The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-06-12
WHOLE NO. S31

ways house. Again he turned and liked his
eyes upon the west. The same sensation Of
dizziness and blindness came over me as be-
fore, seeming to last only a few seconds, and
when it passed away, found myself seated
In my old position among the flowers in the
conservatory. The alept had gone, how
ever. was alone II was night
This was what realized first upon opening
my eyesl Tue moon was shining over en-
angle Of the conservatory in front, leaving
the part where I was seated in shadow,
while faint light catered through the cur
tained windows Of the drawing room on my
right My course was plainly to explain my
presence there to the family at once, and
narrate my extraordinary experience; but
when essaysd to get up to do 80, found l
could not move; AMI when, as next re-
source. tried TO speak, ! found that my
hrain. however, was a. keen and active as
ever
Before had time to speculate upon my
strange position, heard the sound Of voices
In the drawing room. Tnen one Of the glass
doors was opened, and two figures stepped
into the conservatory and stood in the moon-
light Just where couli ses them, myself
unseen, through the flowers. They were
Julian Armitags and Agatha Howard, ami
they were evidently unaware Of my pres
ence.
"But, dear Julian" said Agatha, in low
tones, remember what We have undertaken
to DO You speak to me Of love; but ah
mel have we not engaged to keep all such
thoughts from our heartsi Is 1t not direct
violation Of the rules under which our So
ciety was formeif
think you not, dearest Agatha" replied
Armitags, In passionate accents. bending over
her golden tresses and gently circling
her fair form with his arm, "think you not
that there is something gran1er in nature
than mere knowledge: that there are
energies more ethereal and more po-
tent than those whose highest action seem &c
be confined to controlling the moro brute
matter Of the physical worlii What would
knowledge be withouta peopled universe to
enjoy it, and how could universe becom
peopled without lover
@Ahl if only thought 50, Julian" mur
INJURED Agatha.
"See those stars, returned Armitage with
fervor, pointing upward. "and that cold
pale, shining orb that fools US with it
radiance! swear by these changeIsss and
majestic glories of the heavens. that youI
love Is more to me than all the lore Of all the
eastern sages that ever breathei or thought
What is dry. dead knowledge to me, IL there
Is nothing to quicken and vivify iti What
would 1t advantage me II / could stop yon
moon upon her path, or pluck these stars
from their eternal thrones, and lose your
lovei"
believe me, Agatha" the lover went on,
In earnest tones "our love is not the debas-
H. ~ ha Al, k,r h,,l,
moral sense, intellect, and spirituality are
alike blunted and depraved. A love like
ours Is the purest and most ennobling senti-
ment that can crown humanity. IL Is the
brightest gem in the diadem Of virtue, and.
whatever theosophy may say, proclaims it
self to me as perfectly consistent with the
teachings OF the highest philosophy"
Armitage bent down and kissed her on the
forehead. After short pause they turned
back into tbs drawing room by the same
though spelLbound, speechless and motion
less. Not many seconds elapsed before
heard faint, rustling souni at the farther
end of the conservatory, beyond the spot
where thu lovers had stood. The next In
slant female figure emerged which at
once recognized as that Of Miriam Hatha-
way. Her face was flushed, her eyes sparkled
with an unnatural brilliancy, and her raven
tressss fell loosely over her shoulders. She
advanced to the place where Armitage and
her cousin had stood, stepped cautiously to
the door leading into the drawing room, and
looked through 1t.
"They are gone" she muttered. ut Is just
as thought Fool that was not to see II
long ago"
She turned and seemed lost in thought
Presently she looked up, with a look Of de-
termination upon her features. "Iwill do
It'll" she muttered. @f they have broken the
rules Of the society, why should not II Shall
/ DO bound by ideas which they treat
as idly as tho windi Ah," here
she started abruptly, II will do
morel / will avail myself Of the
knowledge possess to thwart
their designs and blast the flower of their
loves. will zee whether my power
will not suffice to call to my aid one who can
help me il he will"
Miriam Hathaway bent down and traced
with her fore-fnger upon the floor Of the
conservatory some lines, which, however,
left no visible mark behind them. She then
stepped into the space round which she had
drawn the lines, and drawing her graceful
and commanding figure up to its full height
remained motionless, looking steadily for
ward. Then, in her rich, melodious voice
though in low and concentrated key, she
chanted what sounded like q verse or hymn
in some language with which was not
familiar After about minute she paused,
and seemed to wait for q response. strained
my eyes to see whether anything u1usual
would occur, but there was neither
sign nor sound. Again the beautiful CIR
raised her arm. and resumed her invocation
In what seemed to be even more earnest and
impassioned tones than before. As she
finished became sensible OF stir In the air
and On appearance as OF gray, misty vapol
between Miriam and the glass wall Of tn.
conservatory. This vapor seemed to concen.
trate and take on the semblance Of Q
human shape, though 50 dimiy and vaguely
that 1t was impossible to define fts outline ir
the dubious moonlight. A low whisper came
apparently from the misty figure.
"What wouldst thour
u desire your aid" replied Miriam, In
clear, unfaltering tones, "to bring back joy
to my life, to restore and re-awaken the love
that Is lost, to crush out my rival, and
win back my lover to me-"
II can aid thee, replied the voice; "but
knowest thou the penalty II thou failest ol
falterest when thou givest the commission
to the agent will send theel Has thy
training yet made thy courage 20 strong n
to fit thee to cope with the beings who's
powers, IL thou canst not control, will do
stroy thesi Take heed that thy spirit Is fear
lass Dost thou darei send, but / warn
thee"
u dare" answered the dark, beautiful
form, with . defiant gesture. II dare all fol
the love have lost, II by that regain ii
Go, command you" . u.
The misty figure faded slowly away, and
again there was pause Of minutes dura-
ton. Then in the space between Miriam
and the conservatory wall. where tho shad.
owy figure had been, heheld another
cloud-like emanation gathering. IL was
not, however, the whitish semi Transparent
mist had seen befors, but . black, murky
cloud which completely obscured the glan
beyond 10, and even the moonlight from tho
figure Of Miriam The cloud seemed TO roll
sluggishly and convolute upon itself like Q
mass Of slimy, crawling serpenta Was II
fancy, or was IL fact, what then saw In
broken conhguration through and between
the Hower-stems that partially obscured my
field Of visionl Was II merely the natural
effect OF moonlight and shadow projecting q
vision upon strained and heated imagina-
tiou, or did ! actually zee portion Of a face
so lurid and terrible, so hideous In Its awful
deformity, with eyes Of such piercing and
devilish malignity that instinctively closed
my own, powerless as was 10 avert my
bead from tbs fearful spectaclsl Ifervently
trust that win never know.
had scarcely closed my eyes, TO escape
the terrible impression, when opsned th,m
again, startled by the piercing shrek that