San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-09-18

quickly off, and it fell to the floor in heap
which glittered strangely in the flashes
of light. took it up quickly and bore it
to tho nearer light. 1t was blindingly
dazzling-a curiously wrought suit of
finest silver wire,- soft and yielding as
silk. folded it, as might have done o
silk handkerchief, and put it into my
pocket. was no longer at loss for my
nightly visitors silvery wilderness!
A half hour more had passed, There
was O sudden rush Of Dir from the outer
world, bearing With the increased sound
OF water pouring heavily down. Steps
upon the stone pavement, ard l knew my
self, at last, shut in with the ghost Of
Penares.
listened with beating heart. The
tones of O mans voice fell on my ear, fol
lowed by those of woman in reply. Both
We're suppressed, but Icouh occasionally
distinguish word or detached parts Of
sentences. Sometimes with tender in.
Fiction, more usually with eager accent
and indicating an absorbing topic.
Once the mans tones became quito
clear.
white powder, &if the drops don't
answer. Remember by Thursday-beats
forty five
A sudden peal of deafening thunder
drowned the tones. and when could dis
tinguish them again hewas saying:
''Be sure of your work. We shall have
nothing to fear-everything to hope"
+ A few moments silence, then whispered
words. l guessed through the darkness
that he was leaving her. By a sudden
fash saw him bend over the table, and.
lifting the waiter, disclose an opening
from which he took roll of papers. He
placed them In his breast and turned to
the door. Again he turned, folded his
companion in passionate embrace, and
was gone.
A thrill passed like an electric shock
through my frame. That dark, hand
some Spanish face. with it's jagged scar
across the left cheek, had not Its coun
terpart in my possession?
The storm was now at its height
Waves Of wind and water seemed testing
the house to its foundation. Peal after
peal of thunder reverberated on my ears
Suddenly binding flash Of lightning
came, like stream of liquid fire, pour
ing. through tho crescent, permeating, as
it were. the entire gallery and outlining
each stone in the moldy wall The woman
seemed enveloped in flames as tongues of
fire played around her figure. The deaf
ening peal of thunder I was dimly con.
scious of as fell to the floor stunned and
blinded.
When recovered my consciousness it
was with a womah's shrek resounding in
my ears. By the fitful illumination from
the lightning | saw that | was alone. /
went TO the table and lighted the candle;
no fixed purpose inducing me, perhaps,
81, ,N.~ 20 h. 81,
shock. Mechanically | picked up the
copper waitef>which now lay on the floor,
and which had seen, when the Vivid
lightning had come, in the woman hand.
started at the. sight Of it. It's former
glittering surface was so no longer; burnt
into it'and confronting me were the fea-
lures of a well known face. How well
knew those long, almond eyes! that
gracefully curved chinl the thin, tightly
compressed lips!
| recalled some broken sentences:
Drops not strong enough-white powder
beats forty -ive-all over"
A sudden. terrible suspicion broke upon
me as Reynolds Herholf's CHASTITY face,
growing thinner and thinner daily, rose
before me- She was giving him drops
daily-a Spanish tonic, he had told me
and was numbering her own husband be
fore my eyes!
sat down to debate what | should do
By Thursday, the man whom now knew
to be the scoundrel Alvarez had said, all
would be over. 1t was already Tuesday.
Too late to hope for his recovery, per
haps, but | must attempt it. Yet howf
He could bear little excitement in his
weak condition, yet to tell him without
e., a,t
waiter would condemn her. but could he
reached my reom when there was a knock
to Reynolds room.
Beadspf moisture stood upon his brow,
and he 'breathed with intense difficulty.
He apologized for disturbing me to keep
him company. but the storm had made
him sleepless.
Besides" he went on. Il thought |
heard scream. fearful, horrible scream,
last night, when the lightning struck that
tree ON tue lawn. was too weak to get
up, and would not disturb my wife. |
haven't got clear and the noise doesn't
leave my ears. hear it always heard
it then"-he shuddered. and covered his
face with his hands for few seconds,
then started up in listening attitude as
he cried: "Therel heard it! Oh, heard it
again! Help me! Help mel Oh. Charlie.
you heard nothing, did your
l stroked'his brow soothingly, and put
ting pocket flask to his lips, urged
him to swallow little of the stimulant.
In few seconds, so complete was his ex-
haustion, he had fallen into a nervous
slumber
An old family servant beckoned me to