delicate sense of feeling might enable me to detect. I determined to
make the experiment and passed my finger very carefully over the side
which first presented itself. Nothing, however, was perceptible, and
I turned the paper, adjusting it on the book. I now again carried my
forefinger cautiously along, when I was aware of an exceedingly
slight, but still discernable glow, which followed as it proceeded.
This, I knew, must arise from some very minute remaining particles of
the phosphorus with which I had covered the paper in my previous
attempt. The other, or under side, then, was that on which lay the
writing, if writing there should finally prove to be. Again I turned
the note, and went to work as I had previously done. Having rubbed in
the phosphorus, a brilliancy ensued as before- but this time several
lines of MS. in a large hand, and apparently in red ink, became
distinctly visible. The glimmer, although sufficiently bright, was
but momentary. Still, had I not been too greatly excited, there would
have been ample time enough for me to peruse the whole three
sentences before me- for I saw there were three. In my anxiety,
however, to read all at once, I succeeded only in reading the seven
concluding words, which thus appeared- "blood- your life depends upon
lying close."

Had I been able to ascertain the entire contents of the note-the
full meaning of the admonition which my friend had thus attempted to
convey, that admonition, even although it should have revealed a
story of disaster the most unspeakable, could not, I am firmly
convinced, have imbued my mind with one tithe of the harrowing and
yet indefinable horror with which I was inspired by the fragmentary
warning thus received. And "blood," too, that word of all words- so
rife at all times with mystery, and suffering, and terror- how trebly
full of import did it now appear- how chilly and heavily (disjointed,