The Washington herald., 1912-02-04
Copyright, IOII.)


the wall.
"The light disclosed a large room.
well furnished and well carpeted. The
stranger lighted a small candle which
he took from niche near by, and then
walked across the floor, while a musty
odor, as II the room had been long un-
used, was evident My father began to
regain his courage, for this was not
half as bad as he had expected.
Without speaking, he followed his
guide, who crossed TO where a little
stairway led up a winding passage to
the floor above. They ascended slowly
and were soon walking down a hail.
where the stranger turned to the right,
opened door, and entered a room.
The dim light from the candle dis
closed a small chamber, bare Of all
furniture save a bed and two chairs. A
small chest Of dark mahogany was in
one corner, and upon the pallet lay
figure.
The stranger walked upon his toes
to the little bed, held the light aloft,
and looked upon the form below.
'Ab,' he said, she still lives
AS my father came closer to him and
looked at the form which was now dis
closed by the burning candle, he saw
ha.hA WAat AiiN oNidlikNI HNdu STU was
only too true Before him layJa woman
who had once been beautiful-that was
plainly evident N W the grip OF death
was upon her. Her figure was thin, wan,
and wasted. Her hair hung luxuriously
about her pale face, and her dull and
lstess eyes looked up into the counte-
nance OF her lover with just the spark
OF lingering vitality within them. A
faint smile came to her lips. She tried
to lift one hand to embrace him who
leaned over, but it fell back weakly
upon the blanket.
The stranger placed the candle upon
the chair, knelt by the bedside, and took
one wasted hand in his.
Pray proceed, Mr. Magistrate, with
the ceremony, he said.
do not know your Names began
my father.
ayes, that is rather necessary said
the stranger, with a smile. My name
IS Archibald SALISBURY, and that of
this woman whom love is Lady Alice
Huntingdon
MY father started back and for a
moment he lost that composure for
which he was noted, for here, before
him, was the son of him who had lived
in this awesome manor, and the woman
was the daughter of a near relative of
his own, man whose fortune was said
to have been made by means as bad as
they were notorious. Many foul deed
had been laid to his door, and he was
supposed TO have engaged in smuggling,
and in all those wild adventures which
are necessary to such life But il was
only temporary hesitation--in a mo-
nent he was again himself
Repeat this after me- he said. i,
Archibald, take you, Alice, TO be my
welded wife To have and to hold.
from this day forth. for better, for
worse; for richer for poorer; in sick
ness
"'StoDr rang out hollow voice.
My father ceased speaking and
looked to where the sound had come
from: There before him stood man
OF fifty years or more. His gray hair
shone white in the darkness, and from
a bleeding wound in his head a deep,
Jagged scar showed grim and ghastly in
the tiickering glare of the taper.
The bridegroom sprang to his feet.
My God, he said, my fatherp
You, Archibald, you who murdered
me that you might share quickly in my
fortune and my home-you shall not
have this woman whom you love-
AS the sound of his cracked and
husky voice died away, the son fell
heavily backward in a swoon. II was
so sudden that my father had no op-
portunity to move hand or foot, and
when the figure collapsed against the
pallet, one foot struck the chair upon
which stood the light. The candle was
knocked upon the floor; it went out,
and left the room in absolute and COM
plete darkness.
Imagine the situation! Alone in a
strange house, in room with a dying
woman, specter, and fainting mani
Could anything be more horrible2 My
father CROPPED stumbling way to the
door, threw open the portal, and
plunged into the hall. He lurched for
ward in the direction of the winding
stairway, and, having found it, stumbled
into the blackness of the room below.
There he tripPfd over chair and fell
upon the carpet.