New-York tribune., 1884-12-14

the sight OF them, ncrvonsly feeling as if something
wickcdly uncanny were neai me- But now saw
that TO the eyes alone that face indebted for any
sembancc of vouthlthat IT might wear. In the still
ness slumber the secrets OF that past. life were
partially revealed 1t was no girl who sat near me-.
but woman. old In the worlds ways. llaggard.
tempesttosse passion worn, sin-driycn. looked
at her and recalled the strange question asked By
the Hlatron on the night of my arrival.
| - do you believe in possession ~
could not remain another moment. stole away
upstairs candle in hand and tapped at the door of
| the officers retreat.
..Are you there = whispered.
and when heard his low reply. began to feel
safe once more. At eight o'clock the two nurses
would arrive. The tea-bell had rung. punctuslly.
at six. But had spent some time beside the din.
| lngroom fire. 1t was now a quarter TO seven. l
suppose the officers close vicinity gave me unusual
ilrst and last visit to the lady who had loved. and
been so kind to her nephew Frank; The door was
unlocked. opened it. and entered. it was large
room; square and lofty, with two long windows
mat faced the avenue and the sea. The blinds of
these windows were not drawn down, and gas
| lamp in the avenue, opposite the ha-door. threw
its light directly in the room. | scarcely needed my
candle there. 4 large bed. draped with curtains,
stood on the right hand of the door between it and
gIlded arch, were closely drawn together A. was
ABOUT to draw these curtains aside, heard step
coming along the hall. 1t might be the ladys maid,
or nurse blew ont my candle. The great bed
stood out well from the wall Into that space |
glhied; and the curtains concealed me. The door
opened quietly. sono one entered. Then the key
was turned in the lock. Julia Billings crossed the
room carrying small brass lamp IN her hand She
wore her waterproof cloak which came 20 her feet
q black velvet hat and lace veil, and fur collar
She placed the lamp on the mantelpccc and drew
thc curtains aside. Then saw that they concealed
nothing worse than window, of which tho blind
was drawn down. She looked from II 10 the other
windows, pulled down Their blinds with jerk, and
drew tie heavy curtains over them
The windows IN front were of the modern French
kind, opening like doors to the ground. That At
The end was an nd-iashioncd one. with cushioned
inlow seat. She knclt down beside this ran her
hand along the polished wood of the floor. and
\ portion Of the flooring slid aside, disclosing u
square opgn space beneath the vulow seat
ireE ont @ smt @ 6adR Saq. R' iE@c @ sp d ro6d Was
pushed again into u. pilro She lose 70 her fcct
and her pac eyes rlit,crcd rs she ii,tcd the Nag.
-u@lpn arah ara q ni' yhena ttetintc is n "
" ill tdnt 6Nn i9nt Mint yoC metias3l ion
RGtrel no t8 Attih 0'h tdhf prtcr ahl t3nt
lItM xxx Nst 0ViWI,il w. 35 lWllN,W,kt FW4
nSsaFf ,aat ts6eafiH E,te9 AZ sqa iNtii aS1M
l,NN A. Wn'AesMl 'Wa''fSs SNN lN hA'e iNW
lgsyi lhe 'nlak qf gqia, tue rustic oi p9par saw
rAamut i the cputents pl the haudbag. tNdeniW
Size Was about leave tue house, to Join Gerald Moi-
iYl, or 40 follow ltn to france
How culld give the signal IN time iu the police
man. With lhet locked door hotWeou lno ami safety
| could lin courage for the attempt only hy dunk.
iug oi Frank, aud ol what he would say, when h9
learned that L. uualdol, la cleared his name. |
drew long breath, aud stole softly, stll screened
by the bed AMI ITS curtains, toward the dor liut
she heard ne and dashed the bag down on the toilet
table.
"You vile London spy" she cried. "You are
here, wa;cl hing me-; know it But the door is
locked. and now I'll serve YOU as served her..
