The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-31


cate Il Il true. but with all the fragile
beauty Of youth, now she began to age
and age. until from four and twenty
she got to four and thirty. and oven four
and forty. and even older yet did she look,
and her light, soft hair became licked
with grey. ana her eyes grew larger ana
larger in her thin. thin face When !
felt her hand. too, II was very hot
bore this for q month or two. and
then ! could bear It no longer. In spite
Of herself was determined to take her
out OF that room.
One evening late she went up there for
few minutes. I followed hsr-to my
relief she had neglected to lock the door.
burst 1t open and went In.
you must come away said, you
must not sleep here another night"
She laughed In quite q strong way.
You would have to drag me-" she said
with iron chains: shall not leave of
my own free WILL ! am discovering
things"
''what7" I asked.
1.-THE mystery Of the Red Roses" she
replied.
Josephine and were not rich. but at the
same time we had enough money for our
wants. We had been left our small for
tunes In a rather curious way. To each
Of us had been given six thousand pounds.
OVcI tno lutcLcSL Oh WHICH We udu dUroiutC
control during our lives, but we could not
leave the money to anybody else at our
deaths unless indeed we were married and
had children. II either of us died unmar-
ried the money would 60 to . distant cous-
in, whom we had never seen. mention
this fact because II has direct bearing upon
what IL left Of my story. ought also
to add that we had never seen our cousin,
who lived, we supposed. In America, and
was a man of interruptions character, not
at all an acquaintance to be desired.
During the days that Immediately fol-
lowed my thoughts turned In very queer
way to my cousin. for 1t came over me
that he would soon receive Josephine's
portion, for surely Josephine was not long
for this world. Day after day her spirit
shone moro transparently through the thin
veil Of the flesh. Day after day the soul
in her eyes came nearer to the surface.
until at last as looked at her almost
fancied saw the wings growing and that
the ethereal presence would not BIO much
longer by my side.
Christmas came and went, the snow lay
heavy on the ground. and the final tragedy
drew on apace.
One day our servant entered the drawing
room where Josephine and were sitting.
Josephine az usual was In the window
where she could see the garden. The girl
brought in large white paper parcel.
"A boy brought It," she said. land
there is no message. 1t is for you. miss"
She handed the parcel to my sister,
Josephine opened It. As sho did 10
there tumbled out lot or red. red roses,
perfectly fresh and fragrant. They were
not done up in a bunch, but lay loose and
apart one from the other. They fell all
over my sisters lap, and some tumbled
onto the floor by her side.
Where did those roses como fromf Not
IN AIuarafnka-fharA
no red roses blooming even In conserva-
tories at this time of year.
what does this mean?' said. who
could have sent those lovely rosssT' AZ
I spoke looked at Josephine; her face
was white az death.
"DoI't touch Them" she cried, as went
forward and prepared to fall on my knees
to pick up several buds.
"Oh, do let me smell one,' answered.
I had not at first connected anything
mysterious with the flowers, but when
looked at Josephine my heart stood still.
She was so white, thought she was go
ing to faint.
"No, / am quite WELL" she answered
to the expression on my face. "but
want to go to my room. will take the
roses there" She gathered them all up
In the front of her skirt.
but why not leave them here?"
said. Can we not both enjoy them?
They are beauties"
''Enjoy them? Enjoy them, Patriciaw
was her strange remark. There was
thrill of absolute fear in her words. She
left the room, taking all the roses with
her.
She did not come down again to the
drawing room during the rest of the
day, and when the dinner nour approach
ed went to seek her.
AS usual, / found her door locked.
Toe
Dinner Is waiting"
1T am not hungry; I could not eat"
she answered from within.
but you must eat and you must como
down." said. began to tumble with
the lock, making loud noise.
you must come down. l insist" re-
peated. When said this 1 heard her
cross the room. She unlocked the door
and stood in the entrance. pushed past
her and went in. She had laid the roses
on her lily-white bed. not In any con-
nected pattern, but one here and one
there, few encircled the pillow. q few
again lay at the foot Of the bed
"Oh, don't. Josephine" I cried with
gasp. Take those roses OF the bed at
once. 1t looks just as If, as If"
"As II what?" she queried.
.'As II a dead person were lying there"
"How strange of you to say that"
replied Josephine, smiling, "for there is
dead person lying on the bed; don't you
see him."
"My dear sister. you are mad" was my
answer.
mo, not mad" she answered.; "only
1t is given to me to see what Is hidden
from you. These roses are for him, but
my red roses will come soon-very soon,
Patricia"
She did not cry, but tears rose slowly to
her eyes, There was nothing whatever to
dO bllt TO humOr her. BeyOnd doubt her
mind was affected. The horror she had
lived through since she came to this ter
rible house had turned her brain.
II will fetch you some dinner, II you
won't come down stairs, and your fire
must be lit immediately" was my matter
of-fact remark.
She did not make any answer. I re-
turned with the dinner on a tray and lit
her fire myself. I kept my back on the
rasas hourarer I could haaE 70,