Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-20


tered Great heaven! thought ! had
more fortitads. This horror humans
me"
pat my hand on his wrist. for there
was now fewer IN his sunken eyes
which checked the supersritious chill
which had been gathering over me and
made me hope that after all my first
suspicion was correct and that my pa
tent was bat the victim Of some fearful
hallucinzfion. and. watching my oppor-
tunity, slipped . sleeping powder which
/ had managed 70 put in my pocket be-
fore leaving the surgery into the tun-
bier Of clsrst that stood beside him
II was with sincere satisfaction saw
him drink the wine and then stretch
hiaaself on the luxurious bed.
..Ha," thought /. as the clock struck
IA. and instead Of groan the deep
breathing Of the sleeper sounded through
the rooIa. you won't receive any sum
mons tonight. and ! may make myself
comfortable"
Noiselessly l replenished the FIRE,
poured myself out large glass Of wine.
and. drawing the curtain so that the fire.
light should not disturb the sleeper,
put myself in . position 10 follow his ex-
ample. How long slept ! know not,
but suddenly aroused with start and
thrill of horror.
Something-what. knew not-seem-
ed near. something nameless, but unut-
terably awful.
The fro emitted faint blue glow.
Just sufficient to enable me to see that
the room was exactly the same as when
fell asleep. but that the long hand OF
the clock wanted but five minutes of
the mysterious hour which was to be
the death moment Of the summoned"
man.
The silence WAS intense.
could not even hear q breath from
the bed, and was about to rise and APP
proach, when again that awful horror
seized me, and at the same moment my
eye fell upon the mirror opposite the
door, and saw an awful shape-ghastly
mockery Of what had been humanity!
It stood there in visible death clothes;
but the awful face was CHASTITY with cor
ruption, and the sunken eyes cleaned
with green, CLASSY glare which seemed
veritable blast from the Internal fires
below.
saw that horrid shape move slowly
toward the bed. What was the awful
scene enacted there know not. heard
nothing except low, stifed, agonized
groan, and / saw the shadow of that
CHASTITY messenger bending over the bed.
For an instant the shadow Of q claw
like hand, from which the third finger
| was missing. appeared extended over
the doomed mans head. and then, as the
| clock struck one clear silvery stroke, 1t
| fell, and wild shrek rang through the
| room.
/ am not given to fainting, but GER
tainly confess that the next ten minutes
| Of my existence was q cold blank, and
| even when l did manage to stagger to
my feet gazed around, vainly endeav-
oring to understand the chilly horror
which still possessed me.
| Thank God! the room was rid Of that
awful presence. I saw that; 50, gulping
down some wine. lighted wax taper
and staggered toward the bed.
But one glance was sufficient.
Even as gazed the expression Of the
face seemed to change. the blackness
faded into deathly whiteness, the con-
vulsed features relaxed and, even as if
the victim of that dread apparition still
| lived, sad, solemn smile stole over the
pale lips.
was intensely Mortified, but still l
retained sufficient self consciousness to
be struck professionally by such phe-
nomenon.
| Again ! scrutinized the dead face, and
even the throat and chest, but with the
exception of tiny pimple on one tenn
pie beneath cluster Of hair not mark
appeared
AS noiselessly as could ] made my
way out Of the house. No one met me
on the private staircase; the little door
opening into the road was easily unfast-
ened. and thankful indeed was to feel
again the fresh wintry air as / hurried
along the road by the churchyard.
There was a magnificent funeral soon
In that churchyard; and it was said that
the widow Of the buried man was in
consolable; and then rumors got abroad
of horrible apparition which had been
seen on the night Of the death; and II
was whispered the young widow was
terrified and insisted upon leaving her
splendid mansion.
was too mystified with the whole
affair to risk my reputation by saying
what knew, and l should have allowed
my share in it to be forever buried in OBJ
livion had not suddenly heard that the
widow, Directing to many Of the legacies
in the last will of her husband, intended
to dispute 1t on the score Of insanity,
and then there gradually arose the
rumor Of his belief in having received q
mysterious summons.
On this went to the lawyer and sent
q message to the lady that, as the last
person who had attended her husband,
undertook to prove his sanity, and
besought her to grant me an interview.
The same evening / received an invita-
ton to go to the mansion.
was ushered into q splendid room,
and there. standing before the fire. was
the most dazzlingly beautiful young
creature had ever seen.
She was very small, but exquisitely
made. Had IL not been for the dignity
Of her carriage / should have believed
her . mere child.
81 come ON a strange errand," be-
gan. and then I started. for happened