New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-18

that strained intentness yet absolute quiescence
Of posture But why this vehement and alto
gcthcr unaccouhtable foIeboding of impending
evil borne in upon me ?
These bcthinkings, however. were all the work
of few seconds, when, with eyes still riveted
on the mysterious watcher | heard several voices
within the room calling ont in excited tones as
though some alteration were going on. One
voice above all the Others came with kind OF
stridenI sharpness through the open window, in
which it easy To recognize DIS hard and
distinct accents. ] seem TO hear the words raSp-
Ing ont nSw ETc e EH" voices sea TonH my
Ms. I'll take my oath you didn't and then
a terrible imprecotion from D, which l viii
not repeat, invoking the Prince OF Darkness to
the ruin of his soul and body If what he had
stated was not the truth
As the last words struck on my ear the tall
cloakcd figure made an Instantaneous movement,
lCHpcd mp with light swift spring TO the WIN
dOw-si lie was standing under, and disappearsd
through the muslin cnrta ns into the room, lor
was unable to see further into 1t from my POSITION
Another instant. and an car-plercng scream rang
out-a harsh appalling cry as OF inlnged pain;
rage, and terror. from one IN dire cAtremlty-and
to my horror and utter anazenlehI nc III tie clos,k
rpaUDCarcd at the window with D. gripped In
his arms and half sung over one shoulder. APP
parenty struggling desperately. One instant
both faces were Visible in the moonlight, D--s
chastity aud cOnvulscd tie other set BACK IN us
sombr, hood and covered with black domino,
from the eyclcts of which was near enough TO
catch rs I fanced, a ligltnng-tiash OF hennlsn
malignancy and eXuitatlOn. Ere | conld coiiece
my bewldercd senses sufficiently TO rush across 10
n nt1n tbnm which did moment later, both men
had vanished round angle of the Dmldlns.
After them | rushed, shouting To the gatesentry
10 alarm the guard. but on reaching the rear o,
the block not soul WIS in sight. ou, turned eT
the guard ard telling the sergeant To take ME
and search the Enclosure Tor TWO men lGhuiS;
ran round 10 the me ,s-ro0m. Meanwhile. and be-
fore | could reach the entrancc-door 10 lle meSS,
the bell inside was ringing ont peal atter Le1i.
and an officer came tearing out full tlt, nearly
,nocLinr me dcwn. What i 1t burst out
Where's c lour rcgimental doctor: is he
i'm his quarters" was the smultaheous COUNTER
nucstion and away he rushed toward me quarter
,vhcrc Or c. was located. ran lnto tle anle-
room. along with one or two OF the me 's-wIllers
hclterskeer. And what sight lnsiue' , lleie
huddlcd in a group. with pale, scared races.
yhist-tab bic overturned, and litter 81 lrds s'r "n
ali over the floor, were some hali-do"h oi my
comrades of the til, stopping over tlr ,P ios.iSe
form of b, who lay m0tlonlesS. WIN Ups apaI.
cvcbaliS fixed and staring, his head lying prk,
srnnorted bv one of our fellows. IL was a ter-
riblc moment. The surgeon. =, ; calne III =
minute after, tore open D--,s WasHodt anu an!
shirt looked hard ut him, knelt down ana pnt
his ear TO the drawn mouth felt about me region
of the heart. and shook his mead Lie was eA-
As for myself. I could hardly believe my senses
The man | had Just seen bodily carried on s I
elm, i'm the arms of an unknown lndlVidual' YIN?
inrn dead-it seemed an absolute hailuclMtion!
| was too taken aback to ask shgie qu;ss,ILon;
Inn A. nv iuquiring eyes went round me cree OF
assembled officers, could see on me coun,ehahces
If all n certain constraint mingled WIN lner
bnrror but not "A syllable was said IL was PLAIN
there was further mystery behind
lie remains Of the lll-fated d were re-
,novcJ to n spare room in the officers quarters,
and there lad out to await Official proceedings
If was not ill after the funeral that learned
chat had caused the uprOar ana alteration III
tho mrssroom which immediately preceded the
terribly sudden catastrophe of that memorable
night. And even at thls distance OF ,liie l
tell the circumstances with pain and reluctance
d had dined with the regiment. ana AFTER tne
band had finished playing, he and some nall
dozen subalicrns sat down to play vlngt-et-un
The stakes were high. and il was remarked thas
d turned up a remarkable NUMBER OF
"naturals n, not long-joined ensign haa
been dealt an ace Of spades, ana STOOD ~
tie conclusion of the round, De- VINO ooo "o -
dealing. again showed natlraS the ace o.
