THE LEAVENWORTH MURDER

15 V ANNA KAIIIEIITNE GREEN, Authoress of "A Strange Disappkaranck" and "The Swobd of Damoclbs."

XXVIII.

A WEIRD EXPERIENCE.

Klat burglary ns ever was committed,

Tllß limt thine I did, was to iuspect tho room in which I was.

It wan a plwvunt apartment, as I have said before, square, sunny and well tur nishcd, imorcsing one ns lio eutorcd, with a general air of welcome rind homo likeness. Ou iho lloor was a crimson carpet, on the walla scvornl pictures, «t the windows, cheerful curtains of whito, tastefully ornamented with ferns and nutumn loaves, iv one corner an old melodcon, and in ilie ccntro »f the room ;i table draped with a bright cloth, on which wore various little knick-knacks which, without being rich or expoiiaivtj, were both pretty and, to a certn'n extent, ornamental. Bat it was not these things, which I hid <een repeated in so many other country homes, tlint especially attracted my attention, or drew mo forvrnrd in the slow march which I undertook around the room. It was tho something underneath all these, Iho evid ences which I found, or Bought to find, not only in the general aspect of the wh'de, but in each trivial object itself, of the oliaracter, disposition, and history of the woman with whom 1 now hail to deal, [t was for this ro.ison 1 studied the daguer rootypos on the mnntol-picco, tlie books on the shelf ii'id the music on tho rack ; for this and the -till further purpose of noting, if any indications were to be found of there being in the hou«o any such person a» Hannah.

First thott for the little library, which, I was pleased to see, occupied one corner of the roniri. Composed of nfow well-chosen books, poetical, historical, and narrative, it was of lUell sufficient to account for the evidences of latent culture obsorvablo in Mrs Beldcn's ennvor* ition. Taking out a well-worn copy of Uyrorj, I opened it. Tln'ro were m»iiy passigos marked, and re pUicin!; the hook with n mental comment upon her evident impressibility to the softer emotions, [ turned towards tho ruel'uleon that fron'cd mo fr>vm the opposite wall. It was closod. but hi its neatly covered top, lay one or two hymn-hooka, a basket of russet apples, and a piece of lulf-complotcd knittinst-work. I took up the latter, but was forced to lay it down again without coming to tho re motest idea of what it was intended to be. Proceeding on, I next stopped beforn a ■window opening upon the small yard that ran about the house, and separated it from the oue adjoining. Looking out, I thought of the many glances of curiosity, dismay, angT, joy, sorrow, disappointment, that had pierced Iheir way from that spot to the street beyond, since the building was tonautol, and that especial window set apart for the rocking-chair and work-table, whoa suddenly I o*piod, writtenon the ghsa with a diamond point, a row of letters, which as nearly us I cnnld inako out, wore meant for some word or words, but which utterly failed in sense or apparent connection. Passing it by aa the work of some school girl 1 glanced down at tho basket standing ova table ut my side. It was full of various kinds of work, among which I suied a j>:iir of stncki»gs, which were much too small, as well as in too great a stole of disrepair, to belong to Mrs lielden, or so I thought; and drawing them carefully out, I examined thorn to .see if I cnuld iind any name marked on them. Do not start when I say that I saw the letter II plainly printed upon them. Thrusting thorn back, I drew a deen breath of relief, gazing, as I did so, out of tho window,when those letters again attracted my attention.

r{jniiom(c IJiam. What could that mean ? Idly I began to rc«d I hem backward, when— But try for yourself, reader, and jud?o what my sur prise must have been at the result? Elate at the discovery thus made, I sat down to ■\T,ri<e my letters. 1 had barely finished them, when Mrs BeUlen came in with tho announcement that supper was ready. "Al* for your room," said she, "I have prepared my own for your use, thinking it would bo ni'ie convenient for you to be on the tir.t floor." And throwing open a door at my .side, she displayed v small, but comfortable room, in which I could dimly see a bed. an immense bureau and a shadowy looking ■ glass in a dark old fashioned frame.

•'I live in very primitive fashion," re smnnd sliO, leading the way into the dining room ; "but I mean to be comfortable, and make others so."

