Daily camera., 1901-05-09

locked. A few yards down the pas
sage, high up in the wall, was small
window looking into the library. Di-
rectly underneath it was n heavy oak
table. Onto that table l scrambled
and glued my eyes to the dust-dimmed
pane.
Shall l ever forget what saw?
have dreamed of it thousand times,
and awakened shuddering in an agony
of terror.
Felix! Felix, turn round! Look!'
Those were the words shrieked as
I dashed my bare hand through the
window and withdrew il, bleeding.
And my warning wasnot moment
too soon. AS my husband knelt in n
corner over pile of books, the tall,
white-haired figure was already close
on him. an upraised. weighted stick in
his hand, the raging fire of insanity
cleaning in his eyes.
But was just in time. On hearing
my voice my husband sprang round,
caught the descending stick on his
arm, and closed with his adversary in
a fearful life and death struggle.
Thank heaven, l was not entirely
impotent. With cry of encourage
ment to my husband ! sprang down,
pushed up my skirts, and raced back
along the passage. ! ran as | never
had run before. | knocked against
furniture in the darkness, | stumbled
and fell; but still, impcllcd as by n
supernatural force, rushed on.
Through the picture gallery went,
down the second corridor, across the
hail. into the drawing
l must have looked remarkable
figure as rushed in among my guests.
My hand was bleeding and the blood
he'd stained my white evening gown.
Ny hair was half down. my dress was
torn. But what did appearances mat
ter to me?
"rhe madman." / gaspcd. painting
for breath. "The escaped mndman.
He has got into the east wing, and
FeliX-my husband-we must burst
the tipor open. Come! Gomez"
All eyes were turned upon me, but
not soul offered to move.
Don't YOU understand me?" | cried,
wringing my hands in my impatience.
There is not n moment to lose. My
husband is fighting for his life. Why
don't YOU come? Mr.. Fleetwood, you
hear me? Have pity-have pity.
"You will be too Iate!" screamed.
in n perfect frenzy. Felix will be
dead-strangled by that madman's
fingers strangled,"
repeated that awful word. scarce
knowing what | said. The blood was
rushing wildly in my head. | began to
feel. clutching desperately at the air.
And then, of a sudden. a strange, half
remembered sound rippled through
the room-a sound terrible To listen 10
at first, yet giving me in the end an
inkling of the truth.
1t was the sound of hands clapping
in applause. They thought ! was act
ing,
stormed and raved and shrieked az
surely no actress could or would.
entreated and implored, and struggled
the while with the feeling of faintncss
and numbness that was stealing over
me.
And then. al length, seeing that my
efforts To make them understand were
utterly useless, ! suddenly stopped
and summoned up smile as listened
TO their applause and congratulations.
Somehow or other | induced them
To follow me from the room, telling
them that | had something To show
them in the east wing-a further en-
tertainment. which my husband and
| had prepared. Their curiosity was
wheited. and they consented TO
dawdle along behind me, laughing and
chattering the while.
Only when they heard that last
despairing cry of Felix did Fleetwood
and one or two of the other men begin
to gain glimmer of the truth. 1, was
with ever-incr-Asing alarm that they
hurried forward, and tried to force
the library door, and, finally using the
oak table as D ram. burst il open.
All of which rccollcot as something
that happened when | was in a semi
trance. have vague memory of
looking into the room and seeing sew
eral persons there, and n struggle GO
ing on. ! can recall the sight of Felix
running out, pale and limping, but
smiling. and OF his holding out his
arms to me. ! went to meet him, and
then-I swooned.-Times-E Herald.