The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-10-16

Of the innocent and tT1stiul LueEeeGs, 9
. this INSCRIPTIONS and Femorteless Wretcl
had proisned the sanClty OF this, Az TRI
quin In the dead hush OF night bent hi
burning glance upon his destined victim
! so now, in the breathlssa silence tha
reigued, this ruthless lbeTtine lookeC
] upon hisl
Unconscious Of that bRleful and Wither
ing gaze, her white bosom heAving soltl!
with her deep and regular breathing, hel
] night robes OF costly lace and embroidered
cambria cllnRing to the exquisite curve
Of her perfect and voluptuouSly swelling
person, JuanlLa lay there, enchanting a
Oytherea rocked by the waves in hel
couch Of gllstening foam,
For few moments the desplCabll
wretch gazsd upon her in RloAtng Of
lencs, BY the Ghastened CLEAN Of the
lamp burning near he could see that hel
long dark lRshes and ivory pale cheek
were wet as II with tears. But he scarce
" noticed this, An orphan's tears and
prayers were nothing to him. Devoid o.
true manhood, there was nothing within
him TO which her helpless innocepcs
could appeal, In that moment, As be
stood there leaning over her, he could
think Of nothing but that glorious, mad
dening beauty that had enslayed him,
Deal to the pleading voice Of conscience,
blind to the visible appeal Of her unpro,
teoted and, therefore, doubly sacred
womanhood, he glared at her with 0 de-
lirlous and tigerish Rdoratton-Ehat aend-
ish love that pursues its victim but to de-
stroy
"Nita!" he exclaimed, in q hoarss vioce
broken with emotion, "Juantta, awake !"
No answer, Smiling in her dreams, the
young girls rosy lips parted with few
low, musical, inarticllate words, and her
head, lying In Its cloud Of midnight hair,
turned on the pillow, bringing the match
less, face so adorable In It's rRVishing dusk
LONELINESS, nearer his.
A sigh such as might have burst from
the chest OF iamished wolf arose In the
quiet room, Then painting with fierce
and uuholy rapture, Desmond stopped and
glued his pClluting lips to he's,
"Mine-all mine |, he articulated, In q
muillsd voice, his whole being qulyerlng
With the tsEoCious ecstasy that q Clinging
kiss inspired.
At the same moment, however, the
beautiful sleeper stirred unessily. The
pressure Of those burning lips had dis
turbsd her, Her bosom heaved with q
ConVulalve movement, The arm enClrCllng
her dark head fell to her side. A faint
moan escaped her lips. Slowly her eyes
-greatglowing wells ofliving Aame-open.
cd aud looked about her.
"Nitah exclaimed the monster bealde
her, in hushed though vibrating voice.
Merciful God what horrible nightmare
was this2
For one instant she gaSad at him, dazed,
Quivering, dumb! For one instant, while
her eyes, burning with besseching horror,
took in that mantled form, that hand
some, lurid gloatlng face, her brain SEEM
ed 10 disCredit the evidence Of her own
senses. 1t appeared to her that this
creature STOPPING over her was shadow
"a vlsion-the fantastic creation OF a
ieverlsh and disordered dream.
Then like flash, as the Rbhorred truth
suddenly pierced hor whitllng brain, she
drew back with great aud terrible start,
tearing her snowy garments from his ner.
vous clutch as she sprang from the couch,
uttering q low bat thrilling Shrek Of an.
gu'shtd shame,
A fierce and brutal laugh rang from the
lbertine's Gnrling lips.
"Nlta! Nital You cannot escape mel
| have sworn to possess you, beautiful
one! You are mine"
Uttering those passionate words, he
bounded forward, and, as the desperate,
helpless creature turned to fly, he encir.
Cled her soft aud palpitAting hgure with
his cruel, muscular arms
A second ahriek-louder. more thrilling,
maddened, agonized-bfoke from
Juanita's now ashen lipsl
"Ah, pity !" she exclaimed, In q suffoca.
ting voice; and raising her sweet, soft
eyes TO heaven: ooh God OF the defense.
lesSl arc Thy thuudsrs still?"
Hush Was that an answer to her
prayer2 Was II the voice OF the AlmIgh.
ty that suddenly stirred aud thrilled
through the siloncs2
Breathless and aghast the libart1ne stag.
gered backward, his arms falling from
around her, his head bent In intent listen.
ing, his starting eyes straining through
the thick air.
Then on the death.like atillneas OF that
memorable moment came the sound loud.
or and deeper-a hldeous and rumbling
ar that iroEe the blood with horror and
caused the leaping heart to pause for an
instant in Its mad beatingl
Clasping her white hands upon her
painting bosom, Juanita sank on her
knees, her snowy robes sweeping around
her like the drspery Of saint, as she lift.
ed her pathetic eyes 10 heaven, with holy
lips moving in voiCsless prayer.
simultaneously that horrible thrill
deepened, the rumbling became a roar,
rolling on the car like the distant boom OF
cannon, or the diapason Of mighty
seal The windows shook; the floor quiv.
cred; all through the mansion sounded
the rattle and clattar Of articles falling
from tables and shelves.
Meanwhile the roar, increasing In thun.
derous volume, seemed on every hand.
Above, below, around 1t growled, stretch.
ing forth Tia mighty arms like Encsladus
aroused from his volcanic bed, groAning
and believing amid lava and flame.
With gasp OF horror, Darke Desmond
turned to fly. He had felt the floor heave
and sway beneath him. lie had seen the
painted walls culver as II shaken by an
omnipotent hand.
nv tuo bhluu llbthuN1 huuN6 buu uulOW
roaring, now mingled with the thunder Of
shattered and down.crashing walls, came
the rush Of advancing footsteps, and
through q window near the wretch burst
q figure Of glorious and Sod.like beauty
swift and fierce as an aVenging Fatsl
Murderer Of innoCencel" exclaimed o
ringing voice. at is the vengeance Of
God
Then as the walls ground together and
the ceiling tossed TO and flo and burst
asunder, and the floor rocked and heayed
like the pillows OF storm.Swept sea, and
the roar and crash OF thousand thund0rS
seemed to split the shudder!ng alr, the
unknown swept tho covering bastard
aside, and, Keeling as he sprung, gained
the side OF Junanita, clGsping her close In
his strong and sheltering arms.
AZ one in some weird dream, Juanita
saw this god,like being spring through
the window into the apartment before
her, heard the terrible words he hurled at
Desmond as he flung the wretch aside,
I q A.. q 4. A.