Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-11-27
HER srRsNGE DREsM.
True story OF Most Remarkable Cir,ur
stance in England.

| AhiS Stoiy belng true, III OEuet not W
wound the suscepubiItties Of any one now
living suppress proper names, as well as
a few OF the least important details As to
the improhabiIity, that is u matter OF no con.
Germ, because it is simply true AS TO its
impossibtlity leave that to be discussed by
| the lncredulous, who are so wise when they
| know nothing about a matter
| About ten years ago Lady Dash WAS stay
| ing at large hotel IN fashionable watering
place on the western coast of France. We
| Will call the hotel the Lion d'Or, although
| that was not its name, the Lady Dsshs
| daughter Blanche, as il Is more convenient to
| have real Christian name than to subsist on
! continual initials. The Dashes had Just ar
| rived with courier and maid and an i'm
| menSe pile of luggage intending TO stay
| t.. Easter when they were due at Rome.
! After a rather early dinner, they spent the
! evening IN the gardens, aud listened to an
! excellent band while chatting with some
! friends who had just turned up. Lads Dash
| at As: said il WAS delightful, but 1t was time
| 10 20 TO bed. She led the way in her hand
! some black draperiesr sIace veil thrown over
| her white hair. Blanche followed slowly,
| loaih 10 leave the moonlight on the seq the
! Pregnant shadows in the garden, the scent OF
| towers and cigarette all the brightness and
| the leauly outside under the stars, and shut
] q
| stead OF glow-wOrT Her mother glanced
! over her shoulder 10 see if che were follow
| ing snd then isappeared inside the wide
| open doo.j which lCi into a brilliantly
| lighted hr'L Although the hotel was al
! ready crowded, there were a few fresh ar
| rivals Standing by the bureau Blanche
! looked ground with idle curiosity at the
same time 20 ne1 turned away from the
sort oi PIseon'hole, win the numtsr of his
| room in his hPnd, and came quickly across
| the Iesselatsd pavement He was rather
| under the average heigh', with broad
| shoulder SHOT, nc *, and long arms. The
| light O! the chandelier fell lulI on pair of
| restless eyes, a pale ordinary face, a short
| dark beard, such as nine lreuchmsu out of
! ten affect, aud ssrar on tue left cheek.
| Blanche stood quite still, every scrap of color
| leaving her face, and then ran upstairs as
fast as she could, painting and terror.stricken,
| to find her mother
Lady Dash was quietly taking oil her veil
| when her daughter burst into the room. She
| closed the dC1r bshiud her and then serd ex.
| Cltedly: ave must leave this place at once
| | wouldn't sleep here another night II you
| promised me thousands OF pOunde" "
| "My dear child, what are you thinking OF?
| We've only just come"
| "Never mind, must 20 at once.
| Where's Mary ?"
"Eatiug her supper, suppose. You mu st
| be mad 70 talk OF starting OF at this time OF
! night. Nothing would induce me-" taking
a seat on small sofa, and looking very de-
| tsrmneL
| "But, mother dear and Blanche kneIt
| down by her and seized her hand.
| "Why child, you are as cold as stone
| VIVA! is It?' rubbing her fingers gently ana
| looking down with growing alarm into her
| agitAted face
You know my hOrrid dream last night s"
| her lips Qulverlng-"hOw | thought ! was
| being murdered. Just now, in the hall,
| saw him.
''You saw whom? l don't understand"
THE man who murdered me-" shaking
| from head to foot 81 should know him any
where. lie has scar on his left cheek.
"Bu', my dear, this is childish nonsense.
| Who pays attention TO dreams l dreamed
| most wildly one night that was shipwreck-
| ed. Am never to go into a boat again ?'
But that's different, Oh, mother, do you
| want 10 see my throat cut|''
| Don't ask such horrible questions You
| must be reasonable. We can't leave at this
| time of night 1t would create quite an
eScigndre. You shall have Mary to sleep on
| the sofa
'Mary, who goes into Mysteries at a spider"
| "Then will stay with you myself" mag
| unanimously. "Anything TO satisfy you"
| Blanche assented to this with deep drawn
| sigh. She could not help seeing the difficult
| ties in the way OF an immediate departure,
| but as far as she herself was concerned, she
| would rather have slept in a COwhOuse than
| under the roof OF the Lion d'Or. Lady Dash
| could not bo expected TO consent 10 the cow
| house, so sue reluctantly gave way.
|
| they mad sufficient stock OF light and litera
| ture, and having securely locked the door,
| established themselves in Banche's bed
| room and prepared for wakeiul night, Lady
| Dash's nerves were on the alert, although
she poOh.poohed the whole affair, and she
| started uncomfortably when an old gentle
| man sneeZed on the stairs or a waiter dropped
| a pair OF boots. By-and-by the hotel became
| quiet, the doors ceased to bang, and the last
| scrap OF conversation WAS slenced. Lady
Dash, after reading, or pretending to read,
for some time, began to grow drowsy.
| About yard from the bed was the door, of
which Blanche had distinct view as she sat
| at a little ornamental table placed at the end
| OF the bed. Lady Dash, when her eyes were
open could also see the door across the corner
| OF the bed, but she did not think it necessary
| to watch it as her daughter did. There was
| a look ing glass draped with coarse lace into
| which Blanche felt compelled TO look every
| now and then, as it stood on her right hand.
| AS the night wore on she had an uneasy feel
| ing that there was somebody standing be-
| hind her, and at the next glance she would
| see him reflected in the mirror. This terror
| grew on her till she was afraid to look over
| her shoulder. Her mother was fast asleep
| aud she ielt as if she were no protection TO
| her. She lOnged to wake her, but knew 1t
| would DO cruel. Suddenly there was
| sound; every hair on her head stood erect,
| and cold water ran down her spine. Her
| heart beat so loud that she could scarcely
hear anything else. Lady Dash had woke,
| there was sound-an uumistakable, eau
| tous fOOtstep! They did not look at each
| other, but kept their eyes fixed In the same
| direction. Bresthlessly they watched, and
| saw the handle Of the door turn Their
| hearts seemed ready TO burst in the pause
that followed. Again it was tried but the
| lock resisted then there was silence Every
| sense seemed merged in listening. They
| waited with white faces and Clammy hands
| their nerves strung to the utmost point OF
| tension but the murderer-if murderer he
| Were-was baked, and did not come again.
Lady Dash was never more delighted to
| see the sun than on the bright morning that
| succeeded that endless night. She felt
| utterly worn out, but she quite agreed with
! Blanche that move TO Paul was advisable II
| that men were still in the hotel. Mary, hay
| ing been told Of the wretched night her
| mistress had passed, urged her to go to bed
| now in the broad daylight and get good
rest but Lady Dash stoutly refused, confess
ing to herself, though not to the maid, that
rest would be impossible Alter a hurried
breakfast she sent for NJ. Paul, the proprietor,
who was d!smoyed to hear that the dppdrte.
meRt which had been engaged for a fortnight
was to be thrown on his hands at an hours
notice. He demanded the reason so pathet-
lCally that LADY Dash WAS at last inducal In