The Argosy — page 321: what you’re looking at

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

302 Two Dreams. listening to her quiet, even breathing, which showed she was fast asleep. A night-light was burning, and he could see the glitter of the diamond ornaments, as they lay scattered about the dressing-table. ‘He moved forward to secure them, and, in so doing, made some slight noise which awoke the poor child, and with a piercing scream she started up in bed. ‘Then, so he dreamed, he pushed her down, and threatened to murder her if she were not qulet. “At this point of his dream Simmons awoke, trembling and shaking as 1f he had the ague, and for some time he felt, so he told his brother, as 1f he had really committed the fearful deed, so vivid was the impression left upon his mind. He had the sense to regard his dream in the lght of a warning, and at once felt that his sole safety lay in flight. Huis brother took the same view, and soon after break- fast Simmons went to my husband and told him he wished to go away for a few days, assigning no reason. Of course we thought his conduct very strange, but he went, and his brother was to take his place in his absence. On hearing, however, that you and Effie had postponed your visit he reappeared in the afternoon. ‘His dream, combined with his brother’s entreaties, had so worked upon his better feelings that for a long time he gave up his evil practices. A month or two ago, however, it appears he again suc- cumbed to temptation, and had again lost (for him) a large sum of money. “On the fourth of August occurred Effe’s unexpected and ill-fated visit. Itis easy now to understand Simmons’s behaviour when he heard of her arrival. No doubt the memory of his terrible dream rushed back on his mind, and his dread was lest the temptation should over- power him, as alas! it did. His poor brother wishes vainly that he had been here, for then he says the devil would not have had it all his own way with him. Of course Simmons did not imagine that Effie’s fainting fit had any connection with himself, neither had he any reason to suppose that Susan would sit up with her that night. But even had he known it I doubt if the fact would have made any difference, for a stronger influence than he could resist was upon him and drove him to his destruction. Heart disease, which his brother says is in the family, must have been the cause of his awfully sudden death. ‘Whether it will be well to tell Effie the sequel of this sad and strange story you must decide. At any rate, it seems unadvisable to reopen the subject at present. There are those who no doubt would pretend they could account for all that is so strange in these two dreams. For myself they must ever remain a psychological riddic —one of those mysteries which pertain to the unseen world. ‘With everything that 1s kind to the dear child, ‘“ Believe me, sincerely yours, “ AGNES Hout.” EOPMIEDIOOKS. CO im