"I should sny that you amply succeeded," I rejoined, wiih an appreciative glance nt her well-spread board. She smiled, and I felt that I had paved the way to her good graces, in a way that would yet redound to my advantage Shall I over forget that supper ! its dain ties, its ploisant freedom, its mysterious pervading atmosphere of unreality, and the constant sense which every bountiful dish she pressed upon me, brought of the shame of eating tin* woman's food, with Mich feelings of suspicion in my heart! Shn.ll I ever forget the emotion I experienced,when I first perceived she had something on her mind, which she longed, yet hesitated to give uttomnoa to 1 Or how she started when a cat jumped down from the i-loplng roof of the kitchen on to the grass-plot at the back of the house, or how my heart throbbed when I hoard, or thought 1 heard, a board creak over head ! We were in a little room, Ion" and narrow, which seemed, curiously enough, to run cross-wise of the house.open iug on one side into the parlour, whose gloomy, half-lichled .interior did not add much to the cheerfulness of the hour, and on the other, into the small bedroom,which had been allotted to my use.

•' You live in thin house alone, without fear?" I aako'l, as Mrs lie'den, contrary to my desire, put another bit of cold chicken on my plate. " Have you no marauders in tMis town, no tramps, of whom a solitary woman like you might reasonably bo afraid ?'

"No one will hurt m'," snid she, "and no one over came here for food or shelter, but got it."

" 1 should think, then, that living, as you do,u[inri a railroad, you w^uld'hc con stantly overrun with ' worthless being", whose only trade is to take all they i an get, without giving a 'eturn.'

" I cannot tu-n them away," si"! said; 41 it is tlic only luxury 1 have, to foi d the poor." " Bu 1. tlic idle, restless ours, who neither ■will work, nor let others work—"

"Arc still the i> 'nr." Mentally remarking, here is the woman

to shield an unfortunate,who has somehow became entangled in the inches of a great crime, I drew back from the table. As I did so, the thought crossed me. tint iv case there was any such person in the house as Haunah, she would take the opportunity of going upstairs with something tor her to cat; and I cast a calculating glance at the plates of cold chicken before inc. in the nope of beiujj able to toll, if anything should be hereaftci subtracted from them.

"I will smoke my cigar on the verandah," said I; " after which i hope you will be at leisure to sit down with me for a short ch»t,"

"Thank you," returned sho, almost eagerly, the desiro of making some avowal showing itself plainer than ever in her man ner. " But do not go out on tho verandah, unless you wish. I have uo morbid dread otßinoke, if I am a housekeeper." '•I prefer thejveraudah," said 1; "a whiff of fresh air is just what I want."

Tlie truth was. I was becoming anxious about Q. 1 feit that the least token of his presence in town would be very encouraging. Hut it seemed that 1 was not to be allb'ded even that small satisfaction. Iv vain I tramped tlie verandah from end to end ; I neither saw nor heard thexhurt, quick laugh, 1 half expected to fall upon my ears horn some unknown quarter. If lj was anywhere near, ho was lying very low. Once again seated with Mrs Bcldeu (who I know came down stairs with an empty plate, for going into tht kitchen for a drink, I caught her in the act of netting it down on the table), I made up my mind to wait a reasonable length of time for wh.it i-ho had to say, and then, if slu: did not speak, nuke nn endeavour on my own part to get at her secre'.

lint tho avowal was nearer than I ex pected, and different, and brought it-j own train "f consequences with it. 1' You arc a lawyer, I believe," .she began, taking down her knitting work, with a forced display of industry. " Yea," I siiid, " Unit is my profession." She remained for a moment sileiitcrenting great havoo in her wotk 1 am sure, from (he glance of surprise and vexation she after wards throw it. Then in a hesitating voice, remarked,

" Perhaps you may bo willing, then, to jjive me some advice. The truth is, I am in a very curious predicament; one from which I don't know how to escape, and yet which demands immediate action. 1 should like to tell you about it, may I?" " You may; 1 shall be only too bivppy to give you any advice in my power." She drew in her breath with a sort of vague relief, though her forehead did not lose its frown.

"It can all be said in a few words. I have in my possession a packet of papers which were entrusted to ran t>y two Indies, with the understanding that I should neither return nor destroy them, without the full cognizance and expressed desire of both parties, given in person or writing, That they were to remain in my hands till then, and that nothing or nobody should extort them from me."

