Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-06-26


chance to yield eventually the SUI
render is all the more overwheliDliil
and disastrous to me Moreover dlS
trust" -
He paused abruptly and seemed los
In reverie.
Continue. urged "What do yo'
distrustg'
No answer. This caused me TO lool
upon his face, when beheld glanc'
of such intent directuess that my owl
quickly followed his. discovered
nothing but the ordinary aspect OF the
street. vet must confess that | was
startled. roughly graspcd him by tht
shoulder and shook him.
what does this mean| | asked.
No response save long, distressing
sigh :,
Stanley Stanleyl" l exclaimed
ARE you illg And as l asked the
question the lonely surroundings, his
intense abstraction, caused cold chill
to creep shudderingly over me. / was
about to resume my rough treatment
when. with an effort, he seemed to re-
rain command over himself, and APP
peared startled to see me gazing so in
tently at him.
THAT is what | am anxious to dis
cover" | replied. ''Do you mean to
say that you are unaware of you start
ling pause of silence and forgetfulness
of my presence|
A confused look passed over his face,
and he mumbled to himself, but would
speak no further.
well, you are entertaining com
pany," exclaimed. "Tll leave you to
your engrossing reflections" and /
turned to depart.
Stanley, however, grasped me by the
arm and cried, mo, no! do not leavel
let us return" And as we retraced our
steps he endeavored, by series of in
coherent remarks, to make amends for
his momentary forgetfulness.
| believe it was about three days
after this occurrence that we sat in our
room in the deepening dusk, and Stan
ley, apparently forgetful of his late alb
straction, seemed in the lightest of
moods. He even grew witty and in
dulged in a little light raillery against
one of my trifling propenSities. Pres
emily he reached down one of the lighter
tales of his collection, and shortly
taught my fancy with one of his mel
rendered illusions. He read
IN smoothly, pausing here and there to
admire some skillfully wrought express
lion or delicacy of thought. His eyes
we're filed with a dreamy expression, as
lie dwelt upon such passages as the fol-
owing:
There is a glamour in the distance,
Hazy mountains dimly seen,
AS some vaporous resistance,
Hangs its curtains DER the green.
Like the sunlight on the mountain,
Through the mists which intervene,
Like the sprinkling, sparkling fountain,
And its filmy, shimmering sheen,
Are the fances now beguiling
Softest languor in my brain;
When there moves the easy, smiling,
Unsubstantial phantom train.
In the midst of my delight the MS
ell upon the floor, and again that pc
uliar condition of mind and body of
le previous night came over him. 7
lid nothing, startled though 1 was,
nd endeavored to study, as closely as
ossible, this extraordinary phenome-
on. Presently herose to his feet, and,
fter moments pause, moved slowly
,warl the door. | started to inter
ept him, but checked the impulse,
TO follow. and, if possible,
scover the cause of this unusual oc-
lrrence. grasped my hat and even
aced his own upon his head, to which
, gave 40 heed.
Descending the dormitory stairs, he
ssed through the open door and
owed rapidly down the street. I fol
wed closely; indeed, l might have
llked arm-in-arm with him undiscov-
ed, as if invisible. noticed that he fol
we'd the course of our previous stroll;
It, passing the point at which we
lted, he turned into side street.
My lighted by Pickering lamp
st as | was congratulating myself
at we were unobserved, the district
yht watch emerged from the darkness
d was about to hail us. l motioned
ence by quick gesture, and beck
ed him to follow, which he did, filed
tn wonder, no doubt. at the unusual
oceeding.
AS quickly as possible explained the
uation to the incredulous watchman.
10 continued with me, nevertheless,
witness the conclusion of what he
lsidered an extravagant freak.
stanley by this time had reached an
scure dwelling, before which he
used irresolutely. The door at the
'ment was opened, a light flashed
into the darkness, muscular look
man beckoned to him with a pecul
gesture, and Stanley entered the
Ilway, upon which the door was
sed
This is getting interesting" I ex-
lined as we emerged from the shad- q
s into which we had lodged as the
Or opened.
We hastily traversed the intervening
zee and lightly hurried to a crevice
the shutter, through whicl. ray of
ut Issued. The window was raised, j
the weather was still oppressive, and
looking through the Stats we beheld
Inley standing in the midst of a dis
i looking chamber, impassive as y
tue. Before him stood a peculiar
king personage-a powerful man, =
4 q