Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-09-27

Il
you wonder that l was afraid such things
might get hold upon me and tried to
Danish it!''
Then, in the name of all that is in
telligible, why did you sketch it?''
Because, Julian, wanted to make
it real Then if must think of it at all
/ could think of it as picture drawn
upon canvas and persuade myself that
it was no hobgoblin that was haunting
me. Perhaps you cannot understand this
feeling, but l tell you truly, after had
materialized that face, it no longer had
the same terror for me. Perhaps ought
to have concealed my work, but never
thought of your questioning me. DR..
Lamar frightened me so. How could he
ever guess what was in my mind?"
''f you had confded in Lamar, you
would have done BETTER" said Maxey
excitedly. HE would not only have
driven away the ghost, but he would
have explained him to your entire salts
faction. Why, Annette, if you should
hear Lamar talk, you would be aston
ished to discover what an entirely sim
pie and scientific affair ghost is. Let
me tell you something to relieve your
mind of some of its half superstititious
dread. That face you saw was the
face of a real man. He was your evil
genius, Annette; he it was who took
away your name; he who made your life
30 solitary and miserable; he who pushed
you from the sea road and unwittingly
gave you to me; he who followed you
even here, while you lay in the alcove
room helpless and sick, determined you
should die. He came here into this room,
and not being familiar with the place
mistook in the dark Ellen, who was
resting herself on my bed, for you. He
choked her to prevent her crying out by
pulling the ends of the silk handker-
chief which she wore about her neck.
Not quite sure even then that it was
you, he dragged her to the fireplace and
threw in newspaper to give him light
''The noise he made had startled you.
Sick as you were, you understood in a
vague way perhaps that there was dam
ger near you, for we found you sitting
up in bed. One moment you were look
| ing into darkness. The next the paper
flashed up, and you saw his face, glar-
| ing in the first moments of his surprise
and alarm at the unfamiliar features of
my sister. You photographed that scene
on your mind, Annette. You know
what power you have of Installation.
| You remember how the doctor once
questioned you about it, and you found
out what a phenomenon you were in
that direction. Is it so very strange to
you now that that picture should have
come up into your mind again when
| you were weak and nervous?"
The young wife looked at her hus-
band, bewildered and wondering.
II only dimly understand you, Ju-
lian. Had I all evil genius? Who was
he? What had l done that he should
wish me dead? Julian, you have learn
ed at last the secret Of my life. What
is it,"
Tomorrow darling! Wait till to-
morrow"
sis it best, dear?''
II think so. Little wife, do you re-
member the time when you We're loath
to yield yourself to your love for me,
because you felt that in making a union
with nameless girl I was running
terrible risk"
Hush, Julian! My heart is in my
mouth. That fear has never died In
the midst of all my happiness have
never been strong enough to lift that
weight. Oh, thought some day we
may be sitting here blindly happy in our
| Ignorance and the truth will come! If
it is as I fear it may be, will Julian feel
still that his course was wise? Will he
love me quite as much, quite as dearly
as before? Will there be no shadow of
regret in his heart? Oh, my husband, if
could believe there would be, I should
be so miserablep'
Julian gathered her to his heart and
kissed her with reckless freedom.
Tomorrow, little wife, tomorrow,
you shall know what fool I have made
Of myself!'
Lamar, I believe you are wizard "
"Why?"
"How do you arrive at your conclu-
sions? 1t is almost too strange for be-
lief. What possessed you to question my
wife SO closely the other day about the
origin Of that Portrait"
Cant you guess? Had you forgot
temp
81 don't understand you"
| ''No? Do you recollect the description
given by the janitor Of the mysterious
lazy man whose anxiety for your well
fare after Annette was brought here was
sufficient to get him to the door, but
was never by any possibility strong
enough to induce him to mount the
stairs? Don'tyo remember the janitor's
description-middle aged, smooth face,
small eyes near together, busly eye
brows, hooked nose and the rest? Max
ey, had been keeping my eye open for
such looking individual ever since. Is
there anything very remarkable about
that?'
"Well, I should never have thought
of it. You are the most modest man. l
suppose you will also claim that there
was nothing remarkable about your anal
ysis of the ghost?"
"Oh, yes, I shall. That is different; that
is scientific In that matter am apt to
be vain. Maxey, if you will carry your
memory back to conversation we had
in your sitting room some months ago,
you will f1atter me by recollecting that
I almost predicted the result of your
wife's power Of visualization. After the
experiment of DR.. Bently and myself
with the cat-or rather the accident we
witnessed, for it was no plan Of ours
and became convinced that she really
had remarkable unconscious power Of
| rotoi,,inn in hnr mind tho i1na 90 Of anu.