Year: 1865

nearer; something brushed aga1 :


the bed clothes. Her eyes wee


closed, her breath still came sof 7


through her parted lips, but wit p


that statue-like form there was &.


human soul praying in mortal angu'th


for herself, and comfort for her Wa


owed husband. A pause-then al :


other slight movement. He wa


bending over her his hand was press


ing the pillow; then something colo


and sharp was laid lightly across he


throat The last pang had come, an


she had no power now to move or CRY


One moment more and she would b.


at peace. But the moment passed,


and she still lived. Another moment


and that cold pressure was gone. His


breath was no longer on hor face, ye


he was still there; she felt him stir


ring, she knew that he was watching


her. Long he watched, then mutter-


ing low: "My hand shakes; III


wait a while," he turned away. She


heard him turn, she heard his foot


steps slowly receding from the bed,


but the sound brought no relief; sho


was past that; she had felt the death


pangs and she almost longed that the


knife had done its work, and brought


her release from that long torture


but the end had not come yet. He


was going to the dressing ROOM
Once, twice, he stopped, as though
listening then he went on again and
now he was moving something on the
dressing table. There was faint
rattle, dead pause, then again thst
stealthy tread. She strove to open
her eyes; but they seemed sealed, and
it needed convulsive effort to un-
close them. Sho did unclose them
and she saw him. Gs


Tne room was very dark now, but
by the faint glimmer of the fading
fire she saw into the dressing room,
and tho figure standing within it,
The trap had taken--the jewels had
lured him. He turned his head and
her lids fell instantly, though she lay
hidden in the deep shadow of the
heavy bedstead. When sho looked
again, he was standing where shs had
stood an hour ago. There was light
in the dressing room, for he held q
blazing match, and candle burned
on the table by his side. She could
see him plainly now, his tall, square
form, his long arms, but not his face,
for his back was turned toward her.


Casting away his burned match, he
bent over the table, and softly swept
the jewels toward him. This was
her time. 1t would be but the work
of two minutes for him to gather all
together, and return to her. She
knew that in those two minutes lay
her only chance, the chance for which
she had so longed. But she seemed
SPELL That frightful moment
whom the steel had touched her throat
had paralyzed her powers, and un-'
speakable horror was upon her. She
struggled with that horror she
thought of her husband, of oil to
whom her life was precious, and with
one inward prayer for strength, for
courage, she slipped noiselessly on to
the floor.


He had not heard her; his head
was still bent--his fingers were still
busy with the jewels. Bare-footed,
her eyes still fixed upon his figure,
she stole on, softly cropping her way
towards the door, past the end Of the
bed, by the dressing table she was
close upon it now, her hand was
stretched out to grasp the handle
there were but two more steps to-
take, when her foot struck with a.
dull sound against an unnoticed STOOL,
and she stumbled she recovered her
self instantly; but faint as the noise
was, his ear had-caught it, and he
turned and saw her. For one mo-
ment they stood face to face, gazing
upon each other, then they both made
for the door. She was the nearer of
the two, and she was there first; she
had hold of it; she pushed it to, but
ere she could turn the key his fingers
were upon the other handle. 1t was
a struggle for life and death-aastrug-
gle between strong man and q des-
perate woman. 1t could not last
long. Inch by inch the door was
yielded to his pressure, when gathor-'
ing all her strength for a astleffort,
with a power beyond her own she
forced it home. 1t closed; the key
ratified round in the lock, and, with
wild hoarse scream she fell back upon
the floor. She was still conscious
she heard him beating on the strong
oak panels in his vain fury; she
heard his passionate imprecations
and after while other sounds, too,
reached her car--hurrying feet in the
gallery, many voices outside the door.
That piercing cry had reused every
sleeper IN the house, and they were
all gathered there now, cntreating ad-
mittance. She rose. she tottered
across the room and Let them IN; and
as they came around her, gazing hor-.
at her wild eyes, her
blanched lips, she painted out her tale.
ever pointing to that inner door;
then laying her head on Hester's
and moaning out s,Oh hus-
band save me ~ swooned away.


1t was still early on, tho morning of
the self-same day, when Sir Richard.
by a groom, galloped up the
beach avenue. The white autumn
mist hung like shroud over tho
park, tho golden leaves fell In show
ers around him, but he noted them
not as with spur and whip, rAe urged.
on his tagging steed Ills ruddy face
was pale as death--liis eyes were fix.
ed on tile wtllis of his 1fohsc, her
house--his teeth were setr in dread
anxiety, for he knew all, They had,
sent to summon. him, and since no
left Chester he had not drawn rein.
He was here at last, at his own door,
and throwing himself, Of hisexh' ust-
ed horse, he ilung the reins 70 his SER


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