Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-18

call it--by which have Tor several weeks
been .Hauntedf"
I ola coed toward the large dressing
mirror iuet facing the bed. tsYos, sir, =
answered., with full frankness. tYou
mean the the shadow 10 the looking
glassy~
"PrecIsely,r' said my companion He
had set his llps grimly, and could plainly
observe that hts countenance revealed the
keenest suffering. "That Idea was no
delusion. The SHADOW has tonight
proved substance. must tell YOU every-
thing. feel that shall go mad II do
not tell some one. But | implOre Of you
the strictest secrecy. ! lrnplore that you
win promise TO justify the confidence
which place In you, not only as Ralph
Trescott's devoted friebd, but az his
proxy, his substitute, his second self be-
Sides
"Ipromlsc you, eir,n ropEed, con my
most sacred word Of honor"
"Thanks,r be whispered He now
pointed toward the mirror with one treg.s
bling hand. 'rro-nlght I partially acted
on your friends counsel. caused
my light TO be turned up much higher
than usual. 1 saw, about half hour
since, the form in yonder looking-glass
which had seen so often previously.
But more, distinctly saw the face, Il
was that OF my daughter, Elena, whom |
have loved with supreme affection.
know that Or. Prescott sus-
pected / was being slowly poisoned.
lie once admitted to me as
much, though IN the most guarded man
ner. Here | saw the large drops Of
sweat were glistening on the Old gentle
mans forehead "Well,v he presently
continued, ''his suspicion wasa true one.
And my poisoner is ny oa3 daughter.
DO not look increduous. | saw her
empty the contents OF vial which she
held, here in this glass jug OF water at
my bedside. saw this, tell you, 81
plainly as | now behold Your face She
seemed perfectly collected and tranquil.
Her vlsage wore slightly more serious
look than usual, but that was all Now
examine the contents OF that jug, please
| did so, holding Il close against thu
! light. tllm OF whitsh sediment mac
gathered at its bottom. "What MOTIVE
murmured, after a pause, "could sht
! possibly have had?'
The old man closed his eyes for mo
ment witha shudderlng sigh. "She hal
always tried to excuse and exonerate her
! UAOluttf HN ~ itbRNn SAiNl1 III lNuAN
which she knew that he possessed
/ Doubtless he has spoken bitterly 1,
her of myself He may have told he
that am stumbling block in his path
| thought she would have given her liz,
to save mine, rather than" IL,
paused, covering his face with both hand
and sinking back on the pillows.
had soon made up my mind, with
rapidity for which my absent friend would
was certain, have given me praise.
shook violently the cont nts OF the glas
jug, aud then poured into quarter Of
pint vial which | luckily carried on m
person enough to I'll 1t with the liquid.
Shortly after this Mr.. Weymouth grey
much calmer, and | took my leave of him
enioining upon him TO keep absolute 81
: lence regarding what had occurred, an
I promising him visit on the morrow
/ AlreadY had dimly shaped a scheme 70
future action. Meanwhile ! filled the 10
with esh water drawn from fauct
near at hand, gave my patient q sedativ
and babe hun be Of good courage till
came again.
1 "What mockery TO speak thus
thought as ! passed forth into the darl
! ened outer hall. ellis heart is bleedin
a with anguish caused by his daughter
/. murderous treachery.r
i Still, ! somehow had doubts of Elena
aulIt. aud when she suddenly opened Il
Il door OF an apartment near the head OF Il
: vague stairway which | was about to d
;. scend, her worried look, combined vii
!. the almost sanity sweetness OF her pc
= sonnet. gave me an actual psng of sci
Y reproach.
i apo YOU think papa will pass an eai
night, doctor2r she asked of me, wi
q much wIstful anxiety, ~ have ney,
q known him 10 treat me so strangely b
fore He will, indeed, scarcely speak
n me or notice me. Can it be possih
I that his mind Is affected by continued Il
J, health?u
~ see no evidence Of IL, Miss We
d mouth.n was nv reply. "Perhaps
will he better tomorrow. | will ca
q then and observe his condition mo
e closely,u
e The sad gaze OF her beautiful eyes fo
lowed me out into the still, dark street
l. Could 1t be possible that so much vii
10 ness was hidden behind so much seemiI
" purity? Aud yet, her fathers testimon
3 That Mr.. Weymouth was absolute
Ia sane did not admit OF the remotest dout
IS I,vent straight 70 the residence Of
r a wow oN'"'t-NN 49, -