Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-29

was rapidly yielding TO the gathering twilight,
ton, q thrill OF the nerveA that was, 70 say TIE
lea t, uncomfortable; but he resolutely BATH 4
alainst the innu and retired within his tfpe
QueDce, thus defylng the visionary. Fur all that
he found the hour that he thus LETT ALONE both
tedious and uncomfortable. But AZ last the doctor
raving about a bough 81 the oak that, she de-
clared. had waved over her, assuming the grin
ming aspect OF deatn's-head
OF heroic treatment mean 70 ascend TO that
devilish Dough and saw 1t or wish could de-
stroy the whole inIetnal tree, root and branch We
nope, Old fellow, that the sudden revulson when
Cyntnia sees 1t crashing down, will help her 10
overcome these diabolical illusions. Promise me,
while am doing this thing, you Will watch over
my darling, so that no harm can befall her IN
dusk was now giving way to the giimmenng PAL
lor OF the newly risen moon, Is the two friends
Suddenly, Albright exclaimed 'sLook !" flicker
Ing, uncertain, snadowy, lambert light played
above the grave that these two men had dug one
year ago that very night. Tn n, as II condenstnG,
casting Slckly sheen around, IL lowered here ana
there, a. one moment dartlng upward nercely, as
thin pillar OF IRE, then subsiding, trailing along
near The ground, gradually sinking, and finally It's
namboy ant curvlng nne Was lost 10 signtI
IL was u somewhat varied repetition OF the phan-
TOM nalnes that had horrihed Cynthia, but neither
ile doctor nor the lawyer had ever before seen q
Visible shape thus defined from the Invisible.
They were students ana thinkers, not disposed 10
accept an iliusory semblance, and both men de-
clared that IL must be an optical illusion. But
Dr. Rawie was under q strong and ferce excite
menl on account OF the sickness OF his wife. "My
aou! gr9anea ne, 'wn1t II Cynthia mas seen ltt'
room. she was still reclining as he had left her,
muttering inarticulate soupds-her hand tightly
clasped and eyehdS half open. II was evident that
she mad not stirred. In few minutes the doctor
returned, carrying saw.
., 90 watch her, Albright" said be. hoarsely.
cursed tree. Iwill lop on these hellish branches;
Will hack and hew"-
He serode lercely forward, stamping heavily
"Ha! ha" he laughed, strangely moved II
DEFY the yhoulish tn ny to do Its worst! dare it
TO molest my Cynthia; mine, with It's tricksy
lar shOwsV
He now commenced to ascend the gnared trunk
OF the knotted oak: Climbing ana ciinging to
every Inequality. The doctor was q pracliced
athiete, anu this was childs play for him.
up! up and the lated branch Is reachedl The
sharp Teeth OF the saw had made Its first deep,
AS Albright entered the room cynthia had arisen
ana stood veside the open window, enveloped IN q
gray Cashmere shawl OF richest oriental design
was careleasly thrown over her fair shoulders and
ner wealth or pale, ashen-colOred hair, fell, un-
Needed, In tangled masses, around her person. Al
DriKht wishing 10 protect, but not to disturb her,
approached with noiseiesS slep. Sue did not see
him. or, seeing, Needed not. With the palms Of
me- euAu hanus CIOstly pTeSSeu az alhsC Ine uiue-
Veineu temples, the large OrbS Of her wtde-opened
eyes gazing nxedy, she stood In speechleSs alright
Albright could not resist the Impulse. He adj
vdnced and stood beside her, and he, TOO, gazed
oulwardly lntently. The doc or had COM
lnenced his work, and with sure aud swift motion
the pltlless saw ground through the twisted bark
Already the huge branch swayed and rocked to
and fro. The air was tilled with the sharp click
Ing resonance OF the breaking branches; they
move backward and forward; they crackie; they
osciilate; they swing; they sway-when-"Oh
God! my God?' ShiieKed cynthia, for now the
fllckerng light arose from out the grave the ema-
nation rapidly gathering force, when sheeted Win
ehclrcinS flames, the nerce phantom arose In
might, and with an awful swirl enveloped the
daring tconoclast in its skeleton ribs OF furious
nre, hurting downward In one crushing mass the
Crashing Dough and the crushed man.
cynthia had swoOned away, but the horror
stricken AlOrght heard Distinctly, In vibratOry
sepulchral tOnes-"Dead! All is at an end!"
And poor CynJhia7
dead! All Is at an end!"