JULY S 
Sfttrarj MisrfHaitij, 
ONLY GOING TO THE GATE. 
Like a bell of blossom ringing’. 
Clear and childish, short and sweet, 
Floating to the porch's shadow. 
With the faintest fall of feet, 
Cornea tho answer softly backward. 
Bidding tender watcher wait. 
While the baby qnecn outruns her, 
“ Only going to the gate.” 
Through the moonlight, warm and scented. 
Love to beauty breathes a sigh, 
Always to depart reluctant, 
Loth to speak the word " good-bye” ; 
Then the same low echo answers, 
Waiting love of older date. 
And thu maiden whispers softly. 
“ Only going to the gate.” 
Oh, these gates along our pathway, 
What they bar outside and in ! 
With the vague outlook beyond them. 
Over waves we have not been. 
How they stand before, behind us 1 
Toll-gates some, with price to pay; 
Spring-gates some, that shut forever; 
Cloud-gates some, that melt away. 
So we pass them going upward 
On our Journey one by one. 
To the distant shining wicket 
Where each traveler goes alone— 
Where the friends who Journey with us 
Strangely falter, stop and wait, 
Father, mother, child or lover, 
“ Only going to the gate." 
AN UGLY GIRL, 
(Continued from page 414.) 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 
UNDER THE SPELL. 
Noel scarcely knew how to reply to Herr Ru- 
dolshelm’s strange questions; but who can resist 
the longing Inherent to our natures to pry Into 
the Inscrutable ? 
“ If you can Indeed do this-?” 
“Try me," said the Herr. “I do not boast of 
the power that I think I possess. I have admit¬ 
ted that I may not succeed In what I do pro¬ 
pose to attempt; but what then-? You shall 
jeer at me If you will, and I—knowing what I 
know—shall still be able to bear your sarcasm with 
stoicism," 
“ I must confess that I have no faith In your 
skill.” Noel frankly told him. 
“ So be It.; then will mine he the greater triumph 
If I convince you. But stay; here Is the good 
Jephson with your lamp. Now can I scrutinize 
your looks, and ascertain If your nerves are In 
condition for the enterprise.” 
He felt Noel's pulse, and nodded approval of Its 
regular pulsations. 
“It Is well; you are neither fluttered nor fever¬ 
ish; still. It will be but a wLse precaution that you 
should swallow a few drops of wine, If your phy¬ 
sician does not forbid It.” 
Satisfied on this score, he hade Jephson bring 
some, poured out a glass for Noel, another for 
himself, and then, putting out his hand to extin¬ 
guish the lamp, asked: 
“Shall It be now? Are you prepared?” 
“ Stay,” exclaimed Lord Carlsforde. “ Before we 
go any further, let, me know precisely what It Is 
you are promising to do." 
“To exert,a power—latent In all of us—that of 
Influencing the uilnds of others. 1 shall will that 
Miss Carlsforde comes here to you, and answers 
you when you address her.” 
Noel laughed outright, tor he had overcome the 
Impression made upon hlru at first by Herr Ru- 
dolshelm’s earnestness. 
“You are promising marvellous things, mein 
Herr. 1 cun only say as I did before, if you can 
achieve this, 1 will never doubt again.” 
“So well so good/' said the German, unmoved 
by his scoffing tone. “1 ask again, are you 
ready?" 
“Must your experiment be made In darkness? 
Is this the openlug scene of some little drama you 
have arranged for the purpose of mystifying me 
and amusing yourself ? And where do you intend 
to take your stand while It progresses ?” 
“ I shall seat myself here by you ; I shall keep 
my Unger on your wrist, that If 1 detect any 
symptoms or an excitement that may be prejudi¬ 
cial to you, the spirit 1 have summoned may de¬ 
part and trouble you no longer." 
As he spoke, Herr Rudolshelm drew his chair 
closer to the easy one In which Lord Carlsforde 
was reclining. He sat for a minute or so steadily 
gazing Into the eyes that at first returned Ills 
gaze as unblenchlngly, then wavered and ached 
so strangely that Noel was forced to close, them. 
When he opened them again, the room was in 
darkness, except where, betwixt the curtains ot 
the window, a ray of moonlight had stolen and 
gleamed upon the oaken panelling of the walls 
with a falht, phosphorescent light. 
