The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-07-19

b.aEched with anger. I discovered
that had entered the nou-e by tie
kitchen. which | now traverse /. then
two small living a artme IT.: in the
nature of a servants hall. This brought
ne into the main hallway. and as rap
idly as | colld-for the lamp was Of
bronze and extremely heavy made
my way up the grand staircase OF the
chateau. and had no d itficulty in recos-
nizing the door which Saint-Garv had
described to ne. | unlocked it a.
calmly as if 1t were the door OF my
Qua"ter at ROCen, pushed it open,
walked in, and set the lamp on heavy
oak center-,able AS / did %, the
clock IN the neighboring chapel struck
the hour OF midnight. but | scarcely
noted it, save to ENJOY the mysterious
sweetness If the tones As they troke
the midnight stiffness of tn, place
The room was large and square aud
had about it that close and must; odor
of an unused )artmcnt an odor
strans ely like that which you so often
notice in death chamber. IN one
c rner stood large mahogany bed
stead richly carved and sur.nOunted
with a canopy. The heavy silk cur
tains were drawn aside. disclosing mat
tress and pillows. but no sheets. There
was an evident impress of human
figure upol the size away from the
wall. could see that the room wa
more or les, in disorder ard that there
~as one door opening. as | imagined,
into a closet.
My first thought was to throw open
a win low and let the COO fresh night
air into the place to chase out its
smell and must. but sorustcd were tho
ia Jennings that alth ugh | made use of
my sabcr as lever | couldn't start
tn N.
After several attempts | gaved it up
and sat down in front Of he writing
desk. with the intention of hurrving
through thu task ass gned me and max
ing my escape. Everything was as
Saint-Geary had described it to me.
and in moment or SO had fOunl ali
but the last OF the three packages in
dictated, when | thought | heard. or
rather felt. the rust Of woman
dress behind ne: but | was too busy to
pay any at, = ton to it. In fact, it half
occur. ed t. me that the breeze had
blown in from the hallway and stirred
bit of paper on the floor, or caused
the hangings to give forth ru,tling
sound. But IN moment the same
sound caught my ear, and thi, time it
sent a disasreeable crawling feeling
over my skin. 1t seemed SO silly for
me to take any not, of such . thing
that my self-respect would not allow
me to look around.
| had now come upon the third of
the package, which Saint-Geary had
cOmmis> Toned me to Oh. ain for him.
and had just thrust it int, my pocket
when a deep, long-drawn sigh. which
naught but human lips could have sent
forth, escaped almO-t against my
check. With one wild spring landed
several feet away. and almost instinc-
lively my hand clutched my saber belt.
Had not done so shOuld have da she'd
like u coward out of that dimly light ed
room.
\ tall woman. wearing a travelling
gown OF white "O5samcr, with angel
sleeves, her face whittier than her
raiment. was standing behind the sofa
with eyes that seemed lighted with
uncarthly glow tixa sadty and tender
ly upon ne. Over her shoulders.
reaching almost to her feet, hung Il
wonderful growth Of hair, covering
her. cnvelOpiny h"r like a living veil
by the lamp light. Us she raised he
hand and put back these glorious
tresses. ! could see that they had IL
golden sheen which gave her the APP
pcarance of being literally wrapped in
a mysterious tie that wlowcd without
consuming. She was wonder. ully but
fcarfully beautiful and uncarthly. i
WAS stricken with such Il t emo. that
my b, dy swaycd, and cny by the
greatest effort could | save my eli from
pitchin. over backwa d.
Nobody. unless he has been stricken
by it, can have any idea of this awful
and senselcss terror. You feel your
soul slipping away like escaping vapor,
your heart comes to dead standstill,
your whole body grows inert and limp
and like an empty rement. Its walls