"That is easily understood,"said I, for sho stripped. "But, now comes word from ono <*f the ladies, the one, too, most interested in the matter, that for certain reasons, tho iiu modiivto destruction of those papora ia necessary to her peace and safety." "And do you want to know what your duty is in that case?" " Yes," replied she tremulously. I rose, I could not help it, a ilood of conjectures rushing in tumult over rue. " It i-> to hold on to the papers like prim dtnth, till released from your guardianship, by the means to which you have pledged yourself." "Is tlint your opinion, as .1 lawyer?" "Yes, and as a man. Once pledged in that way, you have no choice. It would be a betrayal of tru^t to yield to the .solicitations of oue party what you have undertaken to return to both. The fact that grief or loss might follow your reten tion of there papers docs not release you from your bond. You have no thine; to d<» with that; besides you aro by no means sure that the representations of thu so called interested party are true. You illicit be doing a greater wrong by des trojing in this way what is manifestly of valuo to them both than by prcserviug thu papers intact, according to compact." " Jjut the circumstances? Circumstances alter cases, and, in short, it seems to me that the wishos of the ono most interested ought to be regarded, especially as there is an estrangement between these ladies which may hinder tho other's consent from ever being obtained."

" No," eaid I, " two wrongs never make a right; nor arc we at liberty to do an act of justice at the expense of au in justice. Tho papers must be preserved, Mrs BeUlen."

Her head sank very dospondingly; evi dently it had beun her wish to please tho interested party. " Law is very haiu," she said, " very hard." " This is not only law, but plain duty," I renmked. "Suppose a case different, suppose the honour and happiness of the other party depended upon the preservation of the papers, where would your duty be then?" "But—" " A contract is a contract," said I, "and cannot he tampered with. Having accepted the trust and given your word, you are obl'ged to fultil to the lottcr.'all its condi tions. It would be a breach of trust for yon to destroy the papers without the mutual cosuoat necessary."

Au expression of ereat gloom settled slowly over her features. " I suppose you are right," said she, and became silent.

Watching her, I thought to myself, " If I were Mr Gryce or eveu Q, I would never leave this seal till I had probed this matter to the bottom, learned who the panics arc, aud where thoseprecious papers arc liiddcu, that seem to be of so much importance." Beiug neither, I could only keep her talking upon tins subject until [she should let fall some word that miylit serve as a guide to ivy further enlightenment; I therefore turned with the intention of asking her somii question, when my attention was at tracted by the figure of a woman coming out of the bauls door of ihe neighbouring house, who for general dilapidation, and uucouthuess of bearing was a perfect type of tliß stylo of tramp of whom we had been talking at the supper table. Gnawing a crust which she threw away as sho reached the street, she tiudged down the path, her scanty dress, piteous in its rags and soil, Happing in the keen spring wind, and re vealing ragged shoes red with the mud of the highway. " I here is a customer," said I, "that may interest you." Mrs Beliien seemed to awake from a trance, liising slowly, she looked out and with a rapidy softening gaze, surTeyed the forlorn creature before her.

" Poor thing !" she muttered; "there is a ca^e for charity to be sure. But I cannot do much for tier to-night," she cried as the woman stopped at the gate. "A good supper is all i can give her." Ami eoing to the front door she. bade her step round the hou«e to the kitchen, where in another moment 1 heard the rough crea ture's voice rise iv one Ions; "blessyou!" that could only have been produced by the setting before her of the good things with which Mrs Belden's larder seemed to be teeming.

But suppor was not all sho wanted. After a decent leugth of time employed as I should judge in mastication, I heard her voice rise once more in a plea for shelter.

"The barn, ma am. I hoard her say, "or the wood-house, any place where I caa lie out of the wind." And she com mencod a long tale of want and disease, so piteous to hear, rhat I was not at all »up rised when Mrs IJelden tuld mo, upon re entering, that she had consented notwith standing her previous determination to allow tho woman to lie before tho kitchen fire tor the night. '•She has such an honest eye," said phe. "aud charity is my only luxury, you know."

Tao interruption of this incident effectually broke up our conversation. Mm Beideii weut up stairs and for somo tima I was left alone to ponder over what I had heard, and determine upon my future cour.m of action. I had jusi reached the conclusion that sho would be fully as liable to be carried away by her feelings to the destruction of the papors in h»r charge, as to be governed by the rules of equity i had laid down to her, whin I heard her stealthily descend the stairs aud go out of the front door. Dis tru.tful of her ioteutions,l took up my hat and hastily followed her. Sho was on her way down tho maiu atieet, and my first thought was, that she was bound for some neighbour's house or perhap* for the hotel itself; but tho settled swing ioto which she aoun alternJ her restless pace, satisfied me that she had sonic more distant goal in pros pect ; and before long I faund myself passing the hotel with its appmteoancoH, even the lutle school house tnat was the last building at this end of the village, and stepping out ioto the country beyond. What could it me iv '.'

