Cruel As The Grave

"'You will not tell me who she is? Very well. When next I see her, she

shall tell me, silent as she is,' said the lady grimly setting her

teeth.

"Dubarry arose with a sigh, and went back to his ailing setter; but his

thoughts brooded over the subject of the apparition.

"The lady kept her word at a fearful cost. For the remainder of the day,

her conduct towards her husband was so cold and repelling as to wound

and offend him. So it happened that when the hour for retiring came that

night, she went up to her chamber alone. She had but time to reach the

room, when all the household was startled by a piercing shriek and a

heavy fall.

"Mr. Dubarry, soon followed by all the servants, rushed up stairs to

Mrs. Dubarry's bedroom. They found the lady extended on the floor, in a

deep swoon. She was raised and laid upon the bed, and proper means taken

to revive her. When at length she opened her eyes, and recognized her

husband, she signed for every one else to leave the room; and when they

had done so, she turned and took his hand and kissed it, and fixed her

wild and frightened eyes upon him and whispered in an awe-struck tone: "'Phil, dear, I wronged you. I took that creature in the red cloak to be

a sweetheart of yours, Phil, but it was not; it was--a spectre!' "There was silence between them for a minute, during which she never

took her scared eyes from his pale face. He was the first to speak.

Summoning up as much resolution as he could muster, he affected a light

laugh, and answered: "'Spectre! My sweet wife, there is no such thing.' "'Ah, but--but--if you could have seen what I saw, felt what I felt!' "'Nonsense, dear one. You were the subject of an optical illusion.' "'No, I was not. Hush! Let me tell you what happened. I came up into

this room. It was warm and ruddy with the fire light and the lamp light;

and in the glow I saw the girl standing between the hearth and the bed.

I spoke to her, asking her how she dared intrude into my most sacred

privacy; and then she silently glided from the spot. But I told her she

should not leave the room until she had given some account of herself.

And I put forth my hand to stop her, but the moment I did so I received

a shock as from some powerful galvanic battery! a tremendous shock that

threw me down upon my face. I knew no more until I came to my senses and

found myself here, with you watching over me. Now, Philip, tell me that

was an optical illusion, if you dare,' said the lady, solemnly.