Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-06
Ill.
MAD WITH TERROR.

MAD WITH TERROR.
is Nelly all right, called out Mrs.
Harvey when she heard me enter her
dressiDg.room. Il saw her room be-
fore dinner and it looked cosy
50 Yes, it is quite comfortable, but l
shall be glad when tomorrow comes
80 What goose you are was the
answer, and in few minutes more by
the stiffness which reigned in her room
knew she had betaken herself to her
rest.
- could not sleep, and kept blaming
myself / had not told Ralph. He would
have ridiculed the idea Of ghosts, but
would never have let Nelly sleep so far
away from us all.
81 was so uneasy that about 3
o'clock, despite my timidity, / stole
out of bed and crept through the pass
ages to listen at Nelly's door. All was
quite still, and it was so cold | did not
wait there long. Besides. there seemed
so much air stirring about that the
light in my hand burnt unsteadily, and
dreading least it should 60 out and |
be left in the dark, | returned to my
room, but was so far easier in my mind
that soon fell asleep and slept till day
break. Then | awoke suddenly, feel
ing very frightened. | was sure | had
heard Nelly calling for me. 1t must
have been fancy, of course, for except
Mrs. Haryey's snoring in the next room
all was still. However, | was so dis
turbed that. feeling further slumber
was impossible, rose and dressed my
self. Then, impelled as by some in
visible power, again went to the door
Of the Odd-and-End room. When
there | was once more struck by the
peculiarly icy feeling, only 1T was
even colder than before. 1T won't
startle Nelly now if | peep in |
thought, so | turned the handle and
entered. Why, it was like a gale Of
wind blowing. The window was wide
open that winter morning, the red cur
tains Tapping, everything blown into
disorder, and no Nelly anywhere. The
bed had not been slept in, the fire was
long out, the candles only little burnt
and long ago extinguished, the chair
pushed aside from the small table, and
there were no traces Of Nelly any
where. That was the horror of the
thing. The one living inmate of the
room had vanished.
81 lost no time, but few to Ralph's
room and knocked loudly. Who's
there :? said a sleepy voice from with
in.
Let me in | cried. 1T is |, An
ME, then ] ran in saying, Ralph get
up quickly. Nelly was last night in
the Odd.and-End room, and | don't
know where she is. The bed has not
been slept in, the window is wide open,
and don't know where she is Ralph
was awake now with vengeance.
Why should Nelly be in that
room? Who let her 60 there? Harvey
told me there was some horror attached
to it. All stuff, no doubt, but he did
not wish you girls to know. Of course
Nelly was frightened and has hidden
herself in one of the sitting-rooms. Run,
Annie, and look through the house. |
shan't be three minutes did as was
bid. Itwas possible that, overcome by
nervousness, she might have gone to
the drawing room and passed the
night there, and that the wind had
merely burst the carelessly-closed win
dow open. Buoyed up by hope, l
searched everywhere. did not trou-
BILE the bedrooms. Nelly had promised
to come to me if afraid, and | knew
she would 60 nowhere else. Alas L
found no trace Of her anywhere, and
returning, met Ralph dressed and hur-
rying to the fatal room.
80 We'll = he said. | shook my
head. We were soon in the deserted
apartments, where my brother seemed
most uneasy at the evident tokens that
it must have been early in the night
when Nelly vacated it.
"Ralph rushed down the stairs into
the garden; after him. Stop; there
is something fluttering from yonder
branch l cried. We fastened TO it ;
it was q strip of white cambria, rent
and torn, which hung there. 1t is a
part of Nelly's dressing-gown,' /
groaned. Ralph's face was pale and
haggard as he muttered, MY sweet
Nelly, what can it be which has driven
you out here into the cold bitter night
Annie, 60 rouse them all, make them
look everywhere. | will search the
plantation Then he turned from me,
walking slowly, carefully, anxious to
find some other trace of the lost one to
guide his steps. 1t was soon dome
that waking them all. Nelly was so
loved that they were only too anxious
to find her and end the fearful sus.
pense.
"Hsving done my mission, / flew
after Ralph and found him in the plan
tation, still seeking. Though only half
an hour had elapsed since | left him,
was shocked at the change anxiety had
wrought in him, even in that short
time.
"'Ralph, she may not have come
this way; we shall, trust, find her
nearer home
"'Look = was his reply, in SO
hoarse q voice l could scarcely make
out the words, while he showed me in
his clenched hand dishevelled tress of
long dark hair. Look, have found
this clinging to q shrub only few min
utss ago. ! must be in the right direc-
ton, and shall soon find her dead or
alive.'
81 shuddered, but said nothing. Our
suspense was soon ended, for his quick
eyes, which were looking in all dircc-
tons, saw something white on the
ground far of, and he darted toward It.
Toward whats Gould that be NelIyl--
' that vhite confused mass ON thu nat