Middletown transcript., 1892-01-14

and on the broad, white forehead
there was an awful stain of blood.
And then the closed eyes seemed to
open, and a wavering finger pointed
toward her, while the cold lips uttered
one awful word.
She screamed, and fed from the
room to her own, where she locked
and bolted the door. It seemed to
her as if that shadow which her
brain had conjured up was following
her, and its rolling eyes were turned
With sad intent upon her, while the
lips mumbled that terrible word in
her frightened ears.
She stumbled toward her dressing
case and took a bottle of some brown
fluid out of 8 little drawer. When
the cork was Withdrawn, it emitted
strong, sickening smell, that filled the
room. She looked behind her, with .
furtive shudder, hesitated moment,
then lifted Ito her lips. When she
laid the little bottle down it was half
empty. Keeping her eyes steadily
away from the door she moved slowly
toward the sofa and lay there, face
downward, her head buried in the
cushions.
{ Someone was bending over her, she
was sure. Her husband with his livid
face stood before her, with that dread
ful wound on bis brow. His cold lips
were close to hers slowly his rigid
arms was reaching toward her. She
screamed aloud and beat upon the
walls with her hands. The diamond
rings he had given her scared her fin
gers; the stones had become Goals of
fire. She drew them off and flung
them from her. What was that
music? In>the street, No, in the
room. How soothing it sounded in
the quiet room! She did not turn to
see Whence it came, lest this magic
music might cease and the spell be
broken.
Her terrors had been deadened by
these delightful melodies. They re-
viyed all that was beautiful in her
life, with none of its distress. The
light drives away the darkness. No
longer that terrifying figure Of her.
husband stands before her. 1t is her
lover kneeling by her side, and in his
eyes there is a divine light that is not
Of earth. His kisses burn her lips
and fill her with a glorious exultation.
He leads her away, and the walls melt
before them into thin air. They pass
through jewel-studded colonnades
into wondrous garden where all is
musical and bright, and where iris
tinted birds fit here and there by
waving palms and tinkling silver
streams. And lnlledsby the perfum-
ed air in this Lethean land she lays
down dreamily by glistening pool
among fragrant blossoms, that fall in
rosy showers from the tree above her
head. The balmy breeze caresses her
floating hair. Above her head a bird
with jeweled wings pours out its soul
in song, as sweet as if the very spirit
of love inspired each glorious note.
Tapped in this atmosphere Of per-.
fume, love and song, she rests her
tired head upon her arm and drifts
away into oblivion's sea.
CHAPTER III.
THE RECKONING,
The night.closed in with sleet and
snow. Marian stood by the window
peering out between the curtains on
the street. She had lit all the lights
In the chandelier and the candles in
the sconces on the wall, it was so
much more cheerful to Danish all the
shadows from every corner. Oh, if
there were only some light to dispel
the shadow from her heart that was
bearing her down! She listened, but
no one came Once q man paused in
front Of the house, but he passed on
through the snow. Few carriages
were abroad, but every one that pass.
ed sent a shudder through her heart,
and she would lean family against
the wall and press her hands tightly
against her breast that seemed full of
burning pains. But the carriages
passed by, and the hours, and no one
came. She had eaten nothing all day
and at last she found herself to weak
to stand by the window and watch.
Her untasted supper lay on the
table where the maid had left. She
must have strength for what was GER
tain to come. She dragged herself
forward BY leaning on the chairs, and
lit the spirit-lamp to heat up the tea
in the samovar. The sight Of food
was repellent to her, but she managed
to force few mouthfuls down, and
the tea warmed and strengthened her.
Only her heart was as cold as ice. and
throbbed as though it were forcing its
way through her breast, painting for
freedom. Was that stepf Some
one in the hall? The dainty Sevres
cup crashed on the plate as she felt a
hand seize her arm with a cruel grasp.
She shook it off, and without daring
to turn her face, crawled toward the
corner of the room with averted eyes,
"Who is it? Who is it Z" she ask
ed herself, in fever of doubt. Oh
if he would only speak-only speak"
Well?"
1t was her husband She felt q |
ringing in her ears, a sudden numb
ness seize her as if she were losing
consciousness.
He laughed, and walked toward her
slowly.
"Look me in the face" savagely
her sleeve and dragging her
close to him. "Look at me, I tell
you," raising her head toward his.
She could not help seeing that his
features were contracted, and that
where he had bitten his lips there was
blood that had trickled down on his
white shirt. He looked as if he were