The Winslow mail., 1900-08-16

wander about alone at night, and why
did no one come? asked the question,
and all the time strained my ears for
some sign in the house.
''It was not my first experience with
the insane, and L was careful not to
lose sight of her for a moment. With
out seeming to notice anything else in
the room she turned her eyes reluctant
| ly from my face and moved slowly to
the bed. There she kneeled down and
her long hair fell around her like a
shadow.
Il watched every movement in long
mirror opposite the bed. In a moment
l nearly shrieked aloud. She had
thrown back the long veil, and no
words can tell the horror that pos
sessed me! In the frail fingers was
clutched human hand! She drew it
again and again across her lips, then
sank the white teeth into the white
flesh. l felt that was losing my own
senses. For a moment there flashed
through my brain the horrible fear
that L was shut up in a madhouse.
Every thing in the house was strange
the closed shutters, the perpetual
| light, the one servant, the keyless
door-Llewellyn a wreck and now this
poor, mad girl alone at night with her
! ghastly food!
There was not sound in the house,
though once L thought l heard step
at my door-all was as still as death.
And perhaps, L thought, it is death!
"The suspense and gnawing were
growing uncomfortable. | got up and
moved as quietly as l could toward the
bed, until L was close enough to touch
her. L could see no sign of the hideous
crime about her. 1 leaned forward and
fixed my straining eyes on the fearful
| object in her hand. She might attack
me, though knew / could crush her at
blow. The possibility of such neces-
sity was terrible to me. 1 could hear
the crunching i'll my very ears. She
looked slowly around, caught my eye
and gave a low moan as of pain. In
that moment L had seen all. She rose
quickly, Wrapped the hand in the long
veil and walked to the door. She
| opened and closed it softly behind her,
and L heard only the sweep of the heavy
satin over the floor.
81 dad not dare to look out or call. 1
hastily drew large dressing case be-
fore the door and sat down with sigh
of relief. What I had naturally mis-
taken for a human hand was only a
lifelike hand carved in ivory.
IAN hour passed, and. still no one
came. 1t was impossible to sleep in
| that bed, and, worn out by excitement,
l stretched myself out on couch be-
fore the fire and there spent the night.
1T was nine O'Clock next morning be-
fore L awakened. l almost believed
had had some dark dream, except as l
got up l stepped on fresh orange
blossom.
when L opened my door 1 hoped to
see the naturalness of day. but there
was that artificial light pouring on my
unstrung nerves like molten brass.
'In the library 1 found DIR. Rossiter
l hardly dared meet his eyes. Break
| fast was on the table, and he moved
chair for me with quiet good morn
ing He did not ask how l had passed
the night.
THE meal was a dismal failure.
thought with positive horror of the
several hours before the afternoon
train. 1 had intruded upon this un-
happy life, and though my heart ached
for him, found that was not to take
any part in his confidence. was sur
prised, then, when he said to me:
Darcy, | was powerless to help
dured last night
81 stopped him.
"'My dear LlewellyE, my coming
has been voluntary, and an intrusion
l have no right to any confidence from
you. God knows anyone can see that
you have suffered. Whatever your sor-
row, L give you my deepest sympa-
thy, but you must say no more.
You do not understand he in
terrupted. 4 talk to you of my own
volition. 1t is the last time to NOR
tai man outside of, these walls. If I
seem to ask sympathy, forgive me.
have never asked before
OO"ou NY uedu, IOT no OIner
answer could be given to that suffer-
ing soul.
Y on will not remember Mona Mac
donald he went on. She was the
daughter of my fathers oldest friend
We were to have been married the
year after l left college. The sum-
mer before our marriage I was called
west to California. She begged me,
unreasonably, 1 thought, to give up
the idea, but l was obliged to 60 In
my absence she was invited to a large
country house near Boston. For a
month her letters came regularly,
then, without any explanation,
stopped. Two weeks passed, and still
receiving no letter, 1 telegraphed. The
answer nearly crushed me: "Mona
very i'll. Come at once"
81 lost no time in reaching Bos-
ton. They broke the news to me. and
L fell like a dead man and lay uncon-
scious for days.
When | awakened it was only to
have those horrible words ring over
and over again in my brain until
thought I, too, should GO mad For
my Mona, this tender, beautiful Great
ure, was shut up in a madhouse. O
God! that ! should live to tell it!
rested not day or night until l held
her in my arms and brought her away
forever. l thank God that even SO