Hut still her 11 uttering figure hasted on, the outlim.s of her form, with its close shawl and ueat bonnet, growing fainter and fainter in the now settled darkness of an -\pril night, and still [ followed, walk ing on the turf fit the side «f the road lest she should hour my footsteps «nd look round. At hut we reached a bridce. Over this I couM hoar her nass, and then every sou ml ceased. Sha had paused and was evidently U»toniusr,. It would not do for me to pause too, to gathering mvpelf into an awkward a dupe as possible, I sauntered by lior down the roid, but arrived at a cer tain point, stopped and began retracing my stops with a aharp Inok out for her advan cing ligu!<>. till 1 had arrived once more at the hridte. She was not there.

Couviucod now t»iat she h\d discovered my motive lor being in her house, aud by Icad'.ig mo from it, bad undertaken to supply Hannah with an opportunity to escape, 1 was übout to li.-t -ten buck to the ch«ge I had bo incautiously left, when a atranue sound heard at my loft, arrested me. It came from the l>»oks of the puny stream which ran under the bridge, aud wunlike the creaking of au old door on woru-out hinges.

Leaping tho fence, I marie my way ob licit I could, down the sloping field in the direction from which the sound bad come. It was quite dark and my progress wa» slow ; so much no, that I beg*n to fear I had yentured upon a wild-goose chase, when an unexpected streak of lightning shot across tho sky, iinrl by its glare I saw before mo what seemed, in the momentary glimpse I had of it, to be an old barn. From she rush of waters near at hand, I judged that it was built on the edgo of the dtream, aud consequently hesitated to advance, whon I heard the sound of heavy breathing near me, followed by a atir as of some one feeling his way over a pile of loose boards, and presently while I s-tood there, a fi»inc blue lwht ilaihcrl urj from the interior of tho barn, and I saw through the tumbled down door that faced me, the form ot Mm Melden standing with a lighted match in her hand, g-.zing round on the iour walls that encompassed her. Hardly daring to breathe lest I fdioald alarm her, I watched her while she turned and peered at tho roof above her, which was ho o'd as to be more than half open to the sky, at the flooring heneath which was in a state of. equal dilapidation, and finally at a small tin box which she drew from under her shawl and laid on the ground at her feet. Tne sight of that box at onco satisfied me as to the natute of her errand, bhu was gfing to hide what she dared not deitroy; and relieved uuon this paint, I was about to take a step forward, when tho match went out iv her hand. While slib wos engaged in lighting another, I considered that perhaps it would be better for me not to arouse her apprehensions by accosting her at this time and thus endanger the success of my main scticme, but to wait till she wasijonc, before I endeavoured to secure the box, Accordiugly I edged my way up to the side of the barn and waited till she should leave it, knowing that if I attempted to peer in at the door, I ran great risk of being seen, owing to tbe fre quent streaks of lightning which now Mashed about us on every side, Minute after minute went by with its weird alter nations of heavy darkness and sudden glare; and still she did not come. At last,just as I was about to start impatiently from my hiding-place, she reappeared and began to withdraw *ith faltering steps towards the bridge. "When I thought her quite out of hoaring, I stole from my retreat and entered the barn. It was of course as dark a.s Erebus, but thanks to being a smoker I was as well provided with matches as she had been, and having struok one, I held it up; but the light it gave was very feeble, and as I did not know just wore to look, it went out before I had obtained more than a cursory glimpse of the spot where I was. I thereupon lit another, but though I con fined my attention to one place, namely, the lloor at my feet, it too went out before I could, conjecture by means of any sign seen there, where she had hidden the^ box. I now for tho first time realised the dilliculty before me. She had probably made up her mind, before she loft home, iv just what portion of this old barn she would conceal her treasure ; but I had nothing to guide me : I could only waste matches. And I did wuste them. A dozen had been lit and extinguished before I was so much as sure the box was not under a uilo of debris that lay in one corner, and I had taken the last in my hand, before I became awaro that one of the brokou boards ot the floor was pushed a little out of its proper position. One match ! and that board was to be raised, the space beneath oxumined, and the box if there, lifted safely out.

