Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-06


If 1 thought his manner strange, I did not won
der at 1.-THE dreadful nature of ths shock had IN
nerTed all of us,
Where is Mary i" I asked we had bette
wish"
I had turned toward the door, which opened int
the hall, to search for the younger sister, as l spoke
the words died on my lips. Eleanor was standing
there. She had evidently heard what had passed
She was as white as the morning dress she wore.
".Where is hei" Her voice sounded almost nat
ural.
AT tho Eagle Hotel" I answered without re
Election, glad that she showed such s~elf-command
aud, since she did, glad also that the terrible com
m nication was over.
She turned and ran through the hall, down thu
avenue toward the gate. In her thin slippers, hel
hair uncovered, fleet as a vision Of the wind shi
fed. sprung after her. 1t would not do to ALLOW
her to shock herself with that sudden, awful sight
As she rushed out upon the street caught her BY
the arm.
"Let me goi Unjust go to himl Don't you Sc,
he will need me
She made an effort to break away, looking down
the street with strained eyes. Poor child as if, HI
being dead, she could DO him any good Her stun.
ned heart had as yet gone no further than that il
Henry was hurt, was murdered, he would need hef
by his side. She must go to him in his calamity
1t was yet to teach her that this world and the
Things OF this world-eVen she, herself, were nc
more to him.
" Com ba K, Eleanor. thew will bring him IN
you before long"
had to Int her in my arms and carry her back
to the house.
In the hall we met Mary, who had heard the
story rom James, and who burst into tears a. she
saw her sister.
They are keeping me away from him." said
Eleanor, pitifully, looking at her. I felt her form
relax In my arms, saw that she had tainted James
and l carried her to a sofa, while Mary ran dis
~tractedly for the housekeeper.
james and myself passed the long halls and por-
ticoes, waiting for her recovery. After q time the
eousekeepsr came down, informing us that Miss
Argyll had come to her senses leastwise enough
to open her eyes and look about but she wouldn't
speak and looked dreadful,
Just then Mr.. Argyll came in. After being in.
formed Of what had occurred he went up to her
room. With uttermost tenderness he gave her the
details OF the murder, as they were known ; his
eyes ove%rrunning with tears to see that not a drop
of moisture soltened her fixed, unnatural look.
Friends came in and went out with no notice
from her.
II wish they would all leave me but you, Mary"
she said alter a time. Father, will you let me
know when"
"Yes-yes." He kissed her, and she was left
with her sister for a watcher.
Hours passed. Some of as went into the dining
room and drank ofthe strong tea which the house
keeper had prepared, for we felt weak and unnerv-
ed. The parents were expected in the evening
train, there being but one train running on Sun
day. The shadow ~deepened Over the house from
hour to hour.
1t was late in the afternoon before the body could
bf AemONcd . tue nOLel