The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-06-14

Gay. nut I'll IN VoiuI NY cyc' "ou-S
keep glancing round At the horrible
door. NY ears would strain themselves
to listen for sounds from that silent
room. Oil should 70 mad could
not bear it! How wicked How cruel
that no one came to seek me! What
was that? The great clock at the en-
trance was striking. One! two but
no, seven! eight! then silence. Only
eight o'clock! Only two hours since
ran through the garden to fetch the
| stimulants!
| Almost involuntarily l slipped my
hand in my apron pocket Yes, there
were the two bottles carefully wrapped
round with my handkerchief, as l had
put them.
For moment ray of hope darted
across my mind; surely, when the
bottles were missed from their place,
inquiry would be made, and should
be sought for. But moments re-
Election brought back the old despair.
1t was not an unheard-of thing in
those busy times for the dispensary to
be forgotten until the door was locked
and the dispenser gone. Mixtures and
medicines would be left on the little
shelf outside, but not the stimulants-
and sister, with sigh at the forget
fitness of her nurses, would serve the
patients from the stock bottles, and no
thought would be directed to me.
Whether fell asleep or not have
never since been able to determine,
but when l reused from the semi
consciousness into which had fallen
several hours appeared to have elapsed.
Instead of tie dim light of the lantern
at my side, the chapel was flooded
with silver moonlight. In spite of my
thick shawl l was fearfully cold and
cramped with leaning so long against
the chilly stones was aware that
something had reused me; something
besides moonlight and discomfort. A
glance at the skylight overhead showed
me the moon sailing calmly through
the dark, blue vault of heaven, sur
rounded by fieecy clouds; and even as
l looked and listened the great clock
struck two! For nearly six hours
had lain unconscious IN that awful
place. The fact did not tend to bring
me comfort; 1 felt sick and ill, my
limbs ached; the black cross, touched
by the moonbeaEs, doomed dark and
awful against the wall. Oh, to die
and forget everything! What was
that? A sound!-a groan! Oh, heaven!
coming from the other side of that |
inner door!
had risen to my feet, but now sank |
back, frozen with horror, into the shell
tering corner. For a few moments
silence, then it came again. listened
allow long moan-but to my confused |
brain it was not the hollow. unearthly |
yroan of the stage ghost, such as
we are won't to associate with rafting
chains and lurid blue fire, but rather
the groan of human creature in pain.
As soon as this idea took possession of
ny weakened mind, my courage re-
,urned. All my nurse-lilSe instincts
,ame to my aid.
The thought that living human
being was near, much more fellow
'reature who needed help, filed me
With new energy, and rose and took
Up my lantern. What / expected to
ind l hardly know; perhaps some
workman who had been assisting with
he new building had fallen asleep, or
,een overcome with drink, and shut in,
il e myself, through misadventure.
1,iw improbable theory this was did
lct, fortunately, occur to me till long
.fterwards, and I opened the door and
ooked into the dark interior. At the
ound of the opening door the groan-
ng ceased, and for awhile / stood I'M
ertain which direction to take.
Presently movement at the further
nd decided me, and l made my way
lowly round the stone lodges, casting
he light of the lantern on the ground
S | went No sign of human figure
Guild see. No British workman's re-
umbent form gladdened my eyes. /
TODD still, in perplexity. Oh, heavens!
THAT was that? Close beside me. not
ct placed in shell, but lying on the
tone slab, lay long, still figure.
till! Oh, horror! As | looked, unable
D stir, saw the white sheet that COW
red it move-a long, thin hand pushed
self from beneath and almost touched
lie. All my former experience was
othing to this. In moment the ,
ngers had pulled the sheet from the ,
ice. and pair of dark eyes gazed into !
line!
How long 1 stood thus shall never
now. At length, long, quivering /;
gh from the white lips called Inc to !
yself, and l gathered courage to bend
yer and touch the PROSTATE form.
nough! The spell was brokenl
new then that this was no time to e
estate = no time to give way to h