I concluded not to waste my resource, so kneeling down in the darkness, I groped for the board, tried it and found it to be loose. Wrenching at it with all my strength, I tore itfree and cast it aside; then lighting my match looked into the hole thus made. Something, I could not tell what, stone or box, met mv eye, but while I reached for it, the match flew out of my hand. Deplor icg my carelessness, but determined at all haz irds 10 secure what I had seen, I diced down deep into the hole and in another moment had the object of my curiosity in my hands. It was the box.

Satisfied at this result of my efforts, I turned]to depu't, my one wish now beiog to arrive home be'on: Mrs Belden. Was it possible? She had several minutes' start of me; I would have to pass her on the road and in in so d'>iog might ba recognised. Was the end worth the risk ? I decided that it was.

Regaining the ;highway I started at a brisk pace. For some little distance I kupt it up, neither overtaking nor meeting anyone. But suddenly at a turn in the road I came unexpectedly upon Mrs Belden standing in the middle of tbe path, looking back. Somewhat disconcerted, I h»stened swiftly by her, expecting ot course that sho would make some effort to otop me. But she let me pass without a word. Indeed I question if she even saw or hoard me. Asto uished at this treatment, and still more auprUed that. she made no attempt to follow mo, I looked back, when I saw what it was.that enchained her to the spot, and made her so unmindful- of my presence, Thi) barn behind us was on tire ! Instantly I realised that it was the work of my hanos ; I had dropped a half extin guished match, and it had fallen upon some inflammable substance.

Aghast at the sight, I paused in my turn and s<ood staring. Higher and higher tbe red flames mounted, brighter and brighter glowed the clouds above, the stream beneath ; and iv the fascination of watch ing it all, I forgot Mra Belden. But a »hort agitated gasp from her soon recalled my presence of mind, and drawing nearer, I heard her exclaim like b person speaking in a dream, "Well, I didn't mean to do it;" tbon lower, and with a certain satis faction in her tone, " but it's all right anyway ; the tiling is lost now for g'jod, aud Mary will be sathlied without anyone being to blame."

I did not wait to hear more ; if that was the conclusion she had c-ime to, she would not wait there long, especially a« the sound of distant shouts aud running feet Hnnoun ced that a crowd of village boys were on their way to the scene of conflagration. The first thing I (ltd upon my arrival at tho house, was to assure myself that no evil effects had followed my inconsiderate desertion of it to the mercies of the tramp she had taken in ; tbe next to retire to my room and take a peep at the box. I found it to bo n neat, tin coffer, fastened with n lock. Satisfied from it* weight that it con tained nothing heavier than the papers of which Mrs Belden had spoken, 1 hid it under the bed and returned, to tbe sitting room. I had barely taken a seat and lifted a book when Mra ISeliien came in.

" Well I" cried she, taking off her bonnet and revealing a face much Hushed with exercise but greatly relieved in expression : •'this is a night! It lightens, aad there is a fire somewhere down the street, and al together it is perfectly dreadhil out, I hope you have not been lonesome," conti nued she with a keen look at my face which I bore in the best way I could. " I bad an errand to attend to, but didn't expect to stay so long." I returned some nonchalant reply, and she hastened from the room to fasten up the house. I waited, but she did not come back; fearful, perhaps, of betraying herself, she had retired to her own apartment, leaving me to take care of myself as best I might. I own that I was rather relieved at this. The fact i», I did not feel equal to any more excitement that night, and was glad to put off further action until the next day. As sooo, then, as the storm was over, I myself went to bed, and, after several ineffectual efforts, succeeded in getting asleep.

XXIX. THE MISSIXG WITNESS. I fled and cried out doath. —Milton". " Mr Raymond I" Tbe voice was low and searchinc;, it reached mo in my dreams, waked me and caused me to look up. Morning had bceun to break, and by its light I saw standing in the open door leading into the dining room, the forlorn figure of the tramp who had been admitted into the bouse, tbe night before. Angry and perplexed, I was abouc to bid her begone, when to my great surprise she pulled out a red handkerchief from her pocket and I recognised Q. " Bead that," said he, hastily advancing and putting a slip of paper into my hand. Aud without aHother word or look, left the room, closing the door behind In a:.

