The herald., 1894-11-08

est. Christopher, shrieking The man,
the mani
The two youug men hurried to my
room and looked about, but could see no
one The windows were all fastened,
and as [ had myself Just come out Of
the single door to the apartment. ard
from which no one else could have slip
ped without onr seeing him, tho only
chance was for she burglar to have con
cealed hinseftu the room.
by this Tins the rest Of the house.
hold was aroused, and not only my
room, but tho entire place, was thor
oughly searched The three windows of
the room Were provided with heavy old
fashioned shutters, two Of them opening
en- the street. an unbroken descent of
over 4C feet, while the other had not
been unciosed for years, for it looked
almost into orc ia the next house, which
was also Seen 10 De tightly secured.
The house Itself was occupied by re-
spectacle family in st5'a3teued circum.
stances. II therefore seemed an impossi-
bility for a man ~ hsFe entered the
room unseen by me End TO have made
his escape III the few seconds it took my
cousins to reach the spot where | had
seen him. SO II was thought that had
fallen asleep in my chair, and my vision
had been tho result of my late supper of
minced chicken and champagne, and
though / was still shivering from my
fright | allowed myself to be almost
persuaded shat tnis was the real truth.
''Dy the next night had so thorough
ly been laughed into believing this that
took my seat before tho mirror and be-
gan brushing my hair as nonchalantly
as at first, when to my utter horror |
saw that figure form itself from moth
ing, absolutely nothing, and again ad-
vance upon ne with that menacing at
titude. Again Il raised its hands to
strike, the tet1inle eyes seemed to glare
into mine, fixed 60 them in the mirror
and, as before, released from the horror
that held mo stricken into marble, /
loaped to my feet and ran screaming
into the corridor without 1 glanced
back into tho room, hut there was no
one yisjbl ebere. bur | was not to be
convinced this time that al 0verheated
imagination was 10 blame. / fed TO my
arnts door, and as she opened i1 fell
faintine III her arms, was not to be
stirred from my belief that ny life had
been threatened IL that dreadful room
by all the searching and arguments SHAT
were made and announced my intaGtion
of returning home in the morning
But the nayt night vas TO be that
Of the grand bali given IN honor Of the
prince, and that. With tins fact that
had tho prettiest gown in the city to
wear, finally prevailed on me to sltey
my mind. though I made it = condition
that Marian, my maid, was 10 occupy
little antecnamber opening into mine.
and that iny stalwart cousin, Christc,.
phor, who was afserwa-d my loved hus-
band Tor nearly 40 years. wss to sleep
on u cot IN the hall just outside my
door. So with contented mind l went
to the ball. returning late to find my
good maid asleep. and as she was still
not well crept quieily IN and proceed-
ed to undress.
II LET down my nair, and, though too
fatlgued, as usual 10 brush it, sat for
some moments looking at myself IN the
glass-i was Q little vain in those days
when all at oEce saw behind ne the
man with his knife in his hand.
''But this time he did not evolve from
air, but was there. real flesh and blood,
his hot breath nearly scorching the back
Of my ne2k I ieaped tc my feet with d
screaJr. and as did so he struck ct me.
but the blade glanced aside, wounGing
me ouly slightly ia Chs shoulder. /
screamed siord, and ce falled me With
blow jnse I'd Marian and Christopher
came Srshing .o. Seeing them. tie Ioh-
Der and assassin sp:arg for toe open
win6ow and won2d have escaped by
leap:ng~-.an escy fsaS for 8 muscular
man IN the wigSerY u The l1crse uexs
door, wnl III wac also ore,a s.n6 chly about
three fees listarb This had evidently
heen the way by which he had entered
aud wh:ot he used as ac. ogress. Bat
Christophea caught him ana Dragged
him back. ard after s. struggle Eacureo
MIN. aided oy his b1othsrs, who had
been aau.SaoDed by Matfans 20 who1
open(d ny eyes from my s'vao1 Is YVES
to see iba world be murderer lytag
bound. while slaGr ue lay q sras.li Dig
get. wiin haho.e ot EtzGican gold,
sru10>d wIihh flw0d ,ubies
''IS;1r here Is no strange rsyt oS tbs
stcly On the highs Of his csptDls lie
had ontered rEy rocus fc+ tho first time.
thongn Gil ti1e swc ptev;ous nights he
had wataile0 nle tAlcugh the GhatteTs os
the two Windows he was the son Of
the family residing ueyt door, and from
the love O. dress and pieasCre beyond
his means had involved himself hope
lessly IN debt, ana SEEING my diamonds
had conceived the idea ot killing or at
least silenoing me ana stealing them to
pay his debts. But thoCgh his mind had
dwclt persistently or the scheme he had
lacked courage to carry il out until the
night Of the bali. when. pressed by an
importunate creditor, he had let himself
into the room. where he had concealed
himself until my arrival, not knowing
| of the protectors had been warned to
have nea1 me Philadelphia Times.
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