
wide pocket. He clutohed it, returne
9 TO his room, and proceeded to investi
gate the contents. The little bag hel
/, the Delaunay diamonds. Necklace
bracelet, butterfly ornament-nothinl
: was lacking in this precious heap swep
hastily from cumbersome case and Cas-
Q ket.
8 Five minutes later the rosy landlor
was seized by the collar, dragged int