San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-09-23
The Haunted Chamber.
BY "THE DUCHESS. "
Attthor Of Monica" Mona ScuIIy,"
"PhHlhs.n etc. etc.


BILE, and have put his initials A. d. at
the end. And yet"-with a diabOlical
smile-"it is no forgery either, as A. ID.
are my initials also"
Opening the note with trembling fin
gers, Dora reads aloud as follows:
Can you-will you meet me tomorrow at
four o'clock in the lime-walk? | have been
cold to you perhaps, but have | not had
cause? You think my slight attentions to
another betOkens a decrease in my love for
you, but in this, dearest you are mistaken.
! am yours heart and soul. For the present
| dare not declare myself, for the reasons
you already know, and for the same reasons
am bound TO keep up seeming friendliness
with some | would gladly break with alto
gether. But am happy only with you, and
happy too in the thought that our hearts
beat as one.
Yours forever, A. d."
Dora, having finished reading the let
ter, glanceS at him uneasily.
"And-what is the meaning of this
letter. What is it written for? What
am | to do with it," she stammers,
beating the precious misSive against
the palm of her hand, as though in
lOathing of it.
you will show it to her. You will
speak of it as a lOve-letter written to
you by Adrian. You will consult her
as to whether it be wise or prudent to
accede to his proposal to meet you
alone in the lime-walk. You will. in
fact, put out all your powers of decep-
ton, which"-with sneering smile
"are great, and so compel her to believe
the letter is from him to you"
But" falters Dora.
There shall be no but in the mat
ter. You have entered into this affair
gI, 20 hn
end. If you fail me, | shall betray
your share in it-mOTe than your share
and paint yOu in such cOlOrs as will
shut the doors of society from you.
You understand now. do you"
go on" says Dora, with COlOTless
lips;
"Ah, have touched the right chord
at last, have |? Society, your idol, you
dare not brave Well, to continue, you
will also tell her, in your own sweet in
nOcent way"-With another SneCr that
makes her CULVER with fear and rage
ito account for Adrian $ decided and
almost lOverlike attentions to her in
the room we visited, that you had had
a lovers quarrel with him some time
before, earlier iii the day; that, in his
fit of pique, he had sought to be re-
venged upon you, and sOOthe his
sighted feelings by fcigning sudden
interest in her. You follow me?"
Eyes" replies the submissive Dora.
Alas, how sincerely she now wishes she
had never entered into this hateful in
trigue
"Then when you have carefully sOwn
these lies in her heart, and seen her
proud face darken and culver with
pain beneath your wOrds"-Oh, how his
own evil face glows with unhOly salts
faction as he sees the picture he has
Just drawn stand out clear before his
eyesl-"you will affect to be driven by
conjunction into granting Sir Adrian's
supposed request, you will don your
hat and cloak, and go down to the lime
walk to circumference. If | am any
Judge of character, that girl, so haugh-
ty to all the world, will lower her pride
follow you, to madden herself with
your meeting with the man she loves
To her, shall on this occasion repre-
sent Sir Adrian. Are you liStening?"
She is notwithstanding with all her
might to the master mind that has her
in thrall.
"You will remember not to start
when you meet me-" he continues,
issuing his commands with inSOlent
assumption of authority over the dain-
ty Dora, who up to this, has been ac-
cuStOmed to rule it over others in
her particular sphere, and who now
chafeS and writheS beneath the sense
of slavery that is depressing her. You
will meet me calmly, ObliviOus of the
fact that shall be clad in my Cousins
light overcOat, the one of which Miss
Delmaine was graCiOusly pleased to
say she approved yesterday morning."
His eyes light again with a revenge
full fire as he calls to mind the slight
praise Florence has bestowed in very
casual fashion on his coat. Every
smile, every kindly word addressed by
this girl to his cousin, is treasured up
by him and dwelt upon in secret, to the
terrible strengthening of the purpose
he has in view.
But if you should be seen-be
marked" hesitates Dora family.
"Pshaw-am one to lay my plans so
clumsily as to court discovery on even
the minutest pOint2" he interrupts i'm
patiently. When you meet me you
will-but enough of this; | shall be
there to meet you in the lime-walk,
and after that you will take your cue
from me-"
THAT is all you have to say?" asks
Dora, anxious to quit his hated pres
ence.
For the preSent-yes. Follow my
instructions to the letter, or dread the
consequences. Any blunder i'll the per-
Torrance of this arrangement l shall
lay to your charge"
you threaten, sir!" she eXclaims
angrily, though she TEMPLES.
Let it be your care to see that l
do not carry out my threats" he re-
tOrts, with an insOlent shrug.
The next day, directly after lunch
con, as Florence is sitting in her own
room, touching up an unfinished water
color sketch of part of the ground
round the castle-which have, alas,
grown only too dear to her!-DOra en-
tiers her room. 1t is an embarrassed
and significantly smiling Dora that
trips up to her, and says with pretty
hesitation in her tone
Dearest Florence, | want your adj
vice about something"
"MineY exclaims Florence, laying
down her brush, and looking, as she
feels, astOnished. As rule, the gentle
Dora does not seek for wisdom from
her friends.
yes, dear, If you can spare me the
time. Just five minutes will do, and
then you can return to your charming
sketch. Oh"-glancing at it-"hOw eX-
actly like 1t is-so perfect; what sun
set, and what frs! One could imagine
ones self in the Fairies Glen by just
looking at it."
1T is not the Fairies Glen at all; it
is that bit down by Coughs farm" says
Florence coldly. Of late she has not
been so blind to DOra's artifcialness as
she used to be.
"Ah. so il isl" agrees Dora airily. not