The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-11-03
Vnsle David Sives up

1E&
ognizing his figure vowed IN my wrath
and Jealous indignation to visit the
| old house myself on the following night
and make one final attempt to learn
| the secret which would again make me
feel myself tho equal Of this man. If
I not his superior.
at was early when went; indeed 1t
was not quito dark. but, knowing the
gloom of those old halls and the nj.
most impenetrUble nature of the dark
ness which settles over the library the
moment the twilight sets In, put In
my pocket two or three candles, the
candles. sirs about which you have
made such Il coil. My errand was two
fold-I wanted first TO see what Mr..
Jeffrey had been up to the night be-
fore and next 10 spend IN hour over
certain book of old memoirs which In
recalling the past might explain the
present You remember door leading
iuto the library from the rear room, Ii
was 10y this door | entered bringing
afterwurd found there.
Il knew where the volume of mem
oirs | speak of was to be found-you
do. too. | SEQ for il was my hand
which had placed it in its present con.
! cealmrnt Cuijc determined to rercad
such portions of it as had long before
marked as pertinent 10 the very at
tempt had in mind, | brought in the
caudelabrum from the parlor and drew
out table 10 hold it. But | waited n
few moments before taking down the
book itself wanted first to learn
what. Mr.. jeffrey had been doing up.
stairs the night before: so, leaving the
light burning III the library, ] proceed
ed to the southwest chamber, holding
an unlit candle in my hand the light
recbiy diffused through the halls from
some upper windows being sufficient
for me to see my way. But In the
chamber itself MI was dark.
THE wind had not yet risen and the
shutter which n half hour later movcl
SO restlcssly on Its cfeaking hinges
hugged the window so tightly that /
, imagined Mr.. jeffrey had fastened 1t
/ the night before Looking for some re-
| ceptaclo in which TO set the candle |
| now lit, failed to find anything but an
, empty tumbler so I made use of that
I Then | glanced about ne, but seeing
nothing worth my attention-Mrs. Jef'
, frey's wedding fiXings did not Interest
me, and everything else about the
room looking natural except the over
turned chair, which struck me as in
materlnl-I hurried downstairs again
e leaving the candle burning behind me
$ In case shoulc wish 10 return Glof
I after | had refreshed my mind will
3 what had been written about this ole
y room.
e Not sound disturbed the house al
e I seated myself to my reading In from
Of the library shelves. | was as mucl
alone under that desolate roof as NOR
l tai could be with men anywhere with
{? in reach of him. enjoyed the solitude
G and was making very pretty theor,
G for myself ON n scrap OF paper tor
h from another old book when nois
e suddenly rose in front, which, slight n
J. ii was, was quite unmlstakable to ear
Is trained to listening. Some one was un
locking the front door,
y "Naturally.I thought it to be Mr.. Jcl
e frey returning for second visit TO III
wife's house, and. knowing what
might expect II he surprised me on til
premises, / restored the book hastil
to its place and as hastily blew out tn
candle. Then, with every intention G
\. 10. ,..I D.,
which l had entercd. But some In
, pulse stronger than that of escap
made me stop Just before reached !
! could see nothing the place was dar
as Tophet-but could listen. The pc
son-Mr. jeffrey or some other-wn
coming my way, and in perfect darl
,r ness. could hear the faltering steI
10 the fingers dragging along the walls
then rustic as of skirts, proving I'll
ia intruder to be n woman--a fact whic
r. greatly surprised me-then Ion
= drawn sigh or gasp.
or 'This last determined me. The sit
Of alton was too intense for me to lea'
b. without first learning who the woma
TO was who In terror and shrinking dare
er TO drag her half resisting feet throul
these empty halls and into pla'
n. cursed with such unwholesome mel
er orles. did not think Of Veronica. }
Mt one, loc''s for butterfly in the dept
IL Of dungeon. But did think OF III
to Tutte-that woman of resOlute wi
or Without attempting to imagine Il
he reason for her presence, ] stood n
m ground and hardened till the bea'
he mahogany door at the other end
the room began to swing In by jer
nv under the faint and tremvlous push
lie terrified hand. Then there car
OF silence-a long silence followed by
N. moan 10 agonized that ] realized th
M whatever was the cause Of this pantil
~ Woman's presence here, It was due
he 70 mere errand Of curiosity. I'll
<. Whetted my purpose. Anything DO
II | = this house was IN way dons to p