Page 11 (1/1)
But the line was never finished With a wild cry,from his chair "Gentlemen, I have been stabbed!" was all he said, and fell back heavily into his seat Gas kneeling before hiht hand was pressed to his throat and his eyes seeht, a light! For God's sake, don't let hi the gas and Herne and Browne, so Browne afterward toldto seize the assailant I remembered, after it all was over, a quick movement Browne had made toward the darkest corner of the rooht, and I looked for the assassin He was not to be found! The roouests! The doors were closed; the s had not been touched No one could possibly have entered or left the room, and yet the assassin was not there But one solution re under a delusion, and Gwen's voice would restore him As she was about to speak I stepped back to note the effect of her words upon him "Do not fear, father," she said in a low voice as she laid her face against his cheek, "there is nothing here to hurt you You are ill,--I will get you a glass of cordial and you will be yourself again in a moment" She was about to rise when her father seized her frantically by the ar in a hoarse whisper:
"Don't leave me! Can't you see? Don't leave me!" and for the first ti her head between his palain, but could not, and glanced up at us with a helpless expression which I shall never forget Maitland, his eyes riveted upon the old gentlehts he seemed to divine, hurriedly produced a pencil and note-book and held them toward him, but he did not see the her passionately The next instant he was on his feet and from the swollen veins that stood out like cords upon his neck and forehead, we could see the terrible effort he wasto speak At last the words ca from his throat, for he took a full breath between each one of them "Gwen--I--knew--it! Good-bye! Remember--your--promise!" --and he fell a limp mass into his chair, overcole he had lass of water and threw it in his face I loosened the clothing about his neck and, in doing so, his head fell backward and his face was turned upward toward lazed and set I felt of his heart; he was dead!