The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-10-25

| In the Same way, the cell Was entirely
destitute of furniture. The walls were
damp and cold, and from the barred Win
dow one could look down into the grounds
of the asylum.
Beyond the great stone wall the pris-
oner could see the waters of the Potomac
! glistening in the afternoon sun, as she
stood there one day, her white hands
crossed, and a strange look upon her
! face.
On that morning she had received her
first terrible punishment that of allDwing &
cold water to fail upon her head for u
certain length of time, and she shud-
| dered even then at the recollection OF
that torture.
She knew that the edict must have
gonc forth, that the doctor must have
received orders from the Captain to
| complete the terrible work, and there
were times when q namele5s chill crept
over her frame at the bare thought of
being made mad.
Up to this time, in the midst of these
horrors she had maintained her reason
simply because of her strong will, but
none knew better than Nora Warner
that ere many weeks passed, if the water
torture were continued, she would be as
stark, staring mad as any inmate OF tho
place.
Her heart had always been very bitter
toward the man to whom she was in
debtcd for her incarceration, but now it
seemed as though the very blackne5s of
hate had settled there. and, should
Heaven be kind enough to ever set her
free again, she would follow him to the
end of the world but what she would OBJ
tain justice.
The subject occupied her thoughts by
day and by night, and it was ali that kept
her alive.
Love and hate are two terrible emo
tions, but in case like this the latter
was certainly the stronger of the two,
and the more capable Of causing this
wretched girl to retain her reason
Captain Grant had realized that he had
made a false step in wedding her-for
she was really and truly his wife-and
his only remedy for it, seeing that he
had other pans in view, was to shut her
up in this mad-house, and leave the rest
to the doctor, who knew his business
we'll.
Escape was the only thing that occu-
pied her mind besides those ideas Of re-
venge upon the man through whose
villainy she had been incarcerated in
this frightful abode. Plans fe easible and
otherwise filed her brain, and. as she
comprehended what terrible state her
affairs were in, she can be pardoned for
WeeDinp bitter Scaldihc tears
Many women would have given up in
sheer despair, but that was not her way,
for she possessed q most determined ma
ture.
Examination showed to her that there
was no hope of escape so far as forcing
way out Of the asylum was concerned;
whatever she did would have to be ac-
complished by subtlcty and cunning.
The doctor had been careful enough
to have the bars at the windows secure
enough to resist the efforts Of the widest
maniac, and her puny strength would
have availed nothing. True, she had
small bottle of aquafortis secreted on
her person, which she had secured when
free, so as to be ready In case of recapt-
ure and incarceration but her cell was
she could conceive no way of lowering
herself, even should she be so fortunate
as to break the stout iron bars with the
use of the acid.
Thus it was she saw no reasonable plan
open before her by means Of which she
could hope to escape from the demons
who held Horoscope from the terrible
fate that like great abyss, seemed
yawning to engulf her.
She saw the sun sinking toward the
west with mingled feelings, such as can
only be experienced and appreciated by
one who stands behind prison bars, look
ing out between iron walls, and sur
rounded by all the horrors of a private
madhouse.
Her meditations were interrupted.
The rattling of key in the lock
brought back to her the immediate stua-
tion. and she turned just in time to see
tho door open and the figure of man
enter.
He was a new hand-at least she had
never seen him before during the long
period of her stay at the asylum, though
he may have been engaged during her
absence.
In stature he was rather tall, and his
dress proclaimed him a rullian, while
there was something about his language
that spoke of Il previous acquaintance
with the could dart" namely, the Green
Isle.
His face was dirty and red, the latter
probably the result of debauchery and
there was half-comcal, half-deviIish
eer In ono of his eyes that would have
made some people laugh, and others
shudder. according to their disposition.
Nora could not understand the trem-
bling that seized upon her as she gazed
upon this terrible looking creature.
What did it mean?
Was intuition telling her that she was
to meet her death at the hands of this
villain?
He advanced toward her, and she
shrank back APPALLED,. What new system
of torture was about to be applied to
her?
She watched him with startled eyes as
he held up his hand, pressed his finger to
his lips, uttered the one word "'hist" |
and then, gliding to the door, bent his |
head in a listening attitude. Did he
mean to murder her, and was he listen !
ing to make sure that no ono ap-
preached?
Again he turned and advanced. Was |
that a grin Of devilish triumph on his !
face? She tried to cry out. but her |
tongue Glove to the roof of her mouth, |
nod bar I;p,Iu eooD,oJ ,,,,.,I,..oJ Gb !