Risine in considerable agitation, I took it to the window, and by the rapidly increasing light, succeeded in making out the rudely scrawled lines as follows :

"She is hero; I have peen ber; in the room marked with a cross in the accom panying plan. Wait till eight o'clock, then go up. I will «ontrive some means of get ting Mrs B out of the house." Skotched below this was the following plan of tho upper floor.

Hannah, then, was in the small back room over the dining-room, and I had not been deceived when I imagined that I heard steps overhead, the evening before. Greatly relieved, and yet at the same time much moved at, the near prospect of being brought face to face With the one who there was every reason to believe was acquainted with the dreadful secret involved in the Leaven worth murder, 1 lay down- ouco more and endeavoured to catch another hour's rest. But one might as well try lo sleep watching the approach of an enemy, with his hand on the trigger of a pistol! I soon gave up the effort in despair and contented myself with listeuing to the sounds of awakening life which now began to make themselves heard in the house and neighbourhood. As Q had closed the door after him, I could only faintly hear Mrs Beldon when she eamo down stairs. But, the short sur prised exclamation which she uttered upon rcachins the kitchen and finding the tramp gone and the back door Wide open, came plainly enough to my. ears, and for a moment I was not' sure but that Q had made a mistake in thus leaving so uncere moniously, hut he had not studied Mrs Belden's character in vsiu the night before. As she camo in the course of her prepnra tlons for breakfast into the room adjoining mine, I could hoar her murmur to her self.

"Poor thiDg ! she has lived so long in fields and at the roadside, she finds it un natural to be cooped up in the house all night." The trial of that breakfast ! The effort to eat and appear unconcerned, to chat and make no mistake.—May.l never be called upon to go through smell another. But at la*t it was over, and I was left free to await in my own room the time for the dreaded though much to be desired interview. Slowly tbu minutes passed, eight o'clock struck, when just as the last vibration ceased, there came a loud knock at the back door, and a little boy burst into the kitchen crying at the top of hia voice, " Papa's got a h't! O, Mrs Beldeu, papa's got a fit, do come."

Rising as was natural, I hastened townrds the kitchen, meeting Mrs Belden's anxious face in the doorway.

