Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-06-13

especially if anything mas hapPen'
ed to make the mind uneasy ana
susplcious. For a long time l lay
awake wondering at the curious
look I had seen on Aunt Judlth's
face, and shivering. now aud again.
as thought now far away was
from the rest of the hOusehould.
IfI were to be taken suddenly Ill,
of if anything were to happen 10
me daring the night, what could
doq There was a bell rope IN the
room, butI had foegotten to ask
Sophie whether it communicated
with a bell, and, if so, whether
there was any one to answer my
ring. Isolated as | was in TINS
large aud gloomy chamber, my
mind was agltated with vague and
fears, it must have been nearly
two hours before [ got to sleep.
How long this state tasted l DO
not know, when Suddenly l awoke'
In a moment | was awake, staring
before me into the black darkness
and listening intently to the pro-
touud aboas me. Why was doing
this? I asked myself, but could
NOT give any answner. Something
must have happened to awake me-
What was it9 l wondered. l
looked aud listened. There was
only blackuess and silence
For many second l lay thus peer
ing and listening, aud was just on
the point OF shutting my eyes
again, when, glaring at them
through the darkness, l saw two
other eyes, and hot on my cheek
came the breath of something
man or beast. or monster. | drew
NV head some inches back; the
ewes. to which mine were rlvlted,
advanced. | felt form bending
over the side of the bed. 1t stop
ned. The eyes stopped, the form
hacame motlonless. In the pure
AGONY of the mOment-acted oy
that alone-I rose little in my
he'd and bent my head forward !;
tbe form also rose, and the eyes,
which were still fastened to nine,
retreated. As they did so, to my
snutterable horror | discerned the
outl,ue of a human face
1t was within a few inches OF
my own; and now my eyes oecom'
inc accustomed to the darkness,
could see that it was covered "l1h
/
hair. There was a dreadful glib
ber-such as might come from an
ane or a dumb man IN pain-1nd
he,ore fascinated gaze flashed two
rows of shining tt eth. The creature
monster or manic-was by my
side. ready, waiting to spring UP
On me. Hot upon my face came
its breath. while the awful e' eS
shone like the eyes Of tiger. IL
was on the sprlng-to tear me
hmh from limb. Just one thlng
was keeping of the awful death
that threatened me. In all Toe
ecstav of my terror Icomprehen deo
what that one thing was. It was
the power of my eyes. was ngn'-
ING an eye battle with the mon
ster.
Into ITS dreadful eyes | gazeui
as tnough was gazing into Tue
very gates OF bell. Like the eyes
of a wild beast, they seemed ever
restlessly in search of mine' wnlc'
vet they shrank from when tneN
met. Constantly as they did 81
there was the same hideous' mar
ticulate giober of bafiied rage
When the light came the sign
before me was even more hrrloi'
than my imagination had co0Jur
ed in the dark. CrOuchlng oy 'n'
side of the large bed, between IN
window and me, W as a man. Du
such a man! A tall ma IN 10"
ing grown, with long, matted, ul
s kempt yellow hair and beard' h'
: face deadly white, but every mu'
. Gle in it throbing in convulslV
e sympathy with the hreS 'nS
Z blazed from his wild ana aW'u
eyes.
d Minute after minute passed
e though I took no heeu
n them. All my thought all III
il strength WAS concentrated lhCo III
Il one weapon ! had-my eyes OH
I felt at last that l could not pr
e long the battle much longer
9 What was | to do? My s'reng'
r, was fast giving way. The monst
Y or maniac was becoming more al
n more excited, foaming at tue III
t, aud utterng short, sharp crif
I while his long, cruel fingers wol
ed ed convulsively, as though 'n
II. were impatient to be on thelr pre-
be SO long as | could ward him
1 With my eyes, he dared not a
.o. JfraptlN fnrOu