Year: 1879

to provide dinner worthy of my guest.


LAURA MORGAN"


trembled violently as l read, for 1
saw the maniac was a little suspicious
of me. With every movement was in
momentary expectation that he would
snatch the paper from me to ascertain
for himself if / had indeed read it as it
was written, and l knew well the detec-
ton of my deception would be instant
death. Hastily folding the note, l
dropped it into the basket, and placed
it before the dog.


81 believe, Mr.. Stanley" 1 said,
"that you have the key of the door in
your possession. Do me the favor to
unlock it, if you please, for Neptune to
pass out"


The request was made politely, and
Stanley, equally politely, opened the
door for the dog. Hope once more en-
tered my heart. My dreadful situation
would soon be known, aud help might
reach me.


A half-hour passed; Neptune had not
yet appeared. Stanley grew impatient
at the long delay. Again he drew the
knife from his belt.


I" Let the marriage feast go, he said
angrily. But l skillfully and adroitly
managed to draw him into conversation
upon old times, when 1 was the flame
of his youthful ambition. / told him
several little stories and amusing anec-
dotes of my childhood, spoke of my
early school days and his college life,
and the hOnOre he had WON


At last steps were heard on the piaz-
"a distinguished my husbands voice,
and the tread OF half o dozen men.
Stanley, too, knew that voice. Its rich,
melodious tones had years before grated
harshly on his jealous ear. Springing
like tiger upon me, he shouted in a
voice of thunder


"My keepers have come, but they
cannot capture me they will find me a
cold, stiffened corpse. My spirit will
have gone to the eternal world, to en-
Joy its celestial glories with you, my
beautiful BRIDE And again the same
wild, fiendish laugh rang through the
house, and the bright steel blade of the
bowie knife glittered in the sunbeams.


A cold tremor ran over me, but cour-
age did not forsake me. With hercu-
lean strength and energy I seized the
madman's arm, and averted the deadly
blow; then, with the agility of q
panther, I sprang through the open
window, and rushed at lightning speed
around the house.


Taken completely by surprise, and
bewildered at my unexpected fight,
Herbert Stanley stood for moment un-
decided what course to pursue. He
next found himself rudely assailed by
half dozen men. The uplifted knife
was knocked out of his hand; strong
rope was thrown dexterously over his
arms and shoulders and drawn tightly
around him, and in spite of his despsr-
ate struggles to free himself, he was
| captured. My hour of peril was over.
My life had hung as if it were thread,
and my soul had been fortified for the
emergency, but now came reaction
My brain whirled; film came before
my eyes, and [ fell senseless into the
arms of my husband.


At last / awoke to consciousness, as if
from O dream. Life and its blessings
were mine once more to enjoy, and
from the very depths of my soul I
breathed forth prayer of unmistakable
Joy and thankfulness to the Most High
for my unexpected deliverance. Her
bert Stanley was taken back to the asy-
lum from which he had escaped. and in
few months after completed his miser-
able eYistence