Year: 1867

, wasted the form must be on which the embroi.
dered bodice hung so loosely, and how wan
| and dim were the eyes which had once been 80
brilliant as the jewels she wore in her hair.
sent messenger to Paris to summon one
of the court hysicians but knew that many
days must needs elapse before he could arrive
at Puy Verdun.


In the interval watched my wife with unut-
terabie fear.


1t was not her health only that had declined.
The change was more painful to behold than
any physical alteration. The bright and sunny
spirit had vanished, and in the place of my
joyous young bride bsheld woman weighed
down by rooted melancholy. In vain sought
to tathom the cause of my darling's sadness
She assured me that she had no reason for sor-
row or discomfort, aud that if che seemed sad
without motive, l must forgive her sadness,
and consider it as misfortune rather than a
fault.


told her the court physician would speedi-
ly find some cure for her despondency, which
must needs arise from physical causes. since
she had no real ground for sorrow. But al
though she said nothing | could see she had
| no hope or belief in the healing DOW ers of
| medicine


| One day when l wished to beguile her from
| that pensive silepce in which she was won't 10
sit an hour at a time, L told her, laughing. that
| she appeared to have forgotten her mysterious
cavalier of the wood, and t seemed also as if
he had forgotten her.


To my wonderment, her pale face became of
| sudden crimson; and from crimson turned
| to pale again in breath.
You have never seen him sInce you desert
ed your woodland grotto p | said.
| She turned to me with heart-rending look.
| 'Sbo riod sG I 6.y.
and It is that which is killing me-


She burst into passion OF tears when she
had said this took her in my arms as if she
had been frighient child, and tried to COM
fort her.


My darling, this is Madness / said.
You know that no str anger could come to
you in the pleasaunce. The moat is ten feet
wide and always full of water, and the gstes
are kept locked day and night by old Mason
The chate laine of mideva fortress need fear
10 intruder in her antique garden
| My wife shock her head sadly.


see him every csy," she said
| On this be liesed that my vile mad.
shrank from questioning her more closely con
| cerning her mysterious vlsitant. 1t would be
Ill, thought, to give form and substance TO
the shadow that tormented her by too close
| inquiry about its lock and manner, its comiu 2
and going


took care TO assure myself that no stranger
to the household could by any possibility pen
citrate to the pleasaunce. Having done this, |
was fain to wait the coming OF the physician.
| He at last. revealed 10 him the
conviction which was my misery. told him
that believed my wife TO be mad. He saw
her-spent an hour alone with her, and then
| came To me. To my unspeakabe relief he az
sured me of her sanity.


1t is just possible that she may be affected
by one delusion,' he said d" but she is so rea-
sonable upon all other points that | can scarce
ly bring myself to believe her the subject of
monomania l am inclined to think that she
really the person of whom she speaks.
She described him 10 me with perfect minute
ness. The descriptions OF scenes or individ
uals given by patients afflicted with monoma
MIA always more less disjointed but
your wife spoke 10 me as clearly and calmly a.


am now spesking TO you. Are you sure
| there Is no one who can approach her in tha
garden where she walks ?"


am quite sure."


- Is there any kinsman of your steward, OF
hauger-on of your household-a young mar
with fair womanish face, very pale, and rem
dersd remarkable by crimson scar, which
looks like the marx of blow p


My God - | cred as the light broke in up
on me all at once. And the dress-th'
strange old fashioned dress p


" The man wears hunting costume of pur
pie and orange answered the doctor.


| knew then that Andre de Brissac had KEEP


his word, aud that in the hour when my hi


was brightest his shadow had come betweel


me and happiness.


showed my wife the picture in the library


for | would fain assure myself that there wa


some error in my fancy about my cousin. Sh


shock like leaf when she heheld it, and cun
to me convuIsivtly.


" This is witchcraft, Hector" she said. 9Th
dress 10 that picture is the dress of the man


see in the pleasaunce 4; but the face lie nc
his


1hsn she described to the face of tn
; stranger and II WAS my cousins line for lin
Andre de Brissac, whom she had never see
, IN the flesh. Most vividly of all did she de


.cribe the cruel mark upon his face, the trac


OF fierce blow from open hand.
After this | carried my wife away from Pu


Verdun We wandered iar-through tn


sou htrn provinces, ard INTO the very heart
Switzerlan1. l thought To distance The ghas
:, y phantom, and tondiy hoped that change c


scene would bIiog peace to my wife.
} Il was not SO. Go where would, II
ghost of Andre de Brissac followed US. 1


my eyes that fatal shadow never revealed /


self That would have be en- too poor a Vel


2eance. Ii VS. my wife 5 innocent hea
- which Andre made The instrument OF his II
, vepge. The unhoy presence destroyed h'
! life. My constant oompanionship could NJ
l | shield her IRON the horrible intruder. In va
cid [ watch her in vain did | strive 10 con
d, fort her - lie will not let me be at peace
she eald " he comes between u, Hectic
{ tie is Standing between US now. l can nee n


face with the red marx upol it palmer than
" STE yours.