What she would have done know not. | flung
open the door, with loud scream, as she rushed
across the rom. | thought | heard the crash of
carr age wheels on the gravel outside, minglng
with the tramp of feet in the passage. rs the consa
BILE sprang between us Just rs her arm was upftcd
above my head. The blow intended for mo fell
upon hun, hut he held her fast. People came run
ming up the stairs and along the hall. the room
seemed filled with policemen in n moment. and she
was IN Their midst. terrible to look on as she strng-
gled for freedom Then all at once she seemed to
realize that il all over with her. and she became
quiet
I" Release me-" she said. and will go with you
anywhere. aud make no resistance" They did so.
In moment her hand had Owed INTO her pocket;
the next she had swallowed the contents of u small
packet. Now do y0ur worst" she SAID Tor my
moments are numbered You don't suppose that
had not prepared for such an emergency as this"
Even as she spoke n death-lke pallOr crept into
her face and she seemed about to lose consciousness
at is DEATH she murmured; place me on the
Miss Bcncc pale and horror stricken, was beside
me at the door. The frightened servants and
nurses stood crying in the hall | felt that must
he going out of my mind or dreaming, for Frank.
also. stood beslc me- And when | followed Miss
l}euce to the side of the bed it was Frank wrapped
in his travelling coat who stood there, and looked
nt me as ii he felt that he, too, was dreaming. Ii
was no time for explanations between us. The
wTctchcd woman was speaking to Miss Fence The
wildncss had gone out of her. Gone. too, was the
false look OF youth. only the worn hagg3rd.
VA ted face of Il woman of forty, aged beyond her
years left.
1t is all over,n she sad wearlly. "Gcrald will
hate me- when he knows all Bat I've lost him, and
the despair Of that low voice. the WEAKNESS of thai
changed face. 81 killed her. she continued,
" Frank Mo,tyn is innocent. she had heard OF
Gcralds marriage. and disinherited him because of
it. After Frank went away that night told her
ihat was GerIds Dn w.G IoniG t9G"St nr9S ie was M
but she would not And so-you know the rcst.'
She sent me to France that very nigh t, to beg
Gerald to come back and she would loIgVG ms
marriage said Frank. =" In time she would h2ye ave-
forgiven you to-, even if the discovery made her
angry inst at first. And she made me promise q
share all with him. if she should die before she could
alter the will.
Is that true ?" glspcl the lying woman. Then.
ndcei. has judnncnt come to me even yen IN IN thS
worl,lr And with wild cry that shall hear to
my dying day. she fell back upon the pillow.
IS death indeed. sal TN" doctor. who ad
becns q + for. ami h,d silently entered tie room.
Ind my lace on Frank shoulder ana Onrst ihto
tears.
An hour later as we sat with Miss Bence IN the
ia say ihlt tictnld Mostln was N custOdN. having
been arrested the railway station IN the disRnlSr
of sailor. ~ he was purchasing hf f'-ca9S ucAcI
Tor the London train.
Alarmed ~ his position, Gerald mlie q voluntary
aud complete confessions he had met ]nlia I.il- !
mas In Paris aud had crown SO inininaied az 10 |
to1r her non, the stag. aud marry her pi'atelv !
Ile had manarrh rs rrt her into hiS anhl Hi'lGf |
hui an hnbtndis rtur htvlh. iniNrnrn the "ii
n,i, ~ his maitns hr dared npt stern tr torrent
~ bp, W,Ath. and introduce lhlia ~ HE wiz |
Ni,ttp,s Vrn Un in this unsatisfactory way hli |
,,.,i 4 tpAr Mias AbsNh Threatened to uisihWtit |
Ls, itthaN H. VIA iN'nt Ntpf hpti ANIL thts 80 |
iisbt aUd h. h.A .n,NN iNpl ~ bio wis. "a htrp |
hua u..r hor al aut ha@tNi, .ihht hAl rp sNAAel |
hiN tu bliaW hls aNHi ~ lnishinti HNl ln itMAlh |
jhuyn an y tNNrAhla NWMiNh,N ohNNNi N'tt lW |
hpr 90 blng ahWi ihpt gh,il'H''rN - Nt,'or' |