The Dickinson press., 1897-04-17

my bed. and We chaied the cold, white
hands. and listened In vain at the
pulseless heart But I saN no sign Of
life. She was a. beautiful ~ . figure
Of alabaster and as lifeless. for aught
I could see. but Rex declared that she
was not dead.
$50. as 1t a necessary that I
should restore the empty cofin and all
In the grave again. I was obliged to
leave him there. on his knees beside
her. wildly kissing the poor cold hands
and calling upon her to open her love-
~ eyes to see her lover by her. But
l had no hope that anything but some
fearful trouble would come of It, and
marveling and terrified as to what
might be the end OF the business, I
fastened away to the work that await
ed me.
But they were right, and. like a
stupid old man. l was wrong; for
when I returned the trance-like sleep
was broken. and the soul had awak-
ened within that apparently lifeless
form. and the lovers sat holding each
others hands. her head resting on his
shoulder. while he sought to calm the
fearful agitation which had taken pos
session Of her now that she began to
realize the horror of all that had hap
pened.
"Ah! that was a brave girl, and a
stOry-Writer might fill a volume with
her history and all she went through
In those few months from the time
Of her first meeting with Rex till this
awful night. But l must cut it short.
for the night Is coming on. To be
brief. then. She had never told Rex
half. or indeed a tenth-part Of what
she suffered with those wicked rela-
tons Of hers. especially the cousin who
wanted to marry her.
AT last their persecution reached q
point when she could bear no more,
and she discovered a plot by which she
was to be hurried away to Italy, un-
known to any one. and she knew we'll
that she would never see Rex again
in this world II this plan should be car
ried out. She was In despair.
1.-THE italian saw that she had dis
covered the plot, and she was immedi-
ately locked in her room. all commune
cation with the outer world cut OF.
Even her maid was In the pay Of her
relatives. as she knew. but the girl
seemed to love her personally, and,
driven to the last extremity, she found
haNnA1R nh1Qwnd IN ~aI~ . ...al..A -
her, and to trust her life to THU. girls
discretion.
"She proved worthy, and gave her
entire assistance to her young mistress.
They concocted the desperate plan,
which. by means Of some mysterious
Italian drug. they managed to carry
out. with such result as I have de-
scribed; and while I was listening to
a story more wonderful than any ro-
nance I had eve read, this same faith
full servant Joined us.
".I found the door open,' she said
to the Signorina, and hearing voices.
knew all was well. and came directly
here.'
But it was easy to see from the
young lady's agitation that all was not
we'll, and l guessed that II some
change was not coming soon she was
in danger Of dying in earnest from ex.
element and consequent exhaustion.
My mind a speedily made up. I
knew our minister to be one good man
picked out Of ten thousand. and l was
soon at his bedside, telling him the
whole story while I helped him to
dress.
"Never have I seen a man more
dazed; but he soon took in the situa-
ton, and helped us out Of our perplex-
ity. He went with me directly, and a
i special license vas obtained at once by
Rex, so that next day the young couple
were married and driven by me lin the
minister's one-horse carriage) to a dis
tant railway station.
"Of course, I need not say that Maria,
the maid. accompanied them. She had
proved herself invaluable in bringing
clothes to her mistress, and a box Of
valuable Jewels.
1.-THE next day there was a great hue
and cry over the disappearance of
Maria, whom the Italians called a thief
and a monster Of ingratitude; but they
never suspected the real cuse of the
girls running away. All this happened
years ago.. sir; but I hear from my
nephew now that his wife is at length
so strong and we'll that they are going
to make their appearance before the
Italian cousin. and claim the signor-
mas great fortune, which that villain
had been enjoying ever since his re-
turn to Italy"