Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-04-16

Bv MRS. G. N. WILLIAMSON,
Anhc 81 TLe Sormers aThe Woman Grey Fortunes
Sport aThe House by Lock" &c.
Copy right

might to shake on the lethargy tnaI
seemed to hold me down under an iron
weight, when the doctor (the other man
stood out Of sight, round the bed cur
tains) looked at me. and, seeing that
my eyes were open, pressed down my.
lids with his great, heavy fingers.
II don't know how long a time passed
after that; it may have been whole
day, bringing me back to darkness and
candlelight again, or it may have been
that same night, that the doctor came
in once more, raised me up, and forced
me to drink some of that stuff had had
before, only much stronger. Some
how, being raised on his arm gave me
back little life and strength, and pres
ence of mind too.
Il knew well enough, and told my
self, all in a fash, that it would be no
use to resist, for, even if l were able
to do it, these two men, who meant for
their own wicked reasons to kill me,
would only put an end to me in some
far more painful way than by this drug,
which was intended to make me sleep
to death. Still, didn't want to die,
and prayed to God that there might be
some way of saving myself
Suddenly faint CLEAN of hope came
into my heart, as if in answer to the
prayer l made my head hang back,
pretending to be quite unconscious, and
let my lips fall apart. AS he brought
the glass to my lips again, my face was
turned partly away from him, and ne
did not know that half the medicine he
gave me ran out of that corner Of my
mouth which was out of sight. l could
not help swallowing some, but not
nearly all, and hoped that it might not
be enough to kill me.
GIVE known less laudanum than
that to put many soul out OF its mis-
cry heard him say. Now, make this
room right as quick as you can,' ne
went on, while l do the rest that needs
to be done. It's after midnight, and
we've no time to waste.
There was no answer, though l
could hear some one stirring, and the
door was opened for the doctor, when
he lifted me off the bed in hurry, and
was carrying me across the room.
Perhaps, if he had not been in haste,
he would have found out about the
laudanum, and given me more.
81 think l should probably have gone
to sleep again Though remember now
that once when was ill, long time
ago, the doctor told my father that
laudanum had most peculiar and I'M
usual effect upon mel, but moving, and
coming into a colder air, kept me
awake, for the time being. Still, / did
not open my eyes, for | was certain
that if did | should be lost.
Il think he carried me down flight
of stairs, and at last l was laid on the
floor. | heard him step away, and SO
for an instant l did peep through my
half closed eyelashes. l had just time
to see that he was opening a great
trunk and setting out the tray, when he
came back and lifted me ZIP in his arms
again.
For an instant thought l should
surely die of the horror of it, for |
knew then what he was going to do
with me. But a single start, flicker
of my eyelids, would have made him
murder me in that Instant was hor-
ribly sure of that; and with all my
might forced myself to keep still, for
the one small, small hope that was left.
''He placed me in the trunk, draw
ing up my knees that there should be
room to hold me, and there was only
one awful moment after the lid came
down and the key turned-a moment
of such agony and despair that l won
der my heart did not stop beating-and
then, thank Heaven, the wave OF sleep
came again, making it all seem IN
important. But the rest-you know.
As she finished, her voice trembling
with the horror of the Renaissance,
sprang up, and caught her two little
cold hands.
"You are the bravest woman in the
world" | exclaimed. Child as you
look, with your little slender body, and
these tiny hands which l could break
like butterflies wings, you have gone
through an experience that would have
driven many a strong man mad"
"And yet l can take an interest still
in clothes, and dinner-and fire. Oh,
I'm so cold-so cold and trembling,
just telling it over again! Let us go
close to the fire. feel as if the bright
est blaze that could be kindled would
never warm we any mere. But Rave
my curiosity left; and l want to know
how it was that you came into posses
sion of that box"
l drew up her chair in front of the
hearth, and though l was strangely
10th to lose her esteem, little as / de-