The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-09-24
CHAPTER XXXH.

S::x months have elapsed since the
,lose of the last chapter. AS time
changes all things, so did it make a
wonderful change at the Bristol man
ZION.
Raymond Bristol's strange disappear
ance yet remained mystery, and no
one knew where his wife had gone, OF
what had become of the babe.
Jeanette Nathan still remained at
the mansion, but went nowhere and
received no callers; every one presumed
that she was still mourning for the
loss of her brother, as she had often
called him, and that she preferred soli-
sude to the presence of comforting
friends. She wrote the sad news and
she pubic's opinion to Mrs. Bristol,
md the shock was so great and sudden
that it almost killed the fond, loving
bother. As yet she was not able to
undertake the long voyage back to
America, and perhaps would never be
kble to return.
One night in the middle of April,
I277. terrific storm arose about dusk.
and threatened to sweep everything
before it. The wind blew q perfect
hurricane and tore large trees up by
the roots as it passed along; the light
ming flashed, while the heavens We're in
perfect blaze of electric fire; the
thunder rolled up from the distance
and fairly shook the foundation of the
Bristol mansion.
The stolm seemed to hang for hours
over that once happy but now dark
ened and desolate home. The servants
were all gathered together in one room
and all shivering with fright, while
Jeannette's dark, wild-looking eyes
told only too plainly her thoughts and
feelings. On ragged that fierce storm
INCREASINGLY; the wind and thunder
still shook the mansion. By and by
the servants sought their beds, too
frightened to leave each other, yet too
weary to wait for the storm to abate.
Jeanette lay down upon her bed, un-
dressed, weary and exhausted from
fright For some reason or other she
felt strangely oppressed that night;
whether it was the storm or not she
could not tell. :.
1t grew late and all was still and
dark within the mansion, except the
vivid flashes OF lightning that would
illumine the whole building every few
moments. About midnight the alarm
bell rang again and again with such
force that the loud, laundering sounds
echoed and re-echoel through the halls
and corridors.
"Help! help! wake up! wake up!"
went ringing through the whole man.
sion Immediately after the ringing Of
the bell.
The voice was mans voice, and
sounded strangely wild and painful. AS
Jeanette could not sleep, she heard
the first tap of the bell, but did not
leave her room, thinking it nothing oi
any importance; but when those pite'
Gus walls for help rang through the
mansion she thought there Was some,
thing strangely familiar in those tones,
and Immediately arose and turned up
the gas in her room.
Presently the sounds came nearer,
and she could plainly y hear footsteps
in the corridor near her room door.
The mansion was now filed with hum.
ming sounds, as if many people were
talking and passing to and fro in the
halls.
| Jeannette's door slowly opened, and
she came out, looking wild with fright,
while her face was ghastly white. AS
she opened the door, cold draught Of
| wind famed her cheeks. bat she could