The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1894-07-11
LAMBERTvILLE n J.. WEDNESDAY, JULY H. 1894.

* -. Xfiu q curious old hunting knife
3ss1 sSSgg 9 y Rlltiently used as property.
nevef use it now. exerted all the
will power | possessed and endeavored
to replace the weapon, for a sense OF
impending danger was upon me, but
my will seemed paralyzed, and care
fully drew the knife from its sheath,
feeling its keen edge with my thumb
By the same mysterious influence I
was next forced to remove my slippers
and creep stealthily to my sisters bed
room, A hundred times l tried to re.
trace my steps, but still the awful force
impelled me forward until l silently
entered Vere's chamber Closing the
door noiselessly behind me, advanced
ON tiptoe to the bedside The room was
in semidarlness, but the light of the
shaded lamp on the dressing table
showed me that my sister was sleeping
peacefully, though there We're traces Of
recent tears upon her pale face.
Every detail of the room is stamped
upon my memory, and remember no
ticing that the fingers of the tiny clock
ON the mantelshelf pointed to 10 min
utes to 2.
"Good heavens, / thought, why
am here? What dreadful influence is
it that deprives me of my will?"
Then in n flash knew that my pur-
pose was murder-to murder my own
sister!
"Why does she not awake?" Thought
in my agony. why does not her hus-
band save her from this death and me
from this Crime?
Her husbandl That was the solution
of the mystery. He had hypnotized me
after all, and / was the agent of his
will. But why was l to kill his wife,
my darling sister We're?
Then / remembered the words he had
whispered to me during my brief hyp
motto sleep
You doubted my power, he said or
rather Missed. Fool But greater fool
to think to win Alcida She is for me-
do you hear?-for me. Your pulling,
white faced sister must be removed, and
you shall do it, Yes you shall kill her
and suffer for the crime, leaving me
free for love--and Alcida. y
All was plain to me. knew that l
was compelled to shed my innocent sis
ter's blood All this knew, yet had no
power to stay my own murderous hand
Think of my position, and imagine. if
you can, the mental agony l endured.
Advancing closer to the bedside and
carefully drawing back the coverlet, l
raised the knife to strike. Then the lit
tie clock on the mantelshelf chimed 2.
had regained my will. With a Cry
of infinite relief flung the knife from
me and rushed ont of the room. Hather-
leigh was still seated beside the fire
when burst, breathless, into the smok-
ing ROOM
called him by name. But he return
ed no answer He was dead
No doubt my brother-in-law had died
at O'Clock precisely, his death being
due to the intense excitement oonse-
quent upon the strain he had, by hyp-
nothing me, put upon himself If So
the reason of my sudden recovery of
will power is plain enough, for with his
death his influence over my will natur-
ally ceased. Anyhow | am more than
thankful that something between heav-
c4l ..iis. eaf1i5s until then uhdreamed Of
in my philosophy, saved me from COM
uniting crime of which my moral in
nocence would have availed me little in
a court of justice.
What became of the Senorita Alcida?
Oh, she is now my wife London Tit
Bits.