Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-04-05

3 "No nonsense p he said, almost
angrily. as he disengaged himself from
her embrace.
You will never speak to me that
way again." she said, with an empha
sis SO mournful that it startle even
, him.
"What was the dreamp" he asked,
almost in spite of himself. al can al
least hear it; but 1 shall no t heed il
remember"
"It is not much to tell. only and
she looked up with shudder-" the
horror of 1.-THE horror that never
leaves mel dreamed you were in a
room that seemed to me to be the apart.
ments of palace, it was so exquisitely
furnished. 1t was an oblong room, and
pictures and statuary and hangings that
glittered with gold, aid panels painted
in the most exquisite colors, met my
sight everywhere 1 did not stop to
look at these things, however My at
tention was riyeted on a long table
richly draped in red. 1t did not seem
dinner, and yet there were men and
women seated along both sides and you
were in the center. Suddenly saw at
your back tall, thin, evillooking man,
whose face held terrible fascination.
He seemed to be full of power, and
his eyes cleaned and darted fire, like
the eyes of basilisk. The awful eyes
were fixed on you, following your
every movement. 1 tried to warn you,
but my tongue seemed powerless to
move, and my limbs were palsied. Oh,
how those evil eyes followed you'll And
presently 1 saw what broke the spell
OF my silence-that in one hand he held
a shining dagger, and was only wait
ing his opportunity to strike you to
the heartl
"At last"-she rose from the chair,
white as death-"at last the blow fell,
and at that moment the clock struck
it was striking when 1 walked up-but
the hands seemed to stand at a quar-
ter of three. l screamed, but you
never heard me nor saw me-and
then l awoke."
"And whose was the face?" he
asked, in a low voice.
If he felt any EN- otion as he listened
to her description of a place he only
knew too well, he gave token of none.
How can I tel. except to describe
it? A narrow, high forehead; black,
curling hair; eyes brighter than dia-
monds; look of assured power; thin
but handsome lips; tall, sindous. All,
[ shall never forget that man-never~
"No. He don't let people forget
him, once they have seen him." her
husband said; and then looked up
with keen. almost frightened, glance
as he still stood smoothing his hat
with his gloved hand.
"Ohl then you know him? My
dream means something. Now you
will stay-oh. Ralph, you will stay?"
she added, with supplicating voice and
eyes.
"Indeed will n OF stay" he made
answer, impassively. "I'll go if only
to show you of what intangible stuff
dreams are made. So farewell, and
forget-aIl you can," he I'D ed, in a
lower voice and somewhat impress
lively. "If you don't see me again,
why, farewell, and meet your fate as
brayely as you met me-"
He went out, humming and laugh
ing, leaving his wife sitting motion
less, a nameless horror in her eyes,
faintness at her heart that she could not
conquer.
How much she had dared, how much
she had done for that handsome, way
ward mani How dearly she had
Lowell him, how feryently believed in
himl And even yet it seemed to her
that if only once she could compel that
better self of his to come out into the
light she might yet save him from
the curse that seemtd lowering over
him.
She believed in her dream, rather
vision, she called it; and now he had
gone to his doom, leaving her to suffer
alone.
There was nothing to beslone but to
endure her loneliness. If she could
but have followed him, as strange
yearning possessed her to do now J
But how? He had taken cab at the
door, and she was not hardy enough
to venture out, particularly as thick
fog had suddenly sprang up, obscuring
the streets.
For some moments she walked the
room. har hands clasped, her breast
heav ng with emotion.
ITO be in this great city alone' she
murmured "and he leaves me so often
aloneI"
She went to the grand piano and
struck a few chords W Idly; they
seemed only to recoil in sound aga n t
her heart. She took up dainty
violin, but the .ones held no melody
4 for her.
Suddenly the door was thrown open.
GA lady" said the pompous servant,
with doubtful glance at the yelled