, 1884-11-23

quired Fielding, adapting himself nv one doe
in some grotesque dream.
Sleeping, and 70 / can be with you Shall
I come ngainF'
@Amyi' called tho mother from tho house.
The girl in the chair, whoever she might be
closed her lids Cor a moment, and when they
opened Miss Barrows made some hippant 10
mark about her nap, with a disregard OF
grammar and vowel sounds that left Field
ing in irritated silence. She gave him u
coquettish tap with the fan she snatched
from him, and ran into the house. Fielding
slowly followed her, and persuaded himself
that he had been asleep too.
But as he learned her ways better, and
knew that she had n habit Of sleeping away
most Of her afternoons on the little hair-cloth
sofa in the cool parlor, he was Obliged 70 con-
fess TO himself with a sort Of horror that she
led two lives, for which he could make no ac-
count As surely as he found himself beside
her when she lay sleeping, 70 surely would
she wake and look at him with Dora Varian'a
eyes and Talk to him with Dora Variants
tones blending through the different voice Of
Amy Barrows. Sometimes they took long
walks into the woods beyond the village, and
Fielding began to find the old fascination Of
Dora's conversation and manner intensified
into some strange, new feeling by the charm
OF ~fnultless beauty. He lost the uncanny
sensations she gave him at first, and in his
enforced idleness was rapidly learning to look
forward to the hours when the exquisite
casket should be occupied by the fitting gem.
When she left it the other occupant returned
TO II, supremely unconscious OF whatever
might have taken place during her absence
from herself.
Before many weeks went by, Fielding be-
cant aware that he wa deeply In love with
che xnwefn~fo..a nfb.- wuw4 - 49, n.r-o~fa
existence. He tried at first to believe that it
was simply the effect of her physical lowell
ness, but was forced TO give up that theory,
because as herself she was not only uninter-
esttng, but was actually becoming repulsive,
for all her beauty.
THE sunset is like that one when we first
met here" said Dora, as thoy came back,
after one of those walks that Amy might
wake where she fell asleep.
u wish it could last foreverin cried Field
ing, p~assionately. "Dora, don't leave me. l
am losing my senses Whatever you are,
you beautiful mystery, 1 love you, and lean
not let you go.n
He caught her In his arms, and rained
eager kisses on her upturned face.
my day is comel l forgive you. But l
cannot stay" she whispered, deadly pale.
"She il coming back; she must not wake like
this.n
A flicker and film came over her eyes, and
Fielding held a sleeping woman, whom he
had barely time TO place In her chair ON the
little porch, when her mother came out, and
Amy awoke, saying that her heart beat as
II she had been running.
The next day, evoured with impatient
longing, Fielding sat through a long summer
afternoon, waiting, hoping for her habitual
drowsiness to overtake her. She had not
fnrad 20 n0ffoa fhat for ~. ff~.o a.. h.I I.or
her shadow. that wherever she went he was
sure to follow, and whenever she woke she
was sure to find him beside her. What was
she 70 thinkf Her curiosity and interest
were aroused, yet he never spoke a word be
yond what common courtesy dictated. Why
did ho sit looking at her with those eager
eyesI She grew shy and troubled. Her
heart never used to beat so; and why did she
feel so tired when she woke from those long.
dreamless sleeps that she went into because
there was nothing to keep awake fort
She ventured a question after a long,
dreary silence. Poor grill she could not
know that her existence and her speech Just
then were more than his tense nerves could
bear.
Good h~eavenslD he murmured; HDora,
where are your
The air seemed alive with harp-strings
struck by a powerful hand. A spasm Of
deadly terror crossed Amy's face as between
her and Fielding came the outline OF a shad-
owy form in which the man could distinguish
the blazing eyes under tho cloudy hair of the
woman he owe
@What is ItiH shrieked Amy, throwing her
Dalf on Fielding for protection. what is It
trying to do to met 1t is struggling with
mel"
Then there was a heavy fall. They came
rnahlno fros. fbn Lonnn ~ &Ho ~r,rI ..l ...-
Fielding with the dead girl across his knees,
staring into vacancy with eyes that never
again lost that distracted look, saying over
and over again:
There is a SOUL There Is Il SOUL l nave
seen ItTr