Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-09-24

termined to go in and bring the borrid
uncertainty to an end, for you had not
answered my letter-you had not
| comei"
But you did not go in!" he said, ter
rihed. Surely, you did not
mo. 1 walked by again and again
1 1 went around to the side street and
looked into the garden; but said: Il
will see him first; Raymond cannot
mean to be SO basel Still you did not
come. VIII you believe it, went back
at night, hoping to see you? i could
not stay here alone in this room-I
| slipped outl Two men entered that
gate, and one of them / would have
sworn was you. / followed and saw
them enter the wing room. While /
waited there, wondering if you would
appear again-it was but a few min
utes, think-one of the men came from
the wing-room. passed me, and. going
out, locked the gate ] was prisoner,
for the fence was tall with spikes of
iron. Then went and stood under the
window, thinking the room was yours,
and / might attract your attention;
and / heard your voice and woman'x
In there"
ut Is liza liei the room belongs
to Frances. was not in the city"
Frances? Who is Frances? But no
matter, they were there all night; and
L, crazed and abandoned, wept and
ragged outside"
"You are simply daft, Louise; you
don't know what you are saying"
"ThPv were tbara fol va,
match was struck, and could hear
woman pleading; and-there 1 was,
lying upon the ground, the window
just out Of my reach. Then l found
myself climbing the ivy and clinging
to the shutters; and / saw you sitting
there, this woman with curly golden
hair kneeling in her night dress before
you, her hand upon your shoulder.
saying good-by to her lover while she
held lighted match above his face"
Louise, this is unbearablel" Hol-
bin was beside himself.
II thrust your pistol between the
shutters, took aim at you and fired:
my aim was true; the man fell for
ward into the darkness, and 1 back
upon the wet grass. Lookl See the
stains OF the crushed ivyi see the soil
upon the gownl see the blistered
handsl look at your pistoli The ham
mer Is upon an empty she'll I got
up and ran for the gate, but g man
was entering and his carriage stood
opposite. Crouching in the shrubbery,
L saw him come back"-her voice sank
to a whisper-"with a dead man in
his arms. I got here-how, / do not
know-and locked myself in. When
you came thought it was your spirit.
What Will they do with me? Will
they lock me in gaol? viii they hang
me? Why don't you speak to me,
Raymond? Why do you look at me
that way? Raymond Raymondi-I
did not know what l was doing, I
was insane. icalousl I had lost my
child-oh, they ought to know that,
Raymond. before they Judge me too
harshly. Raymond, Raymond. answer
me-arswer!" lie mastered his emo
ton by powerful effort.
''You have had your revenge!" he
said, hoarsely. his lips parting in a
soundless LAUGH "The shot went TO
the mark!" He sank in his chair bv
the table and gazed helplessly upon
her agitated face, his thoughts else
where
"But do not understand" she said.
MY revenge, if you were not the
man"
"Why, il is incrcdiblel" he cried, an
grily. 'Give me the key! the keyl
the key! Quick! the clock is striking
ten-the key!"
"You will not give me up, Raymond
the mother Of your child!-you will
not"
"Ah-no, no, Louise. You ar. safe
while l live. Quick! the key!" She
gave 1t to him, and, passing out, he
said, sternly: "Stay herel Don't let
your face be seen outside this door.
Change your dress, remove every stain
upon it, and be ready to leave the
city at moments notice. Courage!
l will save you If I can" AS he stepped
into the hallway he muttered to him
self: "Now for the will! Long live
the nightmare! and yet" He added,
pausing in doubt: Suppose it were
true?" He unbreached the pistol.
zone cartridge is gonel the muzzle
stains my fngerl Louise! Louise"
He turned, locked the door and van
ished
"The woman in o." he said to the
clerk, "has escaped from an asylum. |
Keep a watch in her hall until 1 re-
turn, and let no one enter"
1--WE thought So" said the function
airy behind the desk.