Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-05-18

you; not Deacon Spear or any one else
in this unhappy lane" And breaking
from me she slid away nearer the i'll
assorted couple, in one Of whom from
that moment saw no longer the cour-
teous, kindly country gentleman, but a
monster of vengeful propensities, if not
something worse and still more diabol-
ical.
"Comep' she beckoned, happily too
absorbed in her own emotions to notice
mine. LET us get nearer. If Mr.. Trohm
is the wicked man we fear, there Is no
telling what the means are which he
uses to get rid Of his victims. There
was nothing to be found in his house,
but who knows but that the danger may
be around her now. 1t was evidently to
dare it she came, to offer herself as
martyr that we might know
"Hushp' Whispered, controlling my
own fears reused against my will by
this display Of terror in this usually
calmest of natures. "No danger can
menace her there, not where they two
stand, unless he is q common assassin
and carries pistol
mo pistol, murmured tho man who
had crept again near us. "Pistols make
noise. He will not use pistol"
GOOD God" whispered. "You are
not anticipating also that it is in the
heart of this man to kill Lucetta?"
six strong men have disappeared
horeabout," said the fellow, never
moving his eye from the couple before
us. why not ono weak girl?'
With a Cry Loreon started forward
"Run!" she whispered. RUM
But as this word left her lips slight
movement took place in the belt of trees
where we had been told Mr.. Gryce lay
in hiding, and we could see him issue
for a moment into sight with his finger
like that Of his man laid warningly on
his lips. Loreen trembled and drew
back, seeing which the man beside us
pointed to the hedge and whispered
softly:
"There is just room between that and
the fence for person to pass sideways.
If you and this lady want to get nearer
to Miss Knollys, you might take that
road But Mr.. Gryce will expect you
to be very quiet. The young lady ex-
pressly said before she came into this
place that she could do nothing if for
any reason Mr. TrOhm should suspect
that they were not alone
1--WE will be quiet" assured him.
anxious to hide my face, which l felt
twitch at every mention of Mr.. Trohm S
name behind the screen he thus offered
for our use. Loreen was already behind
the hedge.
The evening was one of those which
are made for peace. The sun, which
had set in crimson, had left glow on
the branches of the forest which had
not yet faded into the gray of twilight.
The lawn, around which we were skirt
ing, had not lost the mellow brilliancy
which made it sparkle, nor had the clus-
ter of varied hued hollyhocks, which
set their gorgeousness against the neat
yellow of the peaceful doorposts, shown
any dimness in their glory, which was on
par with the setting sun. But though
saw all this it no longer appeared to
me desirable. Lucetta and Lucetta' s
fate, the mylHy and the impossibility
of its being explained out here in the
midst of turf and blossoms, filled all my
thoughts and made me forget even my
own cause for shame and humiliation, if
not sorrow.
Loreen, who had wormed her way
along till she crouched nearly opposite
to them, plucked me by the gown as
approached to where she was, and,
pointing to the hedge which pressed up
so close it nearly touched our faces.
seemed to bid mo to look through
Searching for spot where there was a
small opening, put my eye to this and
Immediately drew back.
They are moving nearer the gate,
signaled to Loreen, at which she
crept along few PAGES, but with a
stealth so great that, listening as was,
could not hear a twig snap. l endeav-
ored to initiate her, but not with as
much success as could wish. The sense
Of horror which had all at once settled
upon me, the supernatural dread of
something which l could not see, but
which felt, had seized me for the first
time and made that ruddy sky and the
broad stretch of velvet turf with the
shadows playing over it, of swaying
tree tops and clustered oleanders, more
thrilling and awesome to me than the
dim halls of the haunted house of the
Knollys i'll that midnight hour when /
saw body carried out for burial amid
trouble and hush and a mystery SO great
it would have daunted most spirits for
all their lives
The very sweetness of the scene made
its horror. Never have had such SEN
sations, never have felt so the power
of the unseen, yet that anything would
happen here, anything which would ex-
plain the total disappearance of several
persons at different times without q
~aco of their fate being left to the eye
Oh this spot or in the house beyond,
seemed so impossible that l could but
likon my state to that of nightmare,
where visions take the place of realities
and often overwhelm them.
had pressed too close against tho
hedge as i struggled with these feel
ings, and the sound made struck me
as distinct, if not alarming, but the tree
tops were rustling, too, and, while Lu-
cetta might have heard, her companion
gave no evidence of doing so. We could
hear what they were saying now, and
realizing this we stopped moving and
gave our whole attention up to listen
ing. Mr.. Trohm was speaking. I could
hardly believe it was his voice. it had
so changed in tone, nor could l sec in
his features distorted IA thew now ware