The Arizona sentinel., 1886-03-13
''rell me where am to come, :" I said.

saints protect mel answered the
voice. ''It is too awful. l dare not
stay here longer. Spirit or man, fare
we'll"
''But you will come again."
pleaded. 'Let me hear you speak once
more. Will you not be here tomorrow
at the same hour?"
81 dare not-but yet your voice
sounds as if you would do me no harm.
Yes. 1 will come"
Then there was utter silence, the
mysterious speaker had gone. l re-
turned home in state of stupid won-
der, questioning myself if l had not lost
my senses and if the whole occurrence
was not delusion. / was faithful to
my appointment with the voice on the
| following morning, however. l had
waited but few moments, when the
soft trembling accents broke the silence,
saying: 81 am here"
''And /, too," l answered; 81 am
grateful TO you for coming
Il have not slept the whole night, "
said the voice II was so terrified.
am very much afraid that I am doing
wrong to come"
care you still afraid of me?"
mot exactly, but it is so strange"
"Will you tell me your name?"
Il don't know-Lenore. What is
yours?"
George" answered, initiating her
example and giving my first name
only. ''Shall we not be friends, Le-
nore?"
"Oh, yes," answered the voice with a
silver peal of laughter. Evidently its
owner was getting over her fears.
Don't be offended, George. 1t is so
strange-two people who can not see
each other, and perhaps never will,
making friends -
81 will solve the mystery yet, Le-
nore," 1 answered, "and find out where
you are. Would you be glad to see me
in my proper person?"
"Yes," was the reply, 81 should like
to see you"
'And would give a great deal to see
you, Lenore. You must be very beauti-
full. if your face is like your voice.
"Oh, hushr' was the agitated answer.
''It is not right to speak thus"
''Why not? Do you know, Lenore,
that if this goes on shall end by fall
ing in love with you, though 1 never see
YOU"
''You are very audacious," was the
reply. IF you were really here before
me should punish you for it. AS it is
1 am going now"
But you will come again tomorrow,
LenoreP''
eff you will promise to be more dis
Greet, George-yes.
As may be imagined, I did not fail to
keep my engagement with my invisible
friend. For many consecutive days
these strange meetings continued. As
absurd as it may seem, the voice was be-
ginning to make a powerful impression
upon me. felt in its soft tones the
manifestation of sweet, refined wom-.
ans soul. True, / had made no prog
ress toward unravelling the mystery.
Nevertheless l was confident that
through some inexplicable dispensation
of Providence l had been permitted to
hold communion with 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 as yet. Her only answer
to my question as to where she was, was:
"In the garden" She did not seem
capable of grasping the fact that l was
not invisibly near her and capable of
seeing her. She seemed content with
matters as they stood, and for the pres
ent l could do no more.
l made no one my confidant as to my
daily occupation; first, because knew
that should be regarded as madman
upon my mere statement of the facts,
and, next, because I shrunk from hav-
ing an auditor at my mysterious con-
ferences. Will it be believed? l was in
love with the invisible girl-in love
with voicei Absurd, of course, but
am not the first man who has fallen in
love with woman's voice. Besides, l
was confident that it was only a matter
Of time before 1 should see the girl in
person.
One day toward the end of summer
we had been talking as usual, and l had
said; my stay in Italy is nearly over,
Lenore."
"Ah." was the quick reply, 'you will |
leave me, George"
mo, Lenore," I answered, "not if |
you wish me to stay"
'.How can help it, George, whether
you 90 or stay? have never seen you
I never shall see you. What am to |
you?''
''All the world, Lenore," answered. |
''Ours has been a strange experience.
knowing each other as people
ordinarily do, we have yet been close
friends. You are more to me than a
friend. l love you, Lenore."
There was 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 1 will
spare you the pain of meeting me, and
never let us speak again" "
There was a pause, then she tremu-
ously said: Il have never seen you, but
my heart tells me to trust you. l know
you are good and noble, and l am will
ng to leave my fate in your hands.
Yes, George, l love you"
Even as she said the words she ut
jered cry of alarm. Then a gruff
mans voice spoke: go to your room,
Lenore. AS to this william with whom
you have been holding these secret
meetings., we shall soon find him and
punish him as he deserves. Search for
he rascal, Antonio, and bring him to
ne"
There was a quick trampling of feet
md the sound of crushing shrubbery,
IS if men were breaking through it.
Then another mans voice spoke: "He