The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-01

door bolted, as | had left it over night. The
pictures hung on the walls; there was brick
fallen from the chimney the hearth; not even
handful of SCOT or starings nest. Nothing
nothing anywhere
crept back to bed, still quvering in every
nerve must make up my mind that the whole
thing had been the work of my fancy, pre-
ternaturally alive in sleep. Good heavens!
Could the power of any imagination be adequate
TO presenting to me, with the astounding vivid
ness mine had done, the figure of that man,
kneelng with his back to me by the fire and
stealing covert hand to that coat pocket2 l
shut my eyes. Still l saw him, and with such
distinctness | felt that if I put out my hand
must touch him. l lit another candle. The
more light the BETTER still saw him. l hid my
head under the clothes; still L saw him. The
cold sweat stood on my forehead. lay in an
agony till day break; and when the reassuring
light began to creep in, l became little more
able to summon to my aid such reason as | was
master or. to correct the hitherto overwhelming
influence of that grisly vision.
Several circumstances of improbability in the
dream presented themselves with some reassur-
anee to my mind. The murderer, seen by
me, had been young man. Now, happened
accidentally to have learned only lately that the
Smiths possessed as butler an old family servant
who had lived with them over thirty years. and
whom they were most unlikely to have parted
with. Also, throughout the dream, was con-
scious that but for servants. Mrs. Smith and
were alone in the house. Now, only yesterday
one of the girls had casually mentioned meeting
Mr. Smith in Leighton. AS the light broadened
| dwelt with more and more confidence on these
discrepancies, and was able to go down to break
fast presenting such distant resemblance to
my usual self as have described.
But when left to myself. after breakfast. with
nothing to distract my thoughts and no appear
ances of equanimity to keep up, the vision re-
turned upon me with almost its first force.
Again L saw that kneeing figure, that stealthy
rising, that travelling of the hand to the coat
pocket heard the click of that cooked revolver!
L could not bear it 1t must mean Something |
must go to her. Must warn her. AS you know,
rang the bell to order the carriage But in the
interval before it was answered the vision
passed, reason what [ supposed to be reason,
reasSerted its sway, telling me how shadowy
trude upon this stranger; how little my husband
would thank me, etc.
This same thing was repeated more than once;
it was only Alice's triumphant THAT settles iw
which gave me the final impetus that enabled
me to decide which of the two courses to adopt,
though, indeed | thought must have gone in
any l could not get that mans kneeling
back from before my eyes. could not have
faced another night alone in the dark with it.
So now, reader, you know my reason for set
ting off at past o'clock on January afternoon
upon a twelve-mile drive along rutty road, with
rising wind and thickening snow, to visit an
almost entire stran ger, whom my husband did
not wish me to hold any comm unicaton with.
girls would have done. [ was too much occupied
with my own thoughts to notice the weather
the landscape much. | was worried with the
stupid effort (which yet | could not help making)
to recall that remark Of Mrs. Smiths, which had
Immediately preceded the knock at the door in
my dream. In vain: glimmerng of it would
recur to me. l was still cudgeing my FESTIVE
memory for it, when my attention was awakened
by the carriage stopping and the footman ap-
pearing at the window.
ic hn ic
not sure which of these roads he ought to take"
put my head out. We were at three cross
roads.
why, there is a sign post" said I tarty
why do you not look at i5g
IF you please the names are all rubbed ont"
Here the coachman leaned from his box to join
In the conversation.
1.-THE snow is coming very thick. maam; l
doubt orr getting to Longmains tonight
AT all events we will try" replied |, with de-
cision. go slowly along whichever road you
think looks most likely, until you pass a cottage,
some inn at which you can ask"
/ was obeyed We moved slowly in dismal
uncertainty for some way; in the waning light
the figures of the two men, with their whitened
hats and great-coats. grew indistinct. Then we
stopped again. Praise heaven we had met some
one let down the glass to look and listen; yes,
there was whitened countryman standing in
the snow, being questioned. He was deaf appar-
emily; and it some time before he could be
got to understand the drift of the interrogatory
addressed to him.
When at length he did, gathered from his
words and gestures, as we'll as the wind would
let me, the reassuring information that we had
come wrong. And. as ill-luck would have it. the
road had narrowed so much that we had to 60 on
for some distance before finding q place wide
enough to enable us to turn. So that it must
have been fully half an hour from the time of
our first passing it. before we found ourselves
once again at the fnger-p post that blind leader
of the blind. The dark had fully fallen before
we found ourselves rolling nolselessly snow
could make over the cobble stoned streets of
a little country town.
'"rhis must be Salcote," said I to myself 81
know that Salcote is their town. Courage! We
can't be very far off now"
''Let no one holoa before they are out of the
wood!"
This thought had scarcely passed through my
mind, before was conscious of Jolt, Severer
than any that the snow wrapped pavement of
Salcote could inflict; the carriage gave sort of
dip on one side; in an instant the horses were
pulled up their launches the footman off the
box. and holding the carriage door OPEN
eff you please. nm, you will have to get out;
one Of the wheels has come off,
did not need second bidding. In an instant
I was out standing in the snow, and peering
with the help of Salcotes dim street gas at one
of the hnd Wheels in order to verify my serv-
ants words. They were but too true. 1t had
come off. Fortunately. in so doing, it had fallen
inwards. instead of outwards in which latter
the carriage must, of course, have been over
turned l stared stupidity at it. "Was this a
judgment on me for my pigheadedness? What
was to be donel'
(Which is the best inn in the town." asked l.
addressing generally group of gapers, which,
SNOWFALL like, had gathered round me and my
broken wheel. Half dozen voices instantly
cried white Hart"-as many dirty fingers
pointed up the street to where, about hundred
yards off, could family an old-fashioned
sign hanging out.
II suppose said I, disconsolately to the coach
man, who was already beginning to unfasten the
traces that you will have to stay here the night;
| must go home in f1y.'
AS spoke | set off to walk to the White Hart
which l reached in about two minutes
my carriage has broken down. said T. as
entered, addressing the civil woman-landlady
l suppose-who to meet me. Il want a
t1y at once, please as as it can be got ready
Have you one in; good hy 1 want good fly
at once please" repeating the words with an