*■*««•* 
If Noel’s sensations might he relied on, hours 
elapsed while he sat there, no sound breaking the 
stillness, save the regular breathing of his silent 
companion. Yet he neither felt Impatience nor 
astonishment ; from the moment the Herr's eyes 
had looked Into his, a curious, but not unpleasant 
lassitude had crept over him, enchaining his limbs, 
though leaving his mind free. He could not have 
raised a hand or turned his head; he was not even 
sure that he could have spoken had he wished it; 
but he did not; every emotion seemed to have 
been soothed to rest by the potent spell that en¬ 
tranced him. lie would have declared himself to 
be under the influence of some delightful dream, if 
he had not, known but too well that lie was as 
thoroughly awake as when the Herr first startled 
him with the proposition that Miss Carlsforde 
should he drawn thither by the mysterious power 
he professed to possess. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Yes, he was awake; he knew where he was sit¬ 
ting ; he could have repeated every word ot the 
conversation that had occurred previous to the ex¬ 
tinguishing of the lamp. He could even speculate 
with amusement on the crestfallen look the Ger¬ 
man's face would wear when forced to acknowledge 
that he had failed, that the spirits had refused to 
obey his summons, and this long watch had re¬ 
sulted In-nothing. 
But Noel retracted that word, for the same feel¬ 
ing that be remembered to have experienced In the 
library was now upon him. He felt—though he 
could not tell why that, he and the Herr were no 
longer the sole occupants of the room. Did the 
German sleep that he sat, so motionless? or did 
he not share the unearthly sensation with which 
the young man’s blood was now beginning to 
chill ? 
The pleasant languor, so like the early hours of 
convalescence after a long Illness, yet even more 
delightful than they, was gradually giving place 
to less agreeable sensations. A peculiar faintness, 
felt first In the extremities, was rendering him 
cold and benumbed, as if life was gradually leav¬ 
ing him. He tonnd himself mechanically counting 
the throbs of his own heart, and conjecturing how 
much longer that vital organ would continue to 
pulsate. But these considerations brought with 
them no terror, no uneasiness; the brain appeared 
to have fallen under the same deadening influences 
as were affecting his body, and he was calmly 
awaiting the end. Nay, so utterly did all personal 
considerations cease to move him, that he con¬ 
tinued to notice, as before, the only signs Herr 
Rudolshelm gave of his presence, his regular in¬ 
spirations aud the gentle pressure ot his linger on 
Noel’s wrist. 
But now a long-drawn sigh floated towards 
him, and Immediately the shadowy figure of a 
woman stood where the moonbeams flickered on 
the wall. 
Then the Herr had kept his pledge. Ada Carls¬ 
forde, constrained by the will of another, had 
come hither; hut was It In the spirit, or actually 
In the body ? Ah! this he could not- tell. 
At one moment, nothing but the barest outlines 
of a female form were visible; at the next, he 
would see It distinctly, tor the. moon shone forth 
brightly and Illumined the space In which, with 
drooping head, and features shrouded by the 
dark drapery enveloping her, she stood; but even 
as he gazed a clbud passed over the sky, the 
vision faded, and so Intense was the gloom that 
he could not say whether It had entirely vanished 
or no. 
Had she indeed gone away beyond recall ? Oh! 
why could he not avail himself of the opportunity 
for which he had so often yearned! Why was he 
unable to address her—to adjure her to stay and 
hear him defend himself from Ills slanderers ? He 
made a desperate effort, to rise from his chair, but 
It was useless; he had lost the power to do so. 
Every Umb was Inert, as if paralyzed; his pulse 
began to beat feebly; he could no longer see, for 
his eyes were growing dimmer and dimmer. Was 
this, could tills he death ? 
A hand, the soft, tremulous hand of a woman, 
fell lightly on his own, but he could not clasp It. 
From thence it fluttered to his brows, and gently 
pressed them; but now everything became indis¬ 
tinct to Noel Carlsforde. 
After what appeared an Interminable Interval, 
he heard, or fancied he heard, a wall of agony, a 
piercing voice shriek wildly that he was dying; 
and then hot tears fell like rain upon his face, 
ne tried to struggle out of the thraldom In 
which he was held, but In vain, for his con¬ 
vulsive throes only exhausted him and Increased 
that distressing sensation of falutnoss which 
seemed to him, as well as to others, to herald his 
last moment. 
But soon some one—was It the Herr?—held a 
bottle emitting a powerful odor to his nostrils, and 
Noel was relieved. He felt that he was falling Into 
a calm, delicious sleep, and awakened from It to 
find Uilllan Gray, her aunt and Jephson hanging 
over him with faces expressive of Lhe deepest, so¬ 
licitude. 
“Such an extraordinary attack! and what- 
could have occasioned it?’’ Mrs. Hurst began to 
ask, as soon as she saw that she was recognized. 
