The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-10-02

IND enhanced BY a strip OF scarlet vel.
W.. at the throat and some touch Of
cardinal In the front Of her gown.
Her easement was partly open, and
the wind swaying the lace drapcries Of
her window. hid her from my view. but
only momcntarily. Soon she reap
peared. smiling still with q mysterious.
beguiling. haunting smile that SO en-.
thralled and yet appalled, me.
my heart thumped udibly; Enayhap
my vanity was flattertd. | canno OF say.
but certainly my gaze was drawn &c
hers by some potent, magnetic force
that held me captive. A force unteiia-
BILE that froze me while 1t thrilled me,
that created within me extreme con-
sternation and supreme desire.
II was. as a man drunk, fascinated
hypnotixed. was as man In dream!
Presently realizing these feelings. en-
deavorsd to rouse myself. to shake loose
from the crowd OF emotions that seemed
about to smother me. In vain could
not even simulate an interest In my
book. My eyes travelled again and
again to that strangely sad. sweet
face. whose glances spoke OF mysteries
revealed; OF dreams come true; OF hell
suffered. then left behind; OF Heaven
lost. and then regained.
AT times she seemed to lean against
the easement, pallid and motionless;
again her face seemed alight with the
most exulting and radiant OF al
smiles.
This weird variety OF Irritation val
kept up for perhaps half an hour; q
times she would retire behind the cur
tains. but oftenest her glance sough'
mine direct and unabashed. while evel
about her beautiful mouth there came
and went that strange, mystical, seduc
tive smile.
"As dusk crept on felt that even
myself was but a vague, unreal being
perhaps I slept. Then ! rubbed m!
eyes brIskly and called my wife to com
to the window.
.'For minute or two she stood silent
" behind my chair. and watched tn
young woman opposite; then she shud
dered involuntarily! What a weir
smile.' she exclaimed. What Al
eerie, ghostly effect. feel chilled to tn
heart Come away from the window
Your neighbor gives me the creeps!'
81 laughed, or tried to. and continue
my look out.
AFTER a few minutes morgue va
drew up in front Of the door below, tw
or three men took out the grewsome pin
box and carried It into the house OF
nosite. But ny young woman still stoo
there, smiling. always smiling!
Il grew cold and shook with the II
tensity of nervous chill. but my neigh
bor still sat, smiling. Then the fam
from gas Jets. fiaring up suddenly IN II
room behind her, showed me even moi
clearly the exquisite outline OF M
face. and the dash Of scarlet velv'
around her throat.
The morgue men had entered II
room. could see them put down the
box. and coming to the window the
lifted my young and beautiful neignoo
"As they did so her head droppt
, abruptly back. and across her throat
saw a gaping scarlet wound. while u
cardinal rosette Of her white robe was
stain OF blood Swiftly. silently they q
, posited her within the pine box.
~She was dead!
II had witnessed the finale OF one OF
great city's numerous and appallil
tragedies. My soul sickened and pecan
giddy--it was horrible, horrible!
: "Someway the distance between y
the reflection OF light, the shiftil
/. shadow of the curtains combined vi
some poise Of her dead body, that nj
been left untouched upon discover
4 all conduced to convey that very re
I impression Of life and motion that a
|, so thoroughly deceived me.
e And yet. in some strange. inexp
) cable fashion my subconscious bra
/ seemed aware of the tragedy. even
: fore I saw the woman's form at
r window had felt the awe and pr
science Of death.
v "Had she taken her own life, or n
s some one killed her? never knew;
'. would not look up the case In the
: pers: I wished to know nothing,
rather. I knew enough. Her heart I'll
Il had been emptied Of much while liyir
: had found, beyond. a sNution Of
a problems, and this solution she b
/ tried to impart In her serene thou
: mysterious glance. and in her slo
r tender, yet infinitely plying smile. y
> Overland Monthly.