Year: 1875

question the wisdom Of hastily assumed my
clothes, threw mantle around me and over
my head and stole quietly and noiselessly
down stairs.


l had no difficulty in making my exit
through a side door, where | had but SIM
pie lock to encounter. There were no ponder.
ous bolts to awaken sleepers with their creak'
ing; no watchdog near to spring up and give
an alarm. I stepped quickly out into the
garden, feeling delicious sense of refresh.
ment and relief as the light, cool breath of
night kissed my face.


I walked to the front gate, and looked
through it at the winding road, each curve in
which was distinctly visible, until it lost itself
among the thickening shades of the wood


"What could hinder me-" reflected, "from
going along that road now if | desired it? l
would meet with no harm there are no wild
animals rowing in the wood, nor anything else
to trouble me- Why could I not walk now,
as we'll as at any other time, to the house in
the ,poods'" ..''


1t was wild idea, and one which, in my
ordinary condition of mind and body, would
have appeared to me totally impracticable /;
but laboring as l was under an unnatural ex-
citement, the scheme seemed to me feasible
enough.


"If Arthur is there, will find it out I
thought IF he is not there, shall satisfy
myself that Ellen's suspicious rest on a less
secure basis than 1 now fear. lam not break
ing my promise-at least, hare trusted him,
until blind, unreasouing confidence has be-
come folly. 1t is not in mortal mind or mortal
nerves to endure the tension that has been
placed on mne I still believe that he is
blameless, but can have no rest, no peace,
until satisfy myself of the fact"


Arguing thus, I opened the gate and passed
out-looked around and before me, once,
twice, thrice, to assure myself that nothing
was near-hesitated still another moment,
with feeling of timidity that could not EN-
tirely banish-then gathered up my resolu-
ton and started on my strange expedition.


A strange one truly it seemed, even to me,
as after hurrying on for little while in eager
haste, paused to take breath and rest for an
instant. was now in the wood, and though
the extreme clearness of the night gave me
ample light to see the path I was following,
yet the tall dark forms of the trees, as they
rose like gigantic spectres around me, and
the mysterious shadows lowering in their
midst, gave me sensation of awe; while each
twig that cracked beneath my feet, each rus
tie of the leaves in passing breeze, sent
quicker pulsation to my heart, as they fell on
my ear with sharp distinctness in the ghostly
stiffness of the midnight hour. I dared not
pause long Already my resolution was be.
ginning to fail me, and knew that my cour-
age would not wax greater with reflection.


"The stakes are too high to lose," l NUT.
tered. "On, on 1 must be already half
way there! l will not be so cowardly as to
turn back now"


On l went, with laboring breath and trem-
bling limbs A chilly feeling was creeping
over me, and felt the need of warmer COW
ering than that which in the heat of fever I
had considered amply sufficient.


Suddenly, prolonged and melancholy hoot
in tree, near by, startled me, and dark OBJ
ject. starting abruptly forth from the midst of
the branches, fitted across the road, almost
brushing against my face. A faint shrek es-
capped me, and drops of moisture gathered on
my brow. My knees smote together, and for
moment terror held me motionless.


How stupid in me! 1t was nothing but
an OWL" said, mentally; trying to rally my
presence of mind, as again braced myself to
proceed. now flew, rather than walked,
fear lending wings to my tired feet. dread
ed another encounter with some nocturnal
rover, the thought Of whose proximity made
the wood seem twice as mysterious and awful
as before


"On, on T shall soon be there!'


My teeth were now chattering with cold,
and | had hardly strength to drag myself
along. | was forced to slacken my rapid
pace, and more than once stopped to support
myself against tree, lest my limbs should
fail me and should fall to the ground


Suddenly light, faint but unmistakable,
cleaned on my sight, from distance. That
must be my goal! Brighter it grew as 1 drew
nearer to it, and ere long the dim outlines Of a
house-the house-rose up before me- l had
reached the end of my journey-a long and
eventful journey it had seemed to me, though
1 had accomplished it in an hour and a half


Trembling from head to foot, cautiously
drew near Would discover anything, or
was the expedition, after all, to be a fruitless
one ?"


The light proceeded from lower window,
at the back of the house. Across this white
curtain was drawn, but the blinds were par
TALLY open, and the sash was raised a few
inches from the bottom.


The window was too high for me to reach.
l stood beneath it, and heard the low murmur
of voices within the room. At first my heart
beat too violently to allow me to distinguish
anything but confused sounds; but presently
my perception grew clearer, and straning eve
ry nerve to listen, recognized two voices al
ternating, mans and woman's. Both were
subdued in their tone, but the former was ia
nlliar to me. Oh heavens, 1T .uas Arthur
uoice.


He was here, then Ellen had spoken the
truth.


But on what errand had he come?


seemed to hear the throb of every pulse in
my Frame loud and distinct as the beating of
waves upon the sea.shore. They deafened me
with their tumult, filling my ears with surg
ing sound.


Aftera brief interval this passed away, and
/ was able to listen again.


Gradually, began to distinguish words, at
first uuconnected, but presently arranging
themselves in order, as strained the organ of
hearing to its utmost capacity, holding my
breath to catch every sound that Aoated down
to me from above


Something like the following dialogue be-
came audible to me:


Arthur. My mind is easier now. She will
not know of this, will she?


Uukno,cn ]oman. Oh no, I would not
let her know it for the world.


A Poor, unhappy being! What fate


u " 1t seems like judgment of Heav.