The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-12-29

trail trees, no longer swaying in the icy
air, it revealed that lonely spot where
Carol Vane was stricken down.
:. But only the road, silent, snowy, was
{ there Dead and living had disappeared !;
nothing remsinad to tell of the terrible
scene enacted there in The thick gloom OF
that stormy Eight.
Miles Say the fair young wife, E bel.
waited and watched until the stars paled
in the eastern sky for him who came
not.
| "O,e year. only one year, and vet il
has seemed hall q lite-time to me-"
E.he! Vane, with weary sigh, bowed
her head on the marble mantel heneatb
the aower.wreathed portrait OF he- lost
husband. She had loved ss few women
love. and an awful desolation had settled
over her young life.
The days had grown into weeks, the
weeks into months, and year had pass
ed since that never-to-be.iorgot,en time
when Carol had hidden her good.by.
''Irs lang ride, darling" be had said,
clasping her slender form In bis strong
arms and pressing her hassionately to
his heart; shut Prince is true, and I'll be
back early tonight"
] Then be was gone; aud from the west.
ern window Ethel watched the sleigh
speed swiftly along until it vanished be.
yond the low-lying, snow clad hills.
10 the days that followed what Ethel
fane suffered only herself aud ber God
knew. As the weeks rollei on and the
ale OF him she had idoliz I'd rem aimed
shrouded in mystery, hopeless despair
settled over her life.
All that money coul do vas done to
discover some clew to Carroll vane's
ate, hut TO no avail. Skilled detectives
gave up the search, bsf1l I'd. Man, hnrse,
sleigh, had disappeared as completely as
If the earth had opened and closed over
them.
At first It was believed by many to be
one OF the ci'y's mysterious disappear.
ances, but soon, however, they we're con
vinced that his was mistake.
Carol Vane had been seen on that
fatal day when midway between the city
and his home
The msn, merchant who knew him
we'll. had met and spoken to him at
point two miles distant from Dr.. Ferrill's
private asvlum for the insane.
% November II, 1881, E.hel Vane,
standing before the pictured face go
darkly handsome, was thinking of the
past.
"We loved too WE'LL" she mur INJURED.
Happiness, such as ours, could not las,
long in this world, 80 cold and cruel"
She turned weariy away. threw light
shawl over her shoulders and opening
The door Quilted the house.
So different, oh ! 90 different from that
other November day with its whillipg
snow snd-iey air. '
But Ethel Vane noted It not, Almost
unconsciouslv she started down a path,
where she and Carol had 80 often wan
dered in the happy early autumn days
With bowed head she went slowly along,
thinking, thinking, thinking!
sweep not. lsdy!'
A woman's voice, low. intense, thrill
ling. sounded close by. With a start ,
E bel vsne looked up.
Scarce twenty feet away, her piercing
dark eyes cleaning with restless Gre,
stood girl strangely beautiful. Long /,
masses of midnight hair fell wildly abon +
her shoulders, contrasting strangely with
The awful whiteness of her face-a face ,
that was the wreck Of once wondrous
beauty.
sweep not, lady" she agsin said; sall
s darkness now, but the sun shall vel :
shine for you."
"I-I do not understand Ethel an ,
'wered. balf-irightened at the girrsfr
strange manner. II never saw you be.
lore; 4 do not know you"
II am NelI," the girl replied. 1--WE
never met before. lady, hut know you
Iou are E bel. You loved him, lady.
1ou have suffered, but not as he."
"Who p E:hel gasped. TELL me who
'0u mean p
ii mean your love. lady; your love. /
Who for long months has been suffering Ia
q q mad-house not twenty miles away" \
"Carrol! Carol! Oh, for the love q
,f heaven, tell me he is yet slive!" It
"Alive. lady, and before the sun Is set l.
will clasp you in bis arms" Ii,
'srbank hesven!' III
Thst was EthePs cry as white and G
ieath-like, weak as q child, she sank n
Town in the autumn leaves. In little n
While she arose. steadying herself BY n
lolding to sone shrnhbprv. .
During this time Mad Nell had stood =,
ilentlv watching her. Ia
"Who could have done this awful q,
hine2 Who could have been go cruel, o.
o inbumsn. as to cause my darling to il
uffer all this ?" =, ~
"He did it. lady; he who was once IL
our euitor. You we're the only woman n
e ever loved, and when you married be il
wore 10 have an awful revenge" l,c
"You mean Basil Lawrence r
"Yes, lady," :,
"Basil lawrence! oh. heaven! But a,
ow could you know ell this 2" a,
81 was his wife.'' =,
"what2 His wife7 He had no :
rife"
Il was bis wife," Mad Nell repeated.
The marriage was secret and the world
new it not. Lady, through The snow
nd cold of that winter night went to n
'arn your love of his danger. But be y
'as driving fast aud the wild storm
rovned nv voice. saw one man tall,
yins by the side OF his dead horse, and :,
heard the curses OF others he had u
ssse
'Late that night, lady. horse and
leigh sank deep in the waters OF the 7,
'lsck Pool From that time l have 40
cen prisoner in the horrible mad. 20
euse. This morning l escaped and r
ut to the nearest to wn, telling the off. %
ers all. At 6rst thev doubted nv story &,
uk anooaaAad In, ~. n;.