" A poor wood-chopper down the street has fallen ia a fit," she said, "and they h»ve sent for me. Will you please watch over the house while I am gone ? I won't be absent any longer than I can help." And almost without waitiDgfor my reply, she caught up a shawl from oil' the chair, thre* it over her head, and followed the urchin, who was in a state of great excite ment, into the street. ; Instantly the silence of death seemed to fill the house, and a dread, the greatest I had erer experienced, settled upon irjie<- To leave the kitchen, go up those stairs, and con'ront that girl, teemed for the moment beyond my power; ""I could' not have hesitated more- had I been about to 'l lift a curtain that enshrouded the corpse of all I held dearest upon earth. And yet I was conscious of eagerly longing to know the worst, and of an emotion strong as either, of utter thankfulness for Eleanore'g Bake that all had come around so easily' and well. It was some seconds before I could mu>ter up courage to face the duty before me, but once on the stair I found myself relieved from the especial dread which hud overwhelmed me, and possessed instead of a sort of combative curiosity that led me to throw open the door which. I S'iw at thu top with a certain fierceness new to my nature, and not altogether suitable, perhaps, to the occasion. I found mysdf in a large bedroom, evi dently the one occupied by Mrs Belden the night before. Barcy shopping to note cer tain evidences which were apparent of her having passed a restless night, I passed on ;•■• to the do'ir leading .into the room marked with aero's in trie $lan drawn for.me by Q, It was d rough affair, made of pine boards »nd rudely. painted, as though it had been put up in a hurry long after the ; re-it of the house was finished. Pausing before it, I listened. All was still, Rais ing the latch, 1 endeavoured to enter. Tlie door was locked. Pausing again, I bent ray ear to the k-y-hole. Not a §ouud came Irom within; the grave itself could not have been stiller. Awe-struck and irresolute, 1 looked about me and ques-"' tioned what I had best do. Suddenly I remembered that in the plan Q had given me, I bad seen intimation of another door leading into this fame room'from the one i : on the opposite side of the hall. Going hastily around to it, I tried it with my hand as 1 had the one before. Bat this: was also fastened. Convinced at last that nothing was loft me but force, I Bpoke for i the first time, and calling the girl by nam^ commanded her to open the door. Eeciiv. ing no response, I said aloud, with an accent of severity, "Hannah Chester, you are discovered}. if you do not open the door, we shall be. obliged to break it down; save us the 7 trouble, then, and open immediately." Still no reply. Going back a step, I threw my whole weight against the door. It creaked ominously, but still resisted. Stopping f ■ only long enough to be sure no movement had taken placj within, I pressed against' it once more, this time with all my strength, when it flew from its hinges, and I fell forward into a room so stifling, chill, and dark, that I paused for a moment to - collect my scattered senses before ventur ing to look around me. It was well I did so. In another moment the pallorY arid fixity of the pretty Irish face staring' upon me from amidst the tumbled clothes of a bed drawn up against the wall at my side,' struck me with so deathlike a chill, ', :• that had it not been for that one instant of preparation, I should have been seriously : dismayed. Aa it was, I could not prevent,, > a feeling of sickly apprehension from. seizing me, as I turned towards the silent ' figure stretched so Bear, and observed with what marble-like repose it lay beucath the patchwork quilt drawn across if, asking myself if sleep could be indeed so like deatb iv its appearance. For that it was a sleep ing woman I beheld, I did not serioujy ' douht. Tiiere were too many evidences of , care'>ess life in the room to draw any o'her ' ; inference. Thec'othes Je-t just as she had stepped irom them in a circle on the floor; the liberal plate of fo >d placed ia waiting for her on the chair by the door— fo"d amongst which I recognised, even in this lirst cnsual glance, the same dish which we had at breakfast—all and every thing in the room spoke of robust life and reckless belief in the morrow. And yet so white was the brow turned ■.-': up to the bare beams of the unfinished wall above her, so glassy was the look of the > half-opened.'eyes, so motionless the arm i lying half under, half over the edge of the " coverlet, that it was impossible not to !; shrink from contact with a creature so dire | in her unconsciousness. But contact? seemed to be necessary ; any cry which I " 1 could raise at that moment would be in effectual enoogh. to pierce those dull ears. Nerviug myself, therefore, I stooped and lifted the baud which lay with its tell-tale '{; scar mockingly uppermost, intending to speak, call, do something, any thing to aiouse her. But at the first touch of her hand on mine, an unspeakable horror thrill- ; cd me. It was not only icy cold, but stiff. Dropping it in my agitation, I started back and again surveyed the face. Great God, when did life ever look like that ? Whati? sleep ever wore such pallid hues, such accusing fixedness ? Bending once more, ',;* I listened at the lips, Not a breath, nor a m stir. Shocked to the core of my being, I t,■; made one final effort. Tearing down the clothes I laid my hand upon, her heart. | It was pulseless as stone. (To be Continued.)

The Recent Survey of Palestine.

THE Ki?ht Hon. the Earl of Shaftesbury, K.G-, presided at the annual meeting of the Victoria Philosophical Institute of Great Britain, which took place in London on Juue 15. The honorary secretary, Cap tain. F. Petrie, read the report, which showed th c total number of borne, Indian, and colonial mem bers to be 950. Professor Pasteur and many other well-known men of science had joined in the past year, to further the society's objects, namely, the investigation of all philosophical and scien tific questions, especially those said to mili tate against the truth of Kevelation, An. address was delivered by Mr Trelawney Siiunrfer?, the official geographer ot the sur v«v of Palestine. He described the scien tific results of the exploration of Palestine, and their great value to the historian, especially as the recent work ot the ex ploration seemed to bring the country beforo the student of the present day »s it ap peared to the inhabitants tea centmies ago, and confirmed in a most remarkable manner the accuracy of the Bible record. Among the speakers were the Eight Hon. A. S. Ayrton. 'J'be Bishops of Adelaide and of NeJson. who spoke of the value of the Victoria Philosophical Institute's Transactions, and their great anxiety for the increase o. the number of its members in the colonies, ■ where its journal, recording the investiga tions of learned men into the truth as re gards the philosophical and scientific questions of the present day, would be even more welcome than in Eusjlaud. Dr. Stern, thu celebrated Abyssinian captive. Mr J. F. Bateman, F.R.S.; and Mr D. Howard, vice president of the Institute of Chemistry ot England, and otherp, also spoke.

ST^K SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT, SEPTEMBER 16. 1882

