The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-09-21
all ,ha, uonnc,l had said Of her mental

powers.
supper over. we retired 20 the doctors
snuggery and had our pipes ana some
whisky. and then babe Our host adieu.
On our way home lienncll rallied me
abou; my strange behavior on my introduce
ton 10 Miss Warren. limiting half jocularly
and half tentatively that that was not our
first meeting and that | was probably an
old admirer OF the lady.
tried 90 enter into his jOcuar MOOD, Dut
could not, my mind would revert 10 lne
dream and 10 its already partial iuihi-
ment, and asked myself hundred Times
whether ought not 10 tell nenneii VIVA.
was passing in my thoughts. Meantime IN.
distracted manner gradually told upon mn,
also, and he became silent as we ilaceu
along together. On reaching ms chani,
beers. put out my hand and said ""oou
night" ,
Good night Siudholme but am afraid
il is either love at first sight win yOu-ih
which case il is awkward for me-Or else
Miss Warren has mesmerized you ana ior-
gotten 10 wake you up again"
tried 10 laugh off the Impeachment, pu'
there was no genuine hilarity In my laugh
and llenncl saw that there was nOhe'
However, he took no further notice OF my |
mood, and left him and sought my own
house. | am bachelor and getting wei
on toward the fortics--an age when a man
ought 10 have some judgment if he is ever |
10 have any: vet when | sat that night 10y |
the fire i'm my study and pulled hard al that
aid TO reflection. my pipe, could mol LOT
the life Of me determine on any course OF
action with regard TO my friend ana MS
sweetheart. -,
got down Abercrombie, and read his
chapter on dreams" and the strange com |
cidences which sometimes may be traced
between the dream and subsequent events
condolences which in many cases can he
explained by aniecedent events, aud when
IN other cases only exist between some oil
the circumstances Of the dream ana the
facts.
still my mind came back 10 the question:
How was il that should see those two
faces so clearly in my dream-taces which.
10 INV knowledge, had never seen before
i'm this wOrldy And even If ! had seen
them i'm the great human tide that suTges
around Us. | must have seen them at sepa-
| rate times. Why. then, should they assO-
ciate themselves i'm that horrible fashion III
my dreaml And why should aiterward
| fnd their pOssessOrs already linked ny the
bond If love, and drawing near TO the state
which would make the fulflment OF my
dream at least a possibility; a possibility!
nav. "a certainty. whispered some strange
voice within me.
| Good heavens what should | do! If
spoke 10 Miss Warren Of the matter.
| might awaken in her mind fear ana ais
| trust which would have no more sOlld lOuh-
dation than a foolish dream and strange
coincidence. If were silent, ana by an
other "strange coincidence the dream
should Dee realized to its horrible END,
should stand, in my own eyes, as an acces-
sorry before the event.
| could see nothing clearly, and, like most
men Of "A cOntemplative rather than an ac-
| tive cast Of mind, ! resolved 10 let matters
drift aud trust 20 events TO decide my maj
course of action.
Meantime my acquaintance with the
Warrens progressed, owing To the persistent
invitations Of the doctor 90 spend time with
HIM i'm his study over the microscope.
saw the approaching tulilment OF Hen
uell's ENLARGEMENT with Miss Warren, and
watched cheerfully the indications Of the
mans character. He seemed TO me TO nave
"A generous nature and a Well-Oaanced
! mind.
managed once or twice to get him to talk
| about himself and gave HIM my opinion OF
! his character and temperament, hnlshlng
| with "A culOgum upon his sclt-cOmmand,
instances of which had seen on more than
one occasion in our rambles together. MY
| dear fellow" replied he you have now
Touched a very weak spot in my nature. In
the DAYS OF my youth as Father William
remarks, was notorious for the violence OF
my temper. which used TO seize me like a
! whirlwind and whisk Inc away scarcely
knew whittier. Nothing but certain de-
! yelOpmeut Of the rational faculty ana deVO-
ton 10 patient work at my microscope has
enabled me to gain enough seli-cOntrOi 10
be folerably certain Of myself under at least
ordinary prOyOcatIOn. Whether ! should
still stand firm under extraordinary provo
cation Heaven only knows.
This conversation disturbed me greatly.
The man was. without doubt. too generous
and lofty of mind TO commit deliberate
! wrong. but. by his own admission, he had
passionate nature which, Ike vicious
| horse. might at any moment bolt with lis
rider and bring disaster either upon nm
self or another. What Othcrs Might IT not
be on the woman Of my dream-the woman
of his choice, which was one and the same
in my mind.
Aeain / debated in my mind whether !
should warn this girl and tell her my dream,
and again | shrank from medding with
! other PEOPLES affairs; and 10, While hesl-
lated. fate sealed the match, and | was
called upon 10 act rs "best man 70 my
! friend.
This constituted me 1.-THE friend of the
family" and | was constant visitor at
their house at Barnes.
! II was about six months after their mar
riage that an event occurred which awoke
within me once more the horror Of my
dream.
had dined with lIennell and his wife
and ne and had strOlled into the garden 10
smoke our cigars.
I Come and have a look at the stables, old
| fellow" said lIennell, leading the way IN
| that direction.
As we approached the building we could
see light burning in one Of the stables
and could hear hubbub, as if one of the
, horses were careering about the stable.
| Ilennel and ran to the window, through
which we could see groom striking one
of the horses YiciOusly about the legs win
the handle of "A stable fork. The mare (Which
it appears was Henncll's tayorite hack
seemed almost mad with fear and excite
ment
turned 10 Uennell. and the sight Of his
face appalled, me. so full Of evil passion was
il. Without a word, he rushed 10 the stable
door. threw it open. and Selling heavy
hunting crop with his right hand and the
gr0om's throat with his left, he rained on
his body shower OF blows which curdled
nv blood 10 see At last sprang forward,
and seized the whip from behind him as he
raised il for further blows, and. being my
self tolerably athletic, ! managed 10 relax
his grasp of the groom, who fell all Of heap
in the corner.
Hennelrs eyes turned to mine, and the
fire in them faded into a haunted look. lie
shook like a leaf as he stammered forth |
broken apologies for his violence.
"shc is my fayOrite mare, StudhOlme, |
gentle as a child; and the brute struck her
with that thing while she could neither re-
taliate nor n.y."
"All right. old fellow, | daresay he de-
served what he has got" | replied, "but
do YOU 90 into the house and leave him to
me"
mo: / am greater fool than he! | have |
given way to passion such as no doubt IN
fuenced him, and have less eXcuse-God |
help me" and he turned and left the |
stables, with his hands covering his face.
helped the groom to rise, and saw him
safely into the servants quarters, where he
would no doubt be attended TO by his fell
lows and | then sought lIennell in the
drawing-rOOm. He was not there, but Mrs.
llennell sat there, some embroidery in her
hands, aud placid smile on her face.
"Well, you have finished your cigars; but
where is Frank =
Again that dream forced Itself before me.
4 Ill tt...I