New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-29

does not choose TO admit him one Of US must go
volanteered for Il the task. and, Lucy offering
| TO accompany me- We descended. noisliy escoi'eu
| by Chum , A.
| The Gacre was driving away "a we opened the
door. and the visitor stood on the step looking out
| at the moonlit garden. 20.
He turned and. expecting 10 doubt TO see i
want was beginning an impatient eAcian ,,.;uo
| at tho delay, but checked himself on perceNih4
"A hundred pardons, Mesdames, for disturb
| ing you at this untimely hour. ne say, IaiS,lS
his hat but have only lust arrived dlTl, wi
sca. | am Monsieur lie Faleyre,' ne addeu.
bowed. and drew back TO admit MN. nyi IN,
in vain to silence Chum, whose bark was no" On
The visitor was a tall, wcll-built. bronze com
pleXiOned man OF six or seven ana tnIH, WIN
face which would have been srikinely hanuS s;I
but for its worn and haggard look, and something
Tepellent in the expression of the Dold DARK cSts
"Your dog objects to strangers, apptnn'E, n Nv
said with glance OF no great favor AT 'he M E
who responded with Il sn3rl when shoWeu all Ills
He is a capital Watchdog" ] said: apollo
cctically; he would soon let us KNOW III the'c
were thieves in the house"
"Ah. that reminds me-" lie turned as he
spoke, to put up the door-chain. u hear from
Gillct. my agent, that you were alarmed on y9ppr
arrival by strange noises In the upper rooh's Do
they still continue
I'VE were not alarmed exactly, but they ,p'z-
zlcd us till we knew that Madame dc 'alcyrc
had returned
lie let fall the door-chain and turned to look
at ne. me-, ,ro do vo,ovrc ." bc rcpca,cd
YES did not NJ. Gilrt tell you. MONSIEUR 'hao
she was here"
believe it l cannot believe II now Shc-my
wifc-is with her family at Algiers and 1T Is not
likely she would have returned without letting
me know"
she is in the house at this moment | said,
We have not only heard but seen her repeatedly
have we not - | added. turning to my COM
panion, who echoed. Repcotcdly!'
He looked from one to the G %Tr OF us w' th
fastening of the door. took up his portmantetu
and followed us upstairs.
"May. ask you to lend me your Light i for a
momcnt ?" ho sid. whom we reached the landing
Il will return i presently.
Nearly a quarter Of an hour elapsed before he
descended. We heard him going from room to
ROOM opening and shutting doors and windows,
but no sound of voices reached US
At last he rcappeared at the open door OF orr
stting-room, candle in hand. Mrs. Brandon her
self went forward 10 take il from him, looking at
MANY thanks, Madame he said. rclin1uishing
Il 10 her with n bow Then, turning 10 mo, Ii"
that my wife mad returned. There Is no living
creature in the rooms upstairs, have they
been entered since | left them"
But have seen her" | began.
Whoever You may have seen. il was certainly
not my wife," was his reply
Before ] could speak again he added:
i nave tIH Honor 10 WISH Won eDpU-cN'nlnv.
Mesdames. and. with comprehensive bow which
included us all. he loft the room.
We looked ~ each other bcwdercdly What
did i mean: What lad become Of the woman!
She must have heard his voice. and hidden
herself somewhere in fear Of him." Miss Lester
suggested.
-, Depend upon it, she has reason TO fear him,
Mrs. Brandon remarked. He looks like man
who would use hi, power mcrcrsslv. II is dread
ful 10 think Of that poor half-dcmcntcd creaiur"
being left unprotected TO his AMER perhaps viz
lcnce.
Lucy Lester drew her shawl closer around her
with u shivcr.
:" feel as if something terrible was going to
happen, She said ncryously
The same uneasy pro>cntmcnt weighed on
my own mind. together with SOM other shldowr
fear which could not have put into rds.
Feeling TOO anxious and cNcrcd u 20 10 bel,
we gathered rrund the ir' again. talking in
whisl"Is, ana l-t"nine qprchcnsiyrly - "vri"
sound from above. For . time We heard VI. d"
Nalcyr" moving aocat; then there wa. .il"nr',
only interrupted when the tim'-piccc chmin-
midnight, reminded ~ 10 wish each other Happy
New Year.
AFTER that must have fallen int" d'zc from
which was ar.L,ed by touch IN my arm
Edith, Mrs Erindon Whispered. do yol
hear
I started end sat uprsht looking about mo in
the confusion Of a sudden awakening What is
it," | asked.
Kcepng her hand on my arm. she pointed ND
ward. The light restless footsteps we had grown
10 know well wrr" one" mJic uacina TO and fro
overhead, ana we heard the low intermittent mGr-
mur Of womans voice. SUE l"nlv il W.. inter
ruptrd by a cry-a mans hoars" cry of mortal
anguish terror, such ~ trust nny never hear
again.
Minsng with the cry came peal Of cdritch
laughter, then th" sound Of struggle, ana i
heavy fall which shook the house
Come ;r there will hr murder done" Mrs |
Brandon exclaimed. and she hurried from the room
and upstairs. followed ny Miss Ice'or AMI myself
We found the outer door pf w. de- NIleyrr~ |
apartments closed bu' not locked. and passing |
through the antc-chambcr entered the first room
Of the suite. lamp IN the chimney.piccc showed
that il WAS in strange disorder the furniture dis
placed the carpet upturncd. the cloth half dragged
from the table.
lis only present occupant WIS the master of the
house. who ciouclcd against til" wall ~ the fur
thcr end in IN attitude % abrrt trrrr.
Never while liz" shall forget thc fr"c hc
turned toward us when Ne cntcrce. With strained
dilatcd cyes and parted lips, II Looked like ~
image Of incarnatc fear STOPPED short over thr
threshold. feeling shrinking r"u"tanc" t. enter
hnt Mrs Brandon without hesitation advanced %
his side. -
What is the matter ? what has happen"h?" she
asked
He looked at her vaguely, but seemed incapable
of uttcrine u word. and put his hand 10 hlN throat
~ if sunocating. There was cnraic OF brandy on
the table She filed llucnr glass and held it
TO his lips Presently he drew deep sobbing |
breath aid half raised himself, glancine r,und the
room with a hagaard look ol dread.
is she-gonc?T he asked honrsrIy.
Ihcc j. no on: here I", she S"r nra,c off Mrs. RS
coiling from him with sti.!cd cry. o. |
lie had started convulsvclv, aud was gazing |
with lool, Of sprcchl"ss terror at some object |
on the Opposite side of the room. lnvnlnntariIy |
va followed tho direction Of his eyes, but 10 us
nothing was visible.
There she s-look'" he gaspcd. MY wife |
dead, yet livinc Keep her from mc-kccp her
hands from my throat. Ayoshd-mcr 'y-plrlon!
Oh. heaven"
He cr0uclIcd against tie wall again, putting cut |
9th hands 10 rcpc some irvi'bc assiiiant: slrng-
Cling desperately rs if with an actual bodily an
iagonist and apparently using all hi' strength 10
keep the mnrdcrCus lpgcis from his throat
Mrs Brandon had fed from him III Il panic, and |
we all three stood on the thrt s,uld, watching
with horror-stIuck eyes that CHASTITY sfrn?gl". II
lid not last long. With dreadful choking "ry he
lroJ ped hiy arms: his whole figure collapsed and
fell in heap. face downward on the floor.
Strangely enough my. fear had now utterly
passed away While the Others heSitacd an
preached him and lifted his head, and turned his
racc ta tho linLt Lfnr mlnncn | hid II |