The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1903-12-16

| Christmas PASSED at Gravelly Grange
as it usually PASSES III the country
| houses Of wealthy persons. There were
the usual service ut the church, the
usual good cheer Oh the table and the
usual Christmas tree In the evening for
the guests. At the latter function
Mrs. Springthorpc was ut her best.
She greeted every woman and child
with condcscension so charming as
to rob 1t Of the implication of supc
riority. She was undoubtedly the most
popular person present. and Spring
thorpc's eyes followed her with an
| cagcrncss and affection that to me
were almost pltiablc.
After the Christmas tree festivities
host, hostess and guests danced mcrri-
ly together, and the celebration was
kept up until Il late hour. When we
went to our rooms we were Il very
tired lot Of mortals; but, despite my
fatigue, determined to remain at my
post to await Developments. | threw
myself half dressed upon the bed, re-
solved that nothing should tempt me
to go to sleep. But the flesh Is weak,
and In Il short time | was in as deep Il
slumbcr as though nothing were on
my mind. Suddenly started up, awuk.
cncd by the shuddcring sound Of my
slowly rising window.
There, without the window, outlined
against tho sky, appeared dark robcd,
hooded figure like that OF Il Cupuchn
monk. Slowly the sash asccndcd to It's
full height, and noisclcssly the figure
mounted upon the sill and, stepping
| W.T., ,,,1,,I
floor, whence it glidcd into the shadow
that filed the corner Of the room and
was lost to sight.
After an anxious interval again saw
It's dark outline cncroaching on the
area of dilluscd light that lay between
mo and the window, and knew that it
was slowly drawing toward me. AS it
approached the same stcalthy football
and deep, suppressed breathing | had
heard the night before became audible
Ry thc side of the bed it halted, with
deep inspiration. and hand holding
something which CLEANED was lifted
above the head. Dropping my feet to
the floor, | Sprang up, sriZinS the up
lifted arm with my left hand and with
my right arm pinioninS the figure
against my breast.
| There was a WOnnn'S cry, the glram-
Ing thing fell TO the floor, and the fig
urc lay limp in my embrace. | placed
1t I'm Il chair and hastily lit the gas.
| Then ! saw the inScnSibic form Of
Mrs. Springthorpc and OH the floor one
Of my own surgical knives, which |
had thought secure in The case in my
portmantcau. | had solved the mys-
terry.
AS Mrs. Springthorpc recovered her
senses we remained gazing at each
other in silence
"Wcll," she said ut last "you have
conquered. You know everything"
"Unhappy woman" l said. IL know
that You caused the death Of your for
mcr mistress because she stood in the
way of your ambition and that You
have twice attempted my life"
She slipped to the floor ut MY feet
"Mcrcy, mercy" she cried. "If you
knew how | dreaded this moment! 1t
was your life against his love. All
night paced NY room. crying, You
shall not part u.s."
Il heard YOU in my Sleep"
"Ics; years ago | discovered the Sc
crct OF these two rooms, the curious
acoustic fact that ut certain points in
one low, intense sounds are reproduced
| III the other with such vivid distinct
ness as to seem actually present, and so
ncaru you breathing as you slept and
the thought came TO me, as it came to
me when | listened to her breathing
ana broke upon her slumbcr with the
false story that killed her. My ambl-
ton has rcapcd nothing but Dead sea
| fruit"
"And you entered my room, and by
the window! But how? Surely not by
the coping. less than foot in witllh?"
es. At one time | was a gymnnSt
and acrobat, and even if it had not
been for that my determination would
have carried me through. The deter
mination OF II dying woman. for whom
death and danger have 10 further ter
ror. The first night you were saved
by an accidental discovery. The second
alarmed you by incautiously allowing
you to hear me listening for your sleep.
Tonight. the third, l thought to make
sure. | put in your water bottle an
opiatc."
(which I did not touch"
"You would have been found dead
with your own knife in your heart
| Tho general verdict would have been
suicide. But it was not TO be- You
were to be my fate. Go to him. Break
his heart with your revelation. De
| nounce me as murdcruss."
She fell forward. I raised her and,
seeing that she was indeed near the
point Of death, administered rcstora-
tive from my case.
Mrs Springthorpc," l said when she