The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1890-03-22
CHAPTER NVIII.
THE TRAGEDY.


| was alone. ] looked at my watch
1t was 6 O'Clock. I pulled back the
shades to let in the daylight. 1t was a
wild March morning; clouds sending
before the wind, and now and again the
pattering of Sudden rain showers again It
the panes. | went 10 my dress ng- room
packed my ortmanteau, then threw nv
self into chair to wait. For Edna S
sike-and for hers only postponed my
departure unit noon.
Once knock came TO the doo-. II was
servant bring ng me some breakfast. |
signed to him to set it down and negone
quickly, and locked the door ainst
further intrusion. 1t mattered little or
nothing row what the house old might
choose to think Of my self-imposed Sc
clusion.
| sat near a window that commanded n
magnificent view of hill and dale and
winding river. The ghts and shadows
seemed chasing one another ever ch Is
Ing: and as | watch I'd them the principal
events of my life during the last few
months PASSED before my mental vision
like the pbantasmagoria of a distu. bing
dream. Nothing seemed real except the
blessed truth that Edna loved me- l re-
peated 10 myself thousand times She
loves Inc Gloves me-my darling loves
me-"
A few minutes before twelve | went
downstairs to keep my appointment.
The library was dull. dark room, with
painted windows, through which no sun
light ever penetrated. The walls were
lined with we'll filed book-shelves from
the floor TO five feet upward. Above
beams of the ceiling. | had never liked
the room. There WI ghostliness about
1t that would have impressed even the
stanchest dlsbeliever In the supernatural.
! | could only imagine that Ednas reason
for appointing 10 meet me there must be
that. as 1t was the least frequented room
III the house. We We're the less likely to
be disturbed.
There was sliding panel behind the
! tapestry IN one part, which had been
pointed out TO me on my first coming TO
the Orange, but l had only noticed it
casually, for, as l have sa d, | did not
like the room, and only entered it in
search of books, which l invariably car
/ RED away to read elsewhere
/ 4 cheerful fire WAS this morning burn
! ing IN the low, old-fas hioned crate, but
/ instead of going toward it, some strange,
| unaccountable attraction seemed TO draw
| my thoughts toward that part of the
| faded tapestry which hid the sliding
/ panel.
The desire TO investigate it took such
! strong hold of me that l almost laughed
/ aloud at the absurdity of the idea
! What could fifty sliding panels or secre,
! doors matter to me now? Why should
/ they even interest me, when in another
/ half hour l should have left Langdale
| Grange forever?
| Nevertheless. I walked resolutelv
/ toward the spot. Another moment and l
/ should have reached it, but the door be-
hind me opened and Edna Lynton en-
! tered.
| The sight of her sweet. sad face, the
! consciousness OF her dear presence,
/ changed the whole current of nv
thoughts. She advanced slowly might
almost say solemnly, toward me- After
one swift, searching glance her downcas-
! eyes refused TO encounter mine By a
/ slight gesture she declined the straight.
! backed oak chair had pulled forward
| We steod, pszhsps, . yard apart. Re,