Year: 1878

i would not allow myself to think
that believed in the genuineness of the
communication, yet the more thought
it of the more unaccOuntable it became.
Still, was strongly fixed in the opin-
ion that ever, if the communication
were what it purported to be, there was
no step that L could or ought to take in
regard to it,


For q few moments 1 thought of
handing the letter to my cousin to read,
and so shifting whatever responsibility
there might be over to his broad shoul-
ders. But that, reflected, would be
but a cowardly thing to do. Even if he
should now laugh at the warning - as
doubtless he would do-yet, if on his
homeward voyage, an accident should
happen to the steamer on which he was,
the memory of the despised warning
would be sure to awaken, as people al
ways think of the things they should
not and perhaps, by disturbing thecool-
ness of his judgment and arousing the
notion of fatality which slumbers in us
all, the prophecy might help to its own
fulfillment That was responsibility
l would not take.


The letter continued dreadful plague
to me. burnt this second one, and the
next days. mail brought third nearly
literal copy. This tried to hide, but
every evening, when unlocked my door
the letter appeared in some new and
conspicuous place-now pinned to the
head of my bedstead, then to window
curtain now on the sofa, or again stuck
in the frame of the looking glass =
once tied to the gas-fixture, and twice
to the door-handle. 1 could not get rid
of its ever-reproachful face, silently
saying:


" warn and you will not heed"


AS far as l could without exciting sus-
picion as to my motives in making the
inquiries-for dreaded the sort of noto-
riety which would surely attach to one
who was supposed to have received a
supernatural communication - salts
fled myself that the landlady and SER
wants had, and could have had, nothing





migrations. 1t was acertained that there
had once been a duplicate key to my
hall-door. The other doors were bolted
on both sides.


Now, whether it was altogether owing
to the effect on my Imagination of this
mysterious agility of an inanimate
thing, or whether it was the veXatious
and troublesome nature of the business
which detained me in town, and the
physical and mental WEAKNESS it induc-
ed, combined with the undeniably pois-
onous cookery of the fashionable board
ing-house, had together seriously affected
my nervous system, do not know, but
certain it is that day and night 1 could
not escape from the haunting refrain,
"I have warned you, but you will not
heed, and you will be responsible for q
life. For his life-the life of the father
of the beautiful children you are so fond
dear to you, the friend whom you love
for his own sake. 1t is for his life you
will be responsible"


During the daytime my work smoth-
cred this refrain, so that only heard it
as disturbing echo but when evening
came with its relaxations, 1 could not
shut it out.


At the theatre, the brilliant stage
where Reignold played Henry ", OF
where Wallack personated the jaunty
youth of fashion, seemed written over
with the flaming words. When 1 dined
friends, and one said in laughing way
about some trifiing thing:


You will be responsible for that"
felt as if had received judicial con
demnation. When my cousin stood or
the rug in front of Mrs. Murray's sit
ting-room fire, telling in eloquent words
about Old World wonders which haC
burnt themselves into his artist heart,
heard them only through din of surg
ing waters, in which l saw his noble
head uselessly struggling, or heard hi!
voice as through the sobs of wife anC
children lamenting her husband and
father.


i had maturely reflected and decided
upon my course, and 1 would not per
NIT reason to be overridden by imagina
ton SO far as to let the latter infiuenc
my actions; yet many night woke t
find myself bitterly weeping and pray
ing the pardon of G--'s wife that