New-York tribune., 1896-08-30

| properly recovered consciousness after being
knocked down by his horse and had entered the
house and wandered from room to room IN a
half-stunned condition.
After completing his university course Mr..
Santals time was spent in improving MS prop
erty Of Mnsteracres and in efforts 10 amello-
rate the condition Of his tenants. His genuine
concern for the welfare Of his neighbors ana
fenow-men in general gained him a wide re-
spcct and esteem nor did ne neglect To inform
his mind by foreign travel and diligent study.
Among such variety of engrossing occupations
it may well be supposed that so trivial mat
ter a = n dream If not dismissed from his mind
was q least no longer viewed with the eXaBger-
ated importance with which youthful I'M
aeination had at first invested it. 1t was true
that he had not entirely dismissed the subject
from his thoughts. but when it required to him
il was merely romantic memory. or as a
source Of curious but Improbable speculation.
Yet IL is possible that his strange experience
had Influenced his life more than he himself
ever recognized. and that the image when ms
memory still retained of the singular and pa
thetic beauty of the lady Of his dream had
rendered him fastdous and Indifferent To ordl-
nary charms Eight years had passed since ms
nocturnal adventure but he was still unmarried
This was thu more unfortunate as the Wh"i' oi
his estates were 50 rigdy entailed that II was
not i'm his power to devise any portion, and
should he die without issue. they must pass 10
a distant connection of another name. HIS legal
advisers and his own sentiment had combined
TO point out that 1t would be matter for deep
regret if so fine property should pass out OF
the family with whose name II had been long
Identified For some time however. he had paid
little attention 10 so remote an eventuallty
and 1t was not until he was nearing his thirtleth
year that his inclination running in the sam"
direction with his interests decided him to
marry. His affections had become engaged to
Miss Willoughby, the only child of neghDorlnS
landowner The first time that he saw her was
I'm winter as she stood leaning against a mantel-
piece and looking down at the fire. The yellow
light of some candles In sconoes on the wall
IA Irac nd
AT the sight of the white-robed figure with
bowed head Santa was suddenly ccnsc ious OF
strange fascination. mixed with forebodlng
for she recalled 10 him that other White-roprd
and grief bowed form that he had pictured in
his dream The attraction between them was
mutual and the match was in every respect
suitable one as the lady was possessed OF great
personal attractions. and would eventually in,
hert Il considerable property Yet when Santal
first spoke openly to her of his love the Tore
boding returned upon him with greater force.
and il was only with cOrrespondlngly in
creased effort that he was able once more 70
shake il off
There being no reason for any delay. the
marriage was arranged TO take place in June.
and the preparations for the event went rapidly
forward But as the day drew near Santal
who had hitherto felt all the ardor that passion
could inspire in the most youthful and enthus-
astic lover found himself becoming prey 10 un
accountable apprehensions. II was not that MS
affection for his betrOthed had in any way cooled
but his mind was filed with gloomy prognosti-
cations Of impending evil which assumed vague
and PrOtean forms. Among these fancies the
memory Of his adventure eight years before at
Winterbourne returned again and again to his
mind. with n sense Of depression which the sub
jcct by no means warranted The image ot
Cecilia Bejant. as he had seen her In her youth
and her sorrow. rose continually before him. anu
assumed that place in his mind and thoughts
10 which Miss Willoughby alone had right
He became at last unable to Danish the re-
membrance of his drcam-lOve even in the pres
encc Of his aifianced bride. nor could he at times
dlvest himself of the idea absurd though he
felt il to be. that i'm the part he was now play
ing he traitor To both.
So harassed did he become by morbid feelings
that he was led To consult his family physician
who however. made light of the matter. at
tributing his symptoms To a disorder of the d.
gestion brought about 10y undue anxiety as TO
the important change of life which he contem-
plated. The doctor gave him prescription
bidding him hope for an entire recovery as soon
as the wedding should have removed all cause
for his present socitude.
So far. however. from the near approach Of
this event putting n term to his anxiety the
morning Of hs marriage found him In con-
dition at once depressed and excited The bride
was accompanied by her father. and there was
a large gathering OF friends of the contracting
parties i'm the little church of Brant Willoughby
The villagers thronged around closely as
was consistent with their respect for their su-
perors. and the children. to do honor to the
marriage had strewn the aisle with flowers and
spriGs OF evergreen shrubs The peculiar scent
Of these last as they were trodden underfoot re-
called vividly TO Santars memory the great nail
at Beiant Place. strewn with evergreen and
scented with spices very different occasion.
The bride and bridegroom knelt together at
the altar rails and the minister began the ex-
hortation with which the marriage service opens.
During the reading Of this long address Santal
felt his irrational disquietude increase. and In
spite OF the solemnity of the occasion. and his
firm resolve not TO allow such fancies to get the
better Of him, ii only with difficulty that he
could control his nervousness sufficiently To pre-
vent il from being perceived by others. The
congregation were attentive and quiet. but he
could hear at the back of the church the rustling
and disturbance caused by place being found
for some late conner The concluding portion OF
the address at length reached. "Therefore,
if any show any just cause why they
NAV not lawfully he Joined together let him now
speak or else hereafter forever hold his peace -
and the minister proceeding TO the next
sentence when a startling event took place.
man at the back OF the church had risen in
his place and was saying in a calm and clear
voice
Il forbid this marriage"
At the first sound Santal had turned He felt
neither the surprise nor anger that such an in
terrupton would ordinarily have occasoned
but IL came. on the contrary almost as n relief
his suspense This he recognized at once as
the evil that he had dreaded for weeks without
being previously able to define it's nature. II
was II he had been taking part in some stage
play. and that the final catastrophe was now
approaching I'm which his role. however unpleas-
ant WAS not unexpected. The voice OF the man
speaking woke a responsive chord in his memory