The Argosy — page 319: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

300 Iwo Dreams. the lights and see that all was safe, and then betook himself, with many yawns, to his dressing-room, where he intended to solace him- self with a pipe before going to bed ; and, for want of better food for thought, his mind reverted to poor little Effie’s hysterical tale of her dream. ‘‘ Pish—nonsense—rubbish!” he muttered between whiffs, when suddenly an unpleasant thought struck him, and he started to his feet. ‘‘ By Jove! what if there should be something init. The man’s manner is not satisfactory ; and it is odd, to say the least of it, that the very day she was to have come last year, and the very day she has come this year, he should have behaved so queerly. Well, I suppose I’m an old fool, but I won’t go to bed till dawn at any rate. What is the time now ? twelve o’clock. If anything is to happen it will happen soon, I suppose.” He opened the door softly. The house seemed wrapped in com- plete silence. Not asound was to be heard. Leaving the door ajar, he placed his arm-chair behind it, put out the candles, and re-seated himself, devoutly hoping he might not fall asleep, but thinking it was more than likely he should do so. When the stable clock chimed the half-hour after midnight Colonel Holt started, and changed his position. Surely he had begun to doze; this would never do. Why on earth had he given himself so much discomfort? He, who would willingly go to bed at ten o’clock every night, to sit up in the dark to such an unearthly hour, just because an hysterical, love-sick girl At this point of his meditations sleep again overpowered him; and one o’clock chimed unheeded; and a figure crept by the open door unheard, and stole softly down the corridor towards poor little Effie’s room. A moment later, and Colonel Holt is wide awake, as scream after scream breaks the silence of the night. Before he can reach the room at the end of the corridor, the door 1s flung open wildly, a stream of light bursts forth, and a little white-robed figure with bare feet flies towards him. ‘To his horror, he sees blood on her face and arms. ‘‘ Help, help!” she cries; “ he will kill Susan !” “Go to Agnes,” was all he had time to say, hurrying past as Susan’s cries grew fainter and fainter. Rushing into the room, he threw him- self upon Simmons, with whom the poor woman was struggling bravely, having contrived, though not without injury, to wrest from his grasp a knife, with which he had threatened Effie’s life. It was Susan’s blood that had stained the child’s face and hands. Evidently Colonel Holt had not arrived a moment too soon on the scene. He caught the murderous gleam in the wretched man’s eyes, and shuddered at what might have happened had he altogether dis- regarded poor Effie’s story. “You villain, you ——,” he began ; but the words died away on his lips as the poor creature, struggling violently in his grasp, uttered a piercing scream, and fell back—dead ! EORNIELOOOKS EO) im