Beadle's Dime Novels No. 14 — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

THE GHOST AGAIN. 83 of the window, he took up a new volume and began to Suddenly the thought came to him that Clematis was dead. He felt cold and faint—as chilled to the heart as if he had touched the marble forehead of a corpse. If that were really she who came to him, then Clematis was noé dead, for that which he had seen was not a spirit nor an angel—not a holy and beatified spirit—but a woman, pure and sacred as earth can be, but warm, loving, full of the tenderness and sympathy of this world. Of course it was all in vain that he tormented himself to explain a mystery to which he had no clue.~ It was midnight before he could compose himself to sleep; but when he did slumber, his rest was profound and dreamless. He awoke with the same elation of spirits which had distinguished his rising the previous day. He_félt so impelled to proceed with the portrait, that he resumed his work immediately after the - morning meal. | * "This time he felt no surprise when, having hardly got satis- factorily at his work, raising his eyes, he beheld Clematis again in the chair. Indeed, he had placed the chair for her, feeling sure that she would return. He greeted her with a silent smile, which she returned in kind. She was looking lovely, her cheeks tinged with faint blushes, her hair falling carelessly about her face and throat, her white dress floating © . about her like a light cloud. In her bosom she wore a rose and a sprig of myrtle, and a band of plain gold circled either arm. : ; Pennon was so afraid she would dissolve into air if he spoke to her, that he said not a word, looking alternately at the sitter and the canvas; and working rapidly and with de- light. At length he spoke, without thinking of the probable consequences— s “Turn your head a little this way, Clematis.” She obeyed him, without speaking, her eyes seeming to ask if it was right. aS “Yes, that is it, precisely ;” painting diligently, but ven- turing to ask, after a pause —“how came you here, Cle- matis ?” here was no answer; she looked at him gravely, but comicbooks, conn