The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-12-25

but they are anything Ht pleasau
things to witness when thy do COM
| on"
81 should imagine so," 1 Issented, de
voutly hoping fit was not then pend
ing. Soon 1 managed make m,
adieu, and with a sigh ofEelief found
myself once more in the Hll. Imade
my way to Euriett's room, but he had
gone to bed, and seeing it Fas nearly II
o'clock, decided to go bed, and,
preceded bya Ssss.snt q could never
have found the ses elt, mounted
again the wide e8Ge, sas she esIthreaded the
room. ''Is It pS ps Of va w,ss to on:y my
doors. -.
..Does any .onel q asked
1aa..ss lsISz
mine. 20
''That is the mas |er's room, sir" he
replied; and the on, at the bottom end
is Mrs. Hallaton's. No one else sleeps
in this part Of the tpuse. The servants
rooms are all in the horth wing"
am generally abb to sleep at what.
ever hour l retire; but it was early, and
che fire looked TEMPTING; so, instead of
Immediately undressing, changed INV
coat for smoking jacket, aud, lighting
pipe, made myself comfortable in an
easy chair. Soon heard Mrs. Hallaton's
light footsteps ascend the stairs, and the
door of her room open and close, aud
little while afterward Fred halted out
side my door to bid me CHEEKY good,
night, and then entered the room oppo-
site. Y
How long eat there cannot tell, for
l fell into a heavy doze, and when
woke up with sudden start it was with
the une.sy consciousness that something
unusual had awakened me. 1 spraug tc
my feet and looked fearfully around.
The 1ickering flames of my fire, almost
burned out, werc still sufficient to show
me that nc one had entered the room:
but while stood there with strained
senses heard a sound which made nv
blood run cold within me; and, although
l am no coward, / shivered with fear
1t was the half f-muffled shrek OF a woman
in agony and it came from Mrs. Hallaton's
room. For moment / was powerless
to move; then / hastily unlocked nv
door, and, hurrying down the corridor.
knocked at hers. There was no answer.
tried the handle; it was locked; but.
listening for moment, could hear the
sound of woman gasping for breath.
rushed back along the corridor to
Freds room. The door was closed, bu
unlocked, and I threw it open.
''Fred" l cried; but Fred was moi
there, nor had the bed been slopt on
table, sna as 100 90 tho fhs dressing
the room was whab5 ID to be a
hole in the wall, bnt when I stood
before it I saw at once that it was a
secret passage running parallel with the
corroidor. Looking down it, could
see light at the other end, and know.
ing it must lead into Mrs. Hallatons
room, caught up the candle aud bond
ing almost double half ran, half crept
along it, until reached its other
extremity and found myself in Mrs. Hal
laton's room. stood upright and
glanced half eagerly, half fearfully
ground. The room was empty, but the
window directly opposite to me was open,
and as my eyes fell upon it stood pet
riied with dull sickening horror, aud
the candle dropped with crash from
my nerveless- fingers. There was
miniature balcony outside the window,
and on this stood Fred Hallaton, hold
ing In an embrace, which was certainly
not of love, the fainting form OF his
wife. The moon &as sffining full on his
face, ghostly and demoniacal, with the
raging fire of the madman In his eyes
and the imbecile grin of the lunatic on
his thin lips. In a moment the truth
flashed upon me, and as stood there
gaping and horror struck he saw me and
burst into fit of wild laughter.
"Ha, ha, hal You Neillson2 What a
joke! See what glorious view of the
grounds! Come and bend over, man
don't be afraid. Does the height make
you dizzy2 It's made herr" and he
motioned to the insensible figure of his
wife, whom he still held clasped in his
arms. "Do you know what am going
to do with her7 Pm gong to chuck her
down there, and he pointed to the gar
den below. "A mad woman is of no
use to anyone. Come and lend me
hand" So
Mechanically rushed to the balcony
and strove to wrench from his encircling
gasp the faintinS e ef.hts wife. Like
fash his imbecilS |krin vanished and
his eyes filed with a. malignant fury "s
he let go his graspo of his wife and sprang
at me like tiger cat. It was in vain
that I wrestled with him. His long
arms were around me aud held me as if
/ were in vice. ] tried to Shout for
help, but my tongue cleaved to the roof
of my mouth, and a faint gurgling was
all the sound could command. Nearer
and nearer we drew to the parapet's
edge, until at last could see ths lawn
below, studded with flower beds like the
pattern of some fancy work; for Gaulby
Hall was built high, and we were on the
third story. Ifelt his hot breath in my