The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-21

| sor,nad me- no others with the one eX-
nan+ion Of her guardian, were to be pres
ont DR.. Gordon, he added in low voice,
| now sleeping OF late he had been
| "sI;cted with insomnia and his health
nos beginning to fail. After sleepless
| nioht spent at his desk he had sunk into
| heavy slumber from which it was not
| aeamed wise to arouse him until the
Iaet moment, if then. Unless Miss Gar
ondon insisted on it DR.. Gordon should
not be awakened at all.
| The Young man seemed so thoughtful,
1 so considerate that again my conscience
| smote me. l glanced toward the Doc
tors study 1t was divided from the
library by porteres of purple plush.
They fell in heavy, moveless folds, their
| Golden fringes sweeping the floor. Nothing
was to be seen of the room beyond them.
| turned back to speak to Mr.. Warde
/ He was gone.
| glanced at my watch. The hour for
| the marriage had arrived.
| . I advanced a few steps and stood facing
| the door opening on the hall. The man
and the woman who were to witness the
ceremony came forward and stationed
themselves near me.
] The door opened and Warde and Miss
| Clarendon entered.
All, if you could have seen her then!
Arrayed in floating, vaporous white, she
seemed a seraphic vision rather than
creature of flesh and blood. Her eX
| traordnary and witching beauty shed
| around her a soft radiance. spirit
clothed in moonbeams could not have ap-
peared more supernally fair.
/ But alas! her face was like death, and
| her great dark eyes (the loveliest eyes
in all the world save yours my darling)
/ went wandering piteously around the
room as if in vain search of face not
there.
Something popped up in my throat
and my vision grew blurred. AS in
| crystal mist l saw them come forward
and stop before me. Warde gave me an
imperious glance, and 1 opened my lips
to speak.
My voice was husky and my lips dry.
II cleared my throat and began again.
l had not uttered a dozen words, how
ever, when a voiceless movement of Miss
Clarendons now quivering lips and the
anguished entreaty in her eyes as she
lifted them to mine brought me to a
dead stop.
What is it, my child?" 1 asked her.
"Guardy," she said family. Where
where IS hep
''he is asleep" answered Warde before
could speak. "He hacut slept three
hours in the last week Would you
arouse him now"
Yes" she said. He wanted to see
me married. Where IS he? 10 wake him,
please"
Nonsense Leila. Let him rest He will
thank us later for leaving him alone"
But / want him." she cried, out, her
voice sharp with sudden agony. of
were dead he would curse those who let
him sleep while they put me away from his
sight forever. Why can't he be awakened
to see me wed?'
LEILA, you talk absurdly. I"
'Then let the marriage wait. What
matters a few hours? When he awakes-"
"No, l will do nothing of the kind.
will arouse him now"
He turned from her with black eyes
swapping and dark face ablaze. AS
looked at him I shrank from the task
Yes, l repeat it, the task before me-
with positive loathing. Rather would
see our own sweet daughter dead and
in her grave than welded to a man like
| that.
He strobe furiously toward the study
A chair stood in his way. The rage that
possessed him showed itself in the vio-
lence with which he caught it up and sent
it spinning to one side. He had scarcely
done so, however when he stopped alb
ruptly and drew back.
hand had swept aside the purple
folds of the portiere. Tall and stately
his pale, classic face-one of the most
grandly intellectual countenances 1 ever
ksaw-gleaming in the light of the tapers
DR.. Gordon stood before him.
Where is she?" he said and his voice
faint, yelled, weird, like a cry out OF
the far depths of the night thrilled me
, with a chill of awe. HAS she gone
from me indeed-gone without one WORD
of farewells?"
There, was no light in his moveless
eyes. AS met their fixed and CLASSY stare
needed not Miss Clarendons trembling
whisper at my ear to realize the truth.
"Hush!" she breathed. do not speal
to him. have seen him thus before
He is walking in his Sleep
stood still, scarcely breathing I fell
that l was Warrington what knew not
saw Warde standing with clenchet
hands as if petrified 1 felt Miss Clar-
. enQOu uanOS. close upon NY arm, III
support.
A deep sigh parted the sleeper's pale
lips. He moved forward few steps put
ting out his hands gropingly.
"Lela!" he called dreamingly.
: "Guardv?"
Her voice was but a breath but whC
shall describe the fond intensity of tina
heart-thrilling whisper? It's sweet force
lhook the power of the trance that helC
him. He lifted his head, and into hi
vague, wide eyes crept an intent atten
ton.
"Oh, love-" he said, where are you
I hear your voice, but it is night, and II
: the darkness l seek you in vain. Light
light, oh, God! Light to follow in tn
footsteps of those who have robbed m
of my darling! l cannot give her ul
She is mine by the divine right of M
great love. l am old; l am ugly; Their
is nothing in me to draw her youn
heart to mine but the nightly love tina
makes her to me the one priceless pear
[ of the universe. But, oh, my God, is no
: that enough?"