The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-06-20

fioor stood my brother, but with such 0
strange, wicked, frenzied expression on
his face that, had not known his fea.
lures well, | should have thought II
could not be he Before him knelt a
| hands. .fH. .'..U .-rot u
| "You shall not leave me thus y she
cried, as he turned to GO. II must, |
will have my liberty "
| She had started to her feet and ran
to the door, but Stephen, still without
any change in his fixed, staring counte-
nance, seized her roughly by the arm
and pushed her from him, and walked
| quickly towards the door. had hard
ly time to draw back into the shadow
of heavy curtain, when he entered
| the room where was and walked quick
| ly across to the landing closing this last
door after him and locking it. Thus |
found myself also a prisoner ] heard
his footstep descend the stairs and then
the sound died slowly away. .H
For few moments stood puzzled
as to what course was to pursue. /
knew it would be useless to attempt to
force the massive lock, or when morn
ing came to try and attract the outer
world for, as have said, the rooms
were strongly built and situated in the
| very heart of the West wing, end the
few windows which had of yore let in
the light of heaven to them had been
filled up with strong masonry. / was
aroused from my thoughts by sob
from the occupant of the next cham.
ber. Going up to the door which Ste
phen had closed after him l knocked
and then entered My tap had evil
IDENTIFY not been heard, for | found the
graceful form seated in chair in an
attitude which betokened despair, her
head leaning forward aud her beauti-
ful dishevelled hair falling in waving
folds about her. -Ha. .H NJ.
"Madam." .....
had walked up to her and placed
my hand upon her shoulder.
"Oh J. and she turned towards me,
her pale, fearful, horror-stricken face
then shrank away in fear. "Who are
you? Pray do not hurt me- / know
| am helpless. .".. uil
II was some time before / could con-
vince her that | was really a friend
for so long had she been buried in these
rooms that her mind had become al
most unhinged and her sense of percep-
tion blunted. By degrees, however,
l made her understand who l was and
how l had come there and then, in
answer to my questions, l CLEANED the
history of her captivity. II iaaHu.
When my brother married her she
was handsome young girl Of 1S, and
he was verging on the period of mid
die age. For three months after their
marriage he had been kind and atten-
| tive-all, in fact, that wife could de-
sire of her husband Just at the end
Of that time, however, he discovered
accidentally several letters which had
been written by her before her mar
riage, to former lover; and for some
| days afterward he was moody Jealous
and strange in his conduct. One night
he entered her room with that fixed,
frenzied, wicked look upon his face
which she had never seen there before,
but which had marred his features in
all interviews with him since, and
directed her by signs to follow him,
a mandate which in her terror she
readily obeyed. He conducted her to
a gloomy chamber, lighted only by a
small oil lamp, and then left her, lock-
ing the door behind him. At Intervals
afterwards, he visited her, bringing
food and clothing with him but al
ways coming in the night, and bearing
himself in silent, changed, peculiar
manner AT length he led her back
again to her own suite of apartments
Chose in which had discovered herr,
where during her absence all the win,
dows had been built up, thus cutting
off communication with the outer
world. Here he visited her almost ev-
cry night since, bringing her the nee.
essaries of life, coming like an appari-
ton and going as he came.
81 think those foolish letters of mine"
she said, in conclusion, "written before
l had learned to love my husband, have
turned his brain. | was warned before
l married him that he was affected by
the peculiar malady of sleep walking,
and that when under its influence he
not only lost complete control of his
reason, but also seemed to live a double
life. When awake he was generous,
frank and good; but when in somnam
bulant state, was told, he Mas mo.
rose, jealous, wicked in word, insane
and that in his waking hours he had
no recollection of what took place
or what he did when in this latter
state" s ..
! Fortunately ! found had my pow
der-h flask in my pocket, and thus wal
able to set myself and my unfortupat,
brothers wife at liberty, by exploding
the locks. 20 a..l
| took my protegee to the rectory
where the rector, who was an old col
lege friend of mine, was not littl
surprised 10 receive such visitors at 3,
earl y an hour ..r
/ Before returning to Stanley House,
rode on the rector's cob to my broth
| ~ tOSVoiD VIM itNSu nOOub lilIt0 lnilt
away, and consulted him upon Steph
ems sad condition. He told me tha
he was quite aware of the fact
of the case, but that he had no
for a moment thought the malad
could have been capable working S
much mischief. IN r.H"."tI.. = .
He suggested that in all probabilit
crisis in the disease would now b
reached, brought about by the menta
shock which the discovery of the es
cape Of the captive would give whe
next the somnambulist visited the Yves
wing. The result of this crisis woul
! either leave him a hopeless manic G
!, completely cure him,
AT the doctors request 1 arrange
TO meet him the same night at /
o'clock, in order TO watch my brother
movements. / then rode back to tn
Z rectory, and from there proceeded {
l once to Stanley House,
After resting in my room for
d short while, | came down stairs, an
0 found Stephen more cheerful and GEL
o ial than nSual all nnconecionS 10,