The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-04-02
II am herr. I"

nave not slept the whole night, !"
Said the voice. twas 80 terrified. I
am very much afraid I am doing
wrong to come"
care you still afraid ofmeY"
"Not exactly, but it is so strange.
"Will you tell me your manner"
II don't know-Lenore. What is
George" I answered, initiating her
example and giving my first name
only. "Shall we not be friends, LIE.
nore?"
"Oh, yes," answered the voice with
a silvery peal of laughter. Evidently
its owner was getting over her fears.
"Don't be offended, George. It's so
strange-two people who cannot see
each other, and probably never will.
Il will solve the mystery yet, LIE.
nore," answered, land find out
where you are. Would you like to see
me in my proper person."
eyes" was the reply. "Ishould like
to see you"
"And would give great deal to
see you, Lcnore. You must be very
beautiful if your face is like your
voice."
"Oh, hush!" was the agitated an
swer. sit is not right to speak thus. +"
'Why not? Do you know, Lenore,
that If this goes on Ishall end by falling
in love with you, though have never
seen YOU"
"You are very audacious." was the
reply. eff you were really here before
me l should punish you for it. As it
is | am going now"
"But you will come again to-mor-
row, Lenore?"
IF you will promise to be more dis
Greet, George-yes."
As may be imagined, did not fail
to keep my engagement with my invisi-
BILE friend. For many consecutive
days these strange meetings continued.
As absurd as it may seem, the voice
was beginning to make u powerful I'M
preston upon me. l felt in it's soft
tones the manifestation of sweet, re-
fined woman's soul.
True, had made no progress to-
wards unravelinc the mystery. Never
theless / was confident that through
some inexplicable dispensation OF
Providence had been permitted to
hold communion with a real, living,
lovely woman from an unknown dis
tance. She had not yet told me more
than her first NAME and l did not
press her for more us yet. Her only
answer as to where she was, was, "ln
the garden" She did not seem capa-
ble of grasping the fact that was not
invisibly near her and capable of Sec
ing her. She seemed content with
matters rs they stood, and for the
present could do no more.
made no one my confident as to
my daily occupation; first, because
knew that l should be regarded as a
mailman upon my mere statement
of the facts, and, next, because
l shrunk from having an auditor
at my mysterious conferences. Will
it be believed? was in love with the
invisible grim love with voice!
Absurd, OF course, but am not the
first man who has fallen in love with a
womaal's voice. Besides, was conf.
dent that it was only q matter OF
time before should see the girl in per.
son.
One day towards the end of the
summer we had been talking as usual,
and had said:
Lenore."
"Ah," was the quick reply, "you will
leave me, George"
mo, Lenore," l answered, mot il
you wish me to stay"
"How can ! help it, George, whether
you go or stay? have never seen you
II never shall see you. What am l
to your"
can the world, Lenore," answer
ed. "Ours has been u strange expert
ence. Without knowing each other
as people ordinarily do, We have yet
been close friends. You are more to
me than friend. l love you Lee
nore."
There was a quick, suppressed cry,
no other reply.
"Be truthful Lenore. Tell me your
heart. If you love ME, trust to me to
discover your whereabouts and come
to you. If you do not, say it, and
will spare you the pain of meeting me,
and never let us speak again."
There was pause, then she trem-
ulously said:
81 have never seen you, but my
heart tells ME to trust you. | know
you are good and noble, and lam will
ing to leave my fate in your hands.
Yes, George, l love YOU"
Even rs she said the words she ut
tered a cay OF alarm. Then q gruff,
mans voice spoke:
go to your room, Lenore. AS to
this villain with whom you have been
holding these secret meetings, VIC shall
soon find him, and punish him as he
deserves. Search for the rascal, An
tonic, and bring him to me"
There was quick trampling of feet
and the sound of crushing shrubbery,
as if men were breaking through it.
Then another mans voice spoke:
ale has disappeared, your excel.
lence."
Every well; We shall find him yet.
He cannot escape me. This is u line
piece of business, surely-the daugh-
ter of Count VILLAIN holding secret
meetings with some common vaga.
bond. Lenore shall take the veil"
eyes" Icried, "the bridal veil, count.
shall pay my respects i'll person to.
day"
Then leaving them to get over their
establishment as best they might,
returned to the house in high spirits.
The name, Count VILLAIN, had given
me q clue to the whereabouts OF I4e-
more. The dwelling OF which have
spoken as situated across the plain
and opposite the rock, was the resi-.
dence OF Count VILLAIN. had met the
old gentleman i'll the city and formed
a speaking acquaintance with him. As
neither OF us had mentioned our pri-
vate affairs l had no means OF con.
Meeting his daughter with my invisi.
BILE girl.
That afternoon presented myself