which proved t. be the ace of spades. Inns, Oh
course. was too much for young n, green AZ
he was; and though the tricks oil me nea, I,
chime had not then been sung, the case was
manifr,ty something of tho same klnd as thdo
worthy's performance. Hence the indignant re-
inonstrancr waited Out II my ears IN the parracN
sluare followed by that awful oath. Nhtte -
on according t. some Of the party, momel,ary
gust of air seemed to shake the farther window
sash and simultaneously The card-taoie was
stirred-it was they said. like the tremor or
slight earthquake shock-and stralghtway D.
threw hi, hands mp and fell back in his chair,
-ur1ling like one in Mt lhe rest haSc S,u,
and VIII say no more upon this when OF us
is prepared 10 east a stone at an errlnS plo'heI'
leastwi,e when lie j. core. H. u,;..,..,s
fla verr for LONG thereafter uncOmmOnly chary
IF cout.rring upon outsiders TIE prNileec OF
honorary membership OF their mess. ana Ior
many year the tragic crcums'anrrs INV ~
down with perhaps somewhat lmpcr. recoi-
lection Of monor details. fingered on IN the
regiment rs q kind of tradjon, To DC taikeu 0,e.
ON occasions. and amplled ~ various WAYS. ~
IS for $ lOt whom more presently ana myff,
we kent our impressions rs lar aS possible I'd
ourselves. thoueh something about them neces'
,arllv leaked out through the guard ana sentry
[ hal hailed. and from my original statements
rho iPlipNp ] llat seen 80
palpohV in the moonlight.
/ have never been able Ia clear np the mystery
of mi, dread tragedy Nue3 the formal inquiry
hv tlr military ard civil authorities came on. IL
was elected from the non-commlssioncd othcer OF
lhe night-guard that no person OF the description
.,Xr had been seen h. enter or leave the par
,ucl precincts The certified cause OF the death
was stated TO bc aneurism. spasm. or something
of the hcart-what suppose We should call IN
common par. nc' hean-dlseaSe. Inc aii3ir was
r.,theT hi,hed up IN Difference 10 the feelings or
D--'S relatives. one If whom came ont 10 the
island shortly aftcrNard T. make inquiries, and
settled up the affairs of the deceased.
Tht~r who have read thus FAR may nor nm
naturally have explained Ia themselves what |
Witnessed in the square as pure imagination
,,hantaSnl of my own brain. Ana THIS view |
,huud probably myself have inclined ~, hut
Tor one circumstance. which have now Ia men
ton In The room above mine. and looking out
on the S,uorc toward the mcsshouse. was quar-
tered q very dear fell w, rather 4 favou'e with
MS although hardly robust enough for the rough
ing of q soldiers life. Vow, II happened on ms
very Thursday evening s., who had been all
inc fer some time back of Malta fever. was lying
on % couch in his room by the open winGOw-the
night being 81 v.rm-and listening to the band.
lie was still there when came into barracks.
ond when | was arrested by the sight of me
tall solitary iicure opposite. When. several days
after the sad event. I touched on the subject.
s. broke IN with very troubled face. and IN
Il serious. urgcnt voice asked: Did You see the
man IN the long cloak waiting for him p Then
/ knew that whatever cNtra-vision had been
youch>aird u me had been shared bv him. IN
me-, pale death knocks with equal step sooner
or later. AT tho door of MS all. and -, WIN
nearly every other of my then comrades. has de-
parted to that h0urn where there is no work.
nor device, nor knowledge. no" wisdom.
rs for ne. were | 10 live 10 the patriarchai
age Of tic oldoS. Of the antcdiluvianS. it would
b. impossible 10 ohlitcratc the impressions forced
successfully upon mo on that especially solemn
but fatnl Thursday. The cathedral service, the
tL.. I'm inLr.Ln cln