Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-05-17
answered by Accommodating SER

answered by demonstrating SER
want
what is the name of that gentle
man who has just gone in hcrep'
'Mr. Lovett sir. of lhc--th," was
the reply. felt stunned. Surely this
was more than coincidence!
The servant looked doubtfully at me.
"Want to see him, sir?" Mo"
1 stammered, quite unable TO make up
my mind. Fortunately at this move.
ment my hansom which had followed
me, came up, and jumped in, leaving
the man gazing after me. At that
moment, in his opinion. / was clearly
a suitable patient for Colney Hatch!
Now, what shall dop Shall | call
on Mr.. Lovett and speak to him. or
shall l warn Miss Hildyard? What
proof had What right, a perfect
stranger, to interfere with the private
concerns of two people whom | had
never met. never even heard tho name
of before?
Besides, after all. what had to tell?
The dream of II disordered imagina-
ton! l should only be laughed ut for
my pains and treated with incrcdulity
But, again, ought | to keep such an
extraordinary occurrence from the
knowledge Of the two prime pal actorsp
| thought over this question til my
brain reeled, and finding at last that
every one to whom | dared contide
either treated the facts rs impossible
or laughed me to scorn at the notion
of thinking seriously of believing such
a wildly imaginary casc-I decided to
I,t 4, I,I. l,n.,, l.
guided by circumstances.
A week or two passed. had seen
Mabel several times and ut last had
ventured on asking her that question
on which all my happiness depended.
/ need not describe here my joy at re.
cciving the reply longcd for from the
sweetest lips that ever breathed. |
implOred for n short engagement, and
her mother being tender. hearted old
lady promised | should not have to
wait long, and our marriage was
settled to take place as soon after
Easter as possible.
In the meantime l waited as patient
ly as might be. spending my time be-
tween business in London and ilying
visits to friends for hunting. etc. I'M
til week before the day that | felt
sure would secure my ! fe-long happi-
ness
One morning | received q note from
some friends in the Isle Of Wright
asking me to come down for q ball at
Ryde. As had nothing particularly
to do, and Mabel was away on visit,
l accepted the invitation and went
down the same day.
I fp,,n H., n1 tnly
in the hotel. and were large and
lively party. In tine evening the
waiter came to me and asked me
apologetically if | would mind
changing my room. which was
large one, for another, rs they
had received Il telegram from young
married couple engag NJ room for
that night and owing to tho pressure
caused by the bal, all their rooms were
full with the eXceptiO on of Il small one
next door to mine, which they asked
me TO take, OF course | consented
TO the change, and my things were
moved.
After the ball came to bed at about
8 o clock in the morning, and was sit.
ting by my open window smoking
cigarette and listening to n dull boom
of the waves, in half sleepy condi-
don, when there seemed to come over
me again that strange chill of fear |
had felt once before. M senses seemed
pretcrnaturally sharpened, and ABOVE
the gentle rush of tho waves | could
hear somebody breathing in the next
room. | listened notwithstanding |
knew not what-thc breathing came
81 al in Il I
steallhy movements. The rest of the
hotel was wrapped in sleep. | rose
to my feet, feeling sure that something
was wrong, when | heard short
struggle. n hcavt fall. and wild
| piercing scream, in II woman's voice,
that haunts me still. | rushed to the
door, and was met on the threshold by
i knew it-thc man l had seen in
my vision before. He was in evening
| dress, much disordercd, his shirl-front
and right arm were stained with blood,
and in his right hand he grasped
razor, from which some CHASTITY drops
still tricklcd. The light of insanity
shone in his eyes as. with u domonacal
shrek Of laughter, he flung himself
upon me.
Now began most fearful struggle
for life. The maniac seemed TO have
the strength OF ten men. while the
whole of my being seemed centered in
the intense desire to rush past him
to the loom, only the instinct to self
preservation causing me to hold the
arm in which he held his weapon.
However ! WAS soon REINFORCED by
hurrying crowd of servants and sitors.
oil in LA. ; 1,
horror depicted on their faces.
He was dragged from me bv main
force and held down by many hands.
while burst open the next door and
entered. ALI! A flood of rcmorse came
over, me as | rccogn zed the scene |
had feared, nay. knew, should see.
The moonlight pouring in at the
window revealed to me the whole trag-
edy. There. half on. half of. the bed
lay that inanimate form. blood stains all
over the clothes and floor The pco-
pie who had crowded in after me stood
dumb. as n q sort of stupor. | APP.
preached the bed and recognized the
features of her whom / had known as
Agnes Hildyard.
The rest of my story is soon told.
had to give evidence before the mags-
trates us 10 what | had SEEN and the
unfortunate Lovett who had sunk into
a state of insensibilty, was removed to
the nearest asylum, pending the arrival
of his friends.
/ found that | had received in my
struggle with him a severe wound in the
shoulder. the loss of blood from which,
acting upon a highly exc ted brain.
caused severe illness VIII CHI confined
me to my room for many weeks, dur
ing much of which time [ was deliri-
Gus.
When at last. much reduced in
strength. and with nerves cons ,dcrably
shattered crept out into the sunshine,
felt that my youth had left forever.
was ordered long sea voyage. and
my brave and loving Mabel insisted up
on immediate marriage. so that she
could accompany and nurse me TO
her unselish care | owe not only my
life. but what was thought most
doubtful ut one time. ms reason; for
the misery OF regret | suffered, added
to the horror of the events. proved