The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1885-03-25
THE FLORIDA AGR1CULTURIsT

| Since that night / have quite disbe-
lieved in the possibility of peoples hair
turning suddenly gray. # such thing
| can be | must have left that room with
| the locks of an old man.
/ can only say that even now, as, otter
the lapse of years, l write this; even as
/ see everything around me safe, still
and at peace; even though l know the
! ones I love are close at hand, my pen
trembles. nv blood feels chilled and a
! faintness steals over me as the recollec-
| tion OF the most terrible moments in my
life comes to me with vividness cam
not describe.
It was well for me that L could keep
still and cry again and again 81 am
blind-look and see!" My quiescence,
the tone of my voice, may have turned
the balance on which my life hung
may have carried conviction to my hear
ers. Presently the strong light of a
lamp was perceptible to my obscured
vision lamp placed so close to me that
could feel the hot glow upon my face |;
and [ was aware that some one was
stopping OF kneeling down and peering
into my eyes. His breath struck against
nv cheek a short, quick, excited breath
deed in which he had Just taken part
At last he rose a moment afterwards
the restraining hands moved from me,
and then, for the first time, / began to
hope that my life might be spared
As yet none of those around me had
spoken. Now L heard voices but whis-
pering SO softly that even my sharpened
ears could not catch the purport of q
single word, although could gather that
three persons at least were engaged in
that hushed consultation.
All the while like dreary and fitting
accompaniment, could hear that stifed
moaning woman's moaning. l would
have given all possessed all save life
In exchange for minutes sight, that I
might have been able to comprehend
what had passed and what was passing
around me.
Still the whispers continued. They
came thick and fast, running into and
interrupting each other, as from men in
hot but guarded discussion. 1t needed
little intelligence to guess the subject of
that debated Presently they died away
altogether, and, for a time, the only
sound / heard was that terrible, muf1ed
moan-t that continued with dreary
monotony.
A foot touched me. "You may stand
uc," l heard some one say. When
burst so recklessly into the room 1 fan
cied the exclamation with which I was
greeted came from foreign lips, but the
man who now addressed me spoke in
pure English. By this time was begin
ming to recover self possession and was
able to make mental note of these facts.
Thankful at being allowed to quit my
CHASTITY couch, rose. AS could think
of nothing better to do | stood motion
less.
walk this way straight on -foI
third step brought me in collision. with
the wall No doubt this was an extra
test as to the truth of my statement
A hand was placed upon my shoulder
and was guided to chair. Nov, sir, -
said the speaker who had before adj
dressed me, ''tell us, III as few words as
possible who you are-how and why you
came here. Be quick, we have no time
to spare.
well knew they had no time to spare.
They had much to do-much to hide.
Oh, for the gift of sight for one moment /
l would purchase it, even if the price
were years of darkness
Short and simply as I could, I told
them what had brought me into such
straits. The only thing concealed was
my true name. Why should these ASA
sins know it? If l revealed it they
might set watch upon Inc and at any
moment their safety demanded il might
share the fate of him who lay within a
few feet of my chair. So L gave q fic-
titious name, but everything else told
them was true.
[To BE CONTINUED.