“ Never, In all her experience, and It was consid¬ 
erable, beginning with llllUan’s mother, and never 
Idle a week after she expired, poor dear 1 so peace¬ 
ful, so beautifully resigned, and the best of advice, 
but not able to save her, the complaint being her¬ 
editary—" 
But here Noel gently put the garrulous lady 
aside, that he might be able to see t he spot where 
the figure had appeared. 
“Is she gonev-quite gone?” he asked, In his 
disappointment. “ What must she think of my 
silence? What could have taken possession of 
me ?” 
“ He rambles a little, poor young man, doesn’t 
he?” Mrs. Hurst demanded. In an audible whisper. 
“ I thought so from the expression of his eyes. I 
told you, HUllan, that his brain was still suffering 
from tliat, fall. Have you sent tor Dr. Monsou ? If 
not, pray do so, for I have known cases where de¬ 
lirium commenced in this manner, and In a few 
hours four men were not strong enough to hold 
him; aud Jephson Isn't as young as he was, and 
the lootman might not be of much use. especially 
without a straight waistcoat, to fly to." 
Noel could not help laughing, for Jephson was 
listening, open-mouthed In his dismay, to Mrs. 
Hurst’s ominous speech. 
“I am not mad enough to he dangerous.” he 
said, addressing himself to HUllan, who had been 
vainly endeavoring to silence her aunt. “ And I feel 
so much better that 1 do not think there will he 
any necessity for disturbing Dr. Monson. It Is true 
that I have had a strange attack, but—" 
Here he paused In some perplexity, and then In¬ 
quired eagerly lor Herr Rudolshelm. 
“ 1 am here,” was the quiet reply; “very much 
grieved, like the rest of your friends, to see you so 
indisposed, and, like them, greatly relieved by your 
recovery.” 
“Thanks; but teU me->’ 
“We are not alone,” the Herr murmured; and 
Noel curbed his Impatience ttll he had succeeded 
In convincing Mrs. Hurst and Jephson that there 
was no danger of a recurrence of his Ulness, and 
they had consented to follow the example of Hill- 
ian, who bad glided away as soon as she saw that 
her services were no longer required. 
“ Now,” cried Noel, when the door closed behind 
them—“now let me hear all you have to tell me 
about Miss Carlsforde.” 
“But, my best friend, what can I have to tell 
you?” the Herr demanded, with an astonished air. 
“ ( will that she should come hither; I wait with 
you the issue of my attempt to Influence her; your 
nerves, already weakened by your accident, play 
you little tricks, and suddenly you swoon, alarm¬ 
ing me so much that I turn up the lamp; I dash 
water In your face, 1 shout for aid. and my cries 
bring everyone to the room who was within hear¬ 
ing. Is not this all I have to tell you?” 
“But Miss Carlsforde came here. I saw her,” 
Noel asserted, positively. 
“Where, and when? With Madame Hurst and 
her niece? Then, was I too much engrossed with 
you to perceive her entrance? This Is unfortunate 
for I have great- ambition to know the daughter of 
my much-esteemed friend, the late viscount.” 
Then the Herr had not seen the figure that had 
stood, in the moonlight. Noel drew his hand 
across ms brows, and knew not what to think. 
Wan the German in league with Miss Carisforde 
to mystify him, or was all he had seen, or thought 
he saw. but an Illusion of his own excited brain ? 
“ You look dissatisfied,” the Herr observed. “ Is 
it because our experiment failed? Shall we re¬ 
peat it? But no; I have blame myself too much 
for commencing It. I will not tempt you to peep 
into the world of spirits again.” 
When he had repeated Ids regrets for Ills share 
In what had occurred, and gone away, Noel re¬ 
called Jephson. He had Just remembered fancying 
that the glass of tvlne he had swallowed seemed to 
have something unusual In Us taste, and might, 
therefore, be answerable for the extraordinary 
sensations he had undergone. But Jephson re¬ 
pudiated the notion indignantly. Ue never brought 
any but the best vintages to his lordship—had he 
not received Dr. Munson's orders to that effect?— 
and the decanter of Burgundy, then on the table, 
was the same that had been served to his lordship 
on the previous day. 
Growing at last quite wea ry of speculating as to 
the cause of the attack, Noel retired to rest, con¬ 
vinced, however, that it was no ethereal spirit, 
hut Ada Carlstorde in the body, whose hand had 
timidly touched his own. But this conviction ren¬ 
dered him more provoked than he could express > 
what. Indeed, could be more annoying than to 
know that he had not been able to seize the only 
chance .he was ever likely to have of convincing 
her that he was not the heartless, unfeeling fellow 
some one or other had represented him 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
PKKX'AHINa TO DEPART. 
A letter from Irene arrived on the morrow to 
give Noel fresh food for thought, and revive all 
that distrust of Clement Dunforth tho young 
man’s frank manner and ready acquiescence in 
his wishes, had lulled. 
“ Maggie is recovering nicely/’ she said; “ which 
is fortunate, for nurse has had had news of the Ill¬ 
ness ot her daughter, and is forced to leave me. 
Mamma is my patient now; you know she never 
will wear good stout boots, because she says they 
spoil her feet, which are really very pretty ones, 
aud as she has twice been caught in a shower this 
week while taxing her daily walk, she has con¬ 
trived to catch a bad cold; but I shut my lips 
tightly when she makes an aggravating speech, 
and never suffer myself to be provoked Into re¬ 
torting, so we are getting on pretty well, it Is 
fortunate that between the children and mamma 
I have so much to do, or else I think I should fret 
a Little, dear Noel, for Clem’s letters are really un¬ 
kind ones. They are full of comphdnts of me, 
though what 1 have done to deserve them, 1 can¬ 
not tell. 1 am a silly, thoughtless girl, brother 
mine; 1 see tliat more clearly since I have been 
brodght In contact with HUllan Gray, whom I 
should love dearly, If 1 were not obliged to doubt 
her. Yes, 1 am heedless and Ignorant, but Clem 
inis known this from the begli.nlug or out ac¬ 
quaintance ; why, then, does he lecture me so se¬ 
verely, now that I am doing my best to become 
more worthy of him ? 1 ask him, but he only an¬ 
swers evasively, hinting that 1 am treating him 
unkindly, neglecting his wishes, and so on. Has 
some one been telling him anything to my disad¬ 
vantage ? or is It—1 am almost ashamed to say 
this, for fear It should sound unjust, but 1 cannot 
help asking myself—is It. possible that I have ap¬ 
peared to such disadvantage beside HUllan Gray 
that clem-1 need not write any more; you will 
understand me. If 1 am right, tell me so at once; 
you know how I hate to he kept tn suspense, and 
you need not be afraid that I shaU give you cause 
to be ashamed of me. Neither Clem, nor the girl 
ho prefers to your little sister, shall ever know 
how many tears lUs conduct has cost 
“ Your loving, but sorrowful, 
“ Irene. 
“ P. S.—Don’t rave out when you read this, and 
take up the cudgels on my behalf, for, after all, 
Noel dear, I think it Is my pride that Is wounded 
more than my heart.” 
“ Thank Heaven that shu Is able to discover this 
already!” exclaimed her brother, as he re-folded 
the letter. "It wiu pain me less to see her de¬ 
pressed by the mortification of being jilted, than 
the unhappy wife of a man whose principles are so 
doubtful as Clement, Dunforth’s. Yet how am 1 
to reconcile Irene’s complaints of his unkindness, 
with the affectionate manner lu which he spoke 
of her at our last interview, and his readiness to 
cease visiting at C’aflslorde, as soon as l hinted 
that It might auuoy his betrothed? There must 
he something in the atmosphere of this house that 
affects aU of us. When 1 am once more In town, 
and Dunforth also returns thither, I will watch 
him closely. Before I quit England, I will take 
care to ascertain whether he is really attached to 
Irene, or forsaking her for another.” 
Although he would not mention even to himself 
the name of Hllilan Gray, It galled him terribly to 
think of her as the successful rival of Irene. An¬ 
other day, and ho should have (putted Carisforde, 
never perhaps to behold its inmates again; but 
what perplexing recollections he would carry with 
him of the hours spent beneath its roof! Miss 
Carlsforde hovering near, watching over his com¬ 
fort, ready to interfere In his behalf If he were 
neglected by her dependents, yet never becoming 
visible, and, when courteously entreated to see 
him, recoiling lu suspicion and alarm, as It his 
gratitude were but the cloak for deeper designs. 
Uilllan, again so gentle, so gracious, so eager to 
help him forget hlssulterlngs. treating him as If he 
were a dear brother, yet as soon as Clement Dun¬ 
forth came on the scene, shrinking Into herself, 
and, if compelled to address lum, speaking with 
the c hi l l i n g constraint of one who feels herself 
injured, and justified In resenting It. 
With her he was determined to have an expla¬ 
nation before quitting the Park. He would not 
ask for It; that might put heron her guard, and 
give her time to decline it. As for Miss carlsforde, 
he despaired of conquering her prejudices, there¬ 
fore contented himself with writing a note of fare- 
weU, to be left for her as usual In the library. He 
had expostulated and entreated in vain, and he 
came to the conclusion that a quiet reiteration of 
his willingness to do for her any friendly services 
In his power, wa3 as much as could be expected 
from him. 
When his note <vas written, he sat, with it open 
before him for several minutes, his commisera¬ 
tion for the unfortunate girl Inducing him to ask 
himself if there were really nothing to be done 
but leave her to her forlorn, helpless self. 
“ Pshaw!" hw suddenly cried, as he snatched 
up and directed an envelope. “ What possesses 
me, that I persist In forcing my friendship upon 
a person who Is just as eager to avoid me ? it Is be¬ 
cause her hand touched mine so timidly the other 
night, and her tears—were they her tears, though; 
—were wet upon my forehead when I revived 
from that lethargy ? She Is not so very friend¬ 
less, after all. She has her guardian, who must 
soon be here; and Mrs. Hurst and Uilllan, who 
may be true to her, though false to others. When 
I am far away—1, who have unwillingly disturbed 
her life and agitated her with fears that her 
father’s will was an unjust one—she will overcome 
these morbid fancies; and berore long I shall hear 
of her settling down to pass her time happily and 
usefully on her own property.” 
When Noel had summoned Jephson, and made 
the few arrangements necessary for his journey 
on the marrow, he had a fancy to carry his letter 
to the library, and leave It there himself. He 
could now walk tolerably well with no other aid 
than that of a walking-stick; and, emerging from 
the apartments in which he had so long been a 
prisoner, he slowly descended to the hall below. 
His spirits rose with the exertion. What though 
the strange will of the late peer had left him too 
poor to support, bis title ? It had not robbed him 
of his energy or his youth. Nay, it gave him at 
least the power to shake off the incubus Mrs. 
Estcourt had proved herself. By settling on her 
the small sum Mr. Whitely was ready to pay over 
to him, he should be free from the burden of her 
support, and In other lands he would seek the 
fortune denied to him here, and forget Hilllan 
Gray. 
But when this last thought arose, a sigh broke 
from his Ups. Would It be so easy to forget her ? 
Would not her Image haunt him wherever he 
turned bis steps 7 
'• Not If she becomes the wife of Clement Dun¬ 
forth/’ he muttered “Then shaU I think or her 
only as either the falsest or the weakest of women, 
and thus learn to despise her.” 
He moved slowly on, and, opening the door of 
the library, found Herr Rudolshelm Its sole occu¬ 
pant. He was so surrounded with books, and so 
absorbed In the. contents of the tome from which 
he was transcribing, that he did not see Noel tm 
he stood beside him. 
“ Ah, hahe exclaimed, at last; “ then you 
have come to return my visits—you Invade me In 
my den. is it not so? Ach Himmei / but I could 
not wish myself a better wish than to be immured 
here for weeks, months, with these my friends"— 
he patted the books—" to bear me company. But 
I am too busy for conversing. You will generously 
excuse me If I proceed, lest I lose the train of 
thought this passage has evoked. You will amuse 
yourself with reading till I am at leisure to enjoy 
your society. What shall 1 bring you? Periodi¬ 
cal-newspaper ?—pamphlet ?" 
“Nay; I will not let, you disturb yourself to do 
either!” cried Noel, pressing him back Into the 
seat from which he would have risen. "I had a 
fancy to pay a parting visit to this room; that is 
all;” and as he spoke he could not help thin king 
that he should have dearly liked to penetrate the 
mystery ot the concealed door; but that would 
have Involved on Intrusion on Miss Carlsforde. and 
must not, therefore, be attempted. 
“ Then you are leaving us ? When ? To-mor¬ 
row ? I am sorry to hear It, although my own 
stay here will be brief. But do not say that I 
shall see you no more, will it be an impertinence 
to Inquire your plans ?” 
“ No; for I am sure your questions are kindly 
Intended,” Noel replied: and, as concisely as he 
could, he explained to the Heir how he had deter¬ 
mined to go abroad. 
“But there are tour, five great continents to 
choose rrom. To which of them do you direct your 
steps? Pardon again my Inquisitiveness; hut I 
have good friends In Asia, the two Americas, aud 
even in Arrtca, who might be of help to you, unless 
you are already Independent of It.” 
“ By no means; and 1 shall accept your kindness 
with gratitude,” Noel eagerly replied. "1 Intend 
leaving England; but what to do or where to go 
cannot, decide; and the only person who has off er 
ed to further my intentions Is one to whom I would 
rather not lie under any obligation/’ 
