Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-06
"My head is heavy. Good

taken place in his absence. As he crossed tue hall he was requested by one of the ser- wants to walk into the private office. The manager was waiting there with a grayely preoccupied manner, as If he had something serious to say. He regretted to hear that Mir. of the family, discovered mysterious sources of discomfort in the new hotel. He had beer informed in strict confidence of Mr. Westwicks extraordinary objection to the atmosphere of tue bedroom upstairs With out presuming to discuss thematter, he must beg to be excused from reserving the room for Mir. Westwick after what had happened.
 Francis answered sharply, little ruffled by the tone in which the manager had spoken to him. q might, very possibly, have declined to sleep ill the room if you had reserved it,n he said. "Do you wish me to leave the hotel?"
 The manager saw the error that he had committed and hastened to repair it. Ger tainly not, sirl We will do our best to make you comfortable while you stay with us. I beg your pardon if I have said anything to offend you. The reputation of an establish :nent like this is matter of very serious inn portance. May I hope that you will do us the great favor to say nothing about what has happened up stairs? The two French gentle men have kindly promised to keep it secret"
 This apology left Francis no polite alterna- tive but to grant the managers request There is an end to the countess wild scheme," he thought to himself, as he retired for the night. 'So much the better for the countess!h
 He rose late the next morning. Inquiring for his Parisian friends, he was informed that both the French gentlemen had left for Milan As he crossed the hall on his way to the restaurants he noticed the head porter chalk ing the numbers of the rooms on some articles of luggage which were waiting to go up stairs. One trunk attracted his attention by the extraordinary number of old travelling labels left on it. The porter was marking it at the moment--and the number was "13A." Francis instantly looked at the card fastened on the lid It bore the common English name, "Mrs. Jamesi" He at once inquired about the lady. She had arrived early that morning, and she was then in the reading room. Looking into the room he discovered lady ill it alone. Advancing little nearer countess.
 Sine was seated in dark corner with her head down and her arms crossed over her ! bosom. "Yes," she said ill a tone of weary impatience, before Francis could speak to her, q thought 1t best Lot to wait for you-I determined to get here before anybody else could take the room."
 ''IIave you taken it for lougs" Francis asked
 "You told me Miss Lockwood would be here in 8 weeks time l have taken it for a week."
 "What has Miss Lockwood to do with lta"
 "She has everything to do with it-she must eep in the room. shall give the room up to her when she comes here."
 Francis began to understand the supersti- tious purpose that she had in view. "Are you, an educated woman, really of the same opinion as my sisters maid?' he exclaimed Assuming your absurd superstition to be a serious thing, you are taking the wrong means to prove it true. If and my brother and sister have seen nothing, how should Agnes Lockwood discover what was not TO- vealed to usa She is only distantly related to the Montbarrys-she is only our cousin" "She was nearer to the heart of the Mont barry who is dead than any of you" the countess answered, sternly. "To the last day of his life my miserable husband repented his desertion of her. She will see what none of you have seen-she shall have the room"
 Francis listened, utterly at a loss to ac- count for the motives that animated her. s'I don't see what interest you have ill trying this extraordinary experiment." he said.
 s'It is my interest not to try itl It is my interest to fly from Venice and never set eyes OH Agnes Lockwood or any of your family again!" ,.o,, e.ou, .,.u She started to her feet and looked at him wildly II know no more wha 1t prevents me than you do!' she burst out. Some will that is stronger than nl:'ie drives me on to my de- struction ill spite of my own selfp' She sud- denly sat down again and waved her hand for him to go. "Leave me-" she said. "Leave me to my thoughts"
 Francis left her, firmly persuaded by this time that she was out of her senses. For tho rest of the day he saw nothing of her. The night, so far as he knew, passed quietly. The next morning he breakfasted early, deter mined to wait ill the restaurant for the ap- pearance of the countess She came ill and ordered her breakfast quietly, looking dull, when he last saw her. He hastened to her table and asked if anything had happened in the night.
 "Nothng," she answered.
 1 "You have rested as well as usualSn "Quite as we'll as usual. Have you had any l letters this mornings Have you heard when sho is coming?'
 | "I have had no letters. Are you really go- l ing to stay here2 Has your experience of last night not altered the opinion which you 1 expressed to me yesterday?"
 "Not ill the least"
 | Tho monentary gleam of animation which | bad crossed her face when she questioned him about Agnes died out of it again when l he answered her. She looked. she spoke, she eat her breakfast with vacant resignation, like woman who had done with hopes, done with interest, done with everything but the | mechanical movements and instincts of life. 1 Francis went out on the customary trav- 1 elel's pilgrimage to the shrines of Titan and l and Tintoreto After some hours of absence he found letter waiting for him when he 1 got back to the hotel. It was written by his brother Henry, and it recommended him to return to Milan immediately. The proprie- tor of a French theatre, recently arrived from Venice, was trying to induce the fa- nous dancer whom Francis had engaged to break faith with him and accept higher salary.
 Having made this startling announcement, Henry proceeded to inform his brother that Lord and Lady Montbarry, with Agnes and the children, would arrive in Venice ill three days more. "They know nothing of our ad
 ventures at the hotel," Henry wrote, "and
 they have telegraphed to the manager for the accommodation that they want There
 would be something absurdly superstitious ir
 our giving them warning which would
 trighten the ladies and children out of the
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