The Portland daily press., 1892-10-26

cIamatlOn L started up ana CfoSseu w
her side, but there was no one there OF
course, and returned to my place beside
my betrothed feeling decidedly silly.
Everybody had glanced up at my
hasty movement, but made no COM
ment, so I subsidized into my chair, an
swering Hopes remarks at random and
feeling most dreanfully puzzled. When
| glanced again at Mrs. Jackson, she
was looking out of the window with
pale, sad face. Good heavens! thought
/, can that woman be jealous OF that
noble husband of hers?' Then l searched
the room for Cairns, and was HORNED
to find the same dreadful look on his
face. And-was | mad, OF did again
see that diabolical face bent as If whls-
pering in his ear?
"'Cairns,' I called, without an IN
stant's pause, ring for lights
ssHe started violently at sound Of my
voice, and his face resumed its usual
amiable look as he sprang up to do my
bidding. After the lights came saw
no more visionary faces and should have
thought it all fancy on my part had
not, cousin Rose found opportunity to
whisper, Did you see that horrible face
beside Mrs. Jackson's? and she became
very angry when laughed at her and
told her she must have been dreaming.
In the end convinced her of the folly
of such an idea, but have many times
been sorry we did not tell the others in
stead of hushing it up.
"Well, after that night things were
never quite the same. A spirit of dis
cord was ever in our midst We got a
habit of looking over our shoulders,
though | don't think any one remarked
it but myself, as if conscious some one
or something was ever beside us. A
malign influence seemed to have taken
possession of the place, and to have got
into all our hearts. Roger and Rose
had quarreled Hadyn became often
sively attentive to my fancee and evinced
such growing antipathy toward my
self that all intercourse between us be-
came uncomfortable.
MANY times in the dusk l thought |
saw that devilish face, and the lips
seemed ever whispering diabolical
wickedness into the heart Of some one.
| 1t pervaded the whole house, and the
only ones undisturbed were mother and
Mrs. Kent
."Oh, dearp sighed Rose one day
after tormenting Roger until he had
gone away with white face and woeful
eyes; 4 don't know what possesses me
nowadays. I seem to delight in wicked
ness, and I never was so before. What
can it be, Royce?
EI believe some evil spirit haunts this
house, was my reply. Let us try to
induce the rest to go somewhere else for
the remainder of the summer
"For moment Rose seemed seriously
considering the subject; then saw that
half turning of the head SO dreaded,
and she laughed nockingly:
+" Leave this delightful place? Why,
Royce, you must be mad. don't want
to go. | rather enjoy being wicked.
It's a new sensation, you know and she
ran off, seemingly much amused at my
disappointed face.
II tried to induce Hope Kent to pro-
pose change, but all to no purpose,
and so time ran on. One evening was
walking with her on the terrace, and
| her manner was SO kind, so like the
dear old days before we went to that ac-
cursed place, that vas emboldened to
ask her to set day our marriage.
| SAT nv words turned such a
flushed, happy looking face to me that
for moment l was sure her answer
would be all desired. But all at once
her expression changed, and l saw, or
imagined I saw, for one horrible instant
that diabolical face beside hers, the ma
licious eyes fastened upon mine, while
the lips moved beside her ear.
..Grasping her arm, cried excitedly,
RUM! Yielding to the impulse of my
hand, she sped lightly beside me to
where the others were gathered on the
veranda; then she turned upon me with
flashing eyes:
"sHow dare you brighten me so? Your
face was just dreadful
ssOf course I could not explain, but
have often since wished had, even at
the risk of ridicule and chaff. After
that Hadyn was always more in favor
than myself, and her continued GOODNESS
in going over in detail all the events of
that wretched time, but here is list of
the results:
.sMr. and Mrs. jackson have been
through the mire of the divorce court;
Mr.. and Mrs. Cairns welded bliss has
forever lost its flavor; father and Mr..
Kent have dissolved partnership and
are bitter .,nemies. Mother and Mrs.
Kent were the only ones uninfected by
that foul Kama Rupa, yet they are
made unhappy by their husbands rup-
turing of lifelong ties. Rose Upham is
married, but not to Roger Kent. who is
going to the dogs in consequence"
Here my friend paused and gazed
gloomily out upon the snowy street.
"Well," l said, when the silence had
lasted some minutes. ''And your"
SIP" There was flash in the fine
eyes turned upon my face. II ferreted
out the history of that old house, and
found, as 1 had expected, that one of the