Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-05-08

lence to the side Of a bed, of which Eu.
genie suddenly drew the curtain, and
to her, with a significant and
gesture, the pale, rigid
of her fathers corpse, who
had, it appears, suddenly expired. The
shock was terrible. Mrs. Rushton stag
gered back into the sitting room, sick
and faint, sank into chair, and present
ly asked for a glass of wine. ave have
no wine," replied Mad'lle de Tourville ;
"but there is a cordial in the next room
which may be better for you." She was
absent about a minute, and on returning,
presented Mrs. Rushton with a large
wine-glass Of liquid, which the deceased
lady eagerly swallowed. The taste was
strange but not unpleasant and Instant
ly Mrs. Rushton left the house. When
the carriage reached Harley street, she
was found to be in state Of great pros
tration. Powerful stimulants were ad-
ministered, but her life was beyond the
reach of medicine. She survived just
long enough to depose TO the foregoing
particulars-upon which statement Mad
emoiselle de Tourville had been arrested
and was now in custody.
"You seem to have been very precipi-
tate," exclaimed, as soon as the solicit
or had ceased speaking; "there appears
to be as yet no proof that the deceased
lady died of other than natural causes"
"You are mistaken" rejoined Mr..
Twyte. "There is no doubt on the sub
iect in the minds of medical men, altho'
the post mortem examination has not yet
taken place. And, if to put aside every
doubt, the bottle from which this Eugenie
lie Tourvile admits she took the cordial
proves to contain distilled laurel-water, a
ieadIy poison, curiously cClored and fla
7ored."
Greatly perturbed, shocked, astonished
as was, my mind refused to admit, even
for a moment, the probability, hardly the
possibility, of Eugene de Tourville's
guilt. The reckless malignancy of spirit
evinced by so atrocious an act dwelt not,
was sure, within that beauteous temple.
The motives alleged to have actuated her
fear of criminal charge, admitted to
be absurd, and desire to rid herself Of an
obstacle to her marriage with Arthur
Rushton-seemed to me altogether strain
ed and inapplicable. The desperation of
late could alone have
prompted such deed; for detection was
had, in truth, been courted ra-
her than attempted 10 be avoided.
My reasoning made no change in the
of Mr.. Twyte the attorney
for the prosecution, and hastened home
10 administer such consolation to Arthur
Rushton as might consist in the assurance
of my firm conviction that bis beloved
mothers life had not been wilfully taken
away by Eugene de Tourvi!!e.. j found
him still painfully agtated and the me-
deal attendant told me il was feared by
DIR. - that brain fever would super
vene if the utmost care was not taken 10
keep him as quiet and composed as, un-
der the circumstances, was possible. !
was, however, permitted a few minutes
with him; and my reason
ing, or, more correctly, my confidently
belief-for his mind seemed
of following my argument,
which it indeed grasped family at, but
slipped from, as it were, in an instant
appeared to relieve him wonderfully. j
also promised him that no legal or pecu-
mary assistance should be wanting in the
endeavor TO clear Mademoiselle de Tour
vile of the dreadful imputation prefer
red against her. then left him. The
Of the physician was unfor-
tunately realized the next morning he
was in a raging fever, and his life, | was
informed, was in very imminent danger
1t was a distracting time but | deter
minedly, and with much self. effort, kept
down the nervous agitation which might
have otherwise rendered me incapable of
fulfilling the duties | had undertaken to
perform. By eleven o'clock in the fore
noon / had secured the active and zeal
Gus services of Mr.. White, one of the
most celebrated Of the criminal attorneys
of that day. BY application in the prop
er quarter, we obtained immediate access
to the prisoner, who was temporarily con-
fined in a separate room in the Red-Lion
Square Lookup House. Mademoiselle
de Tourville, although exceedingly pale,
agitated, and nervous, still looked as lus-
trously pure, as radiantly innocent Of
evil thought or deed, as on the day that j
first beheld her. The practiced eye OF
the attorney scanned her closely. "As
;nnncent of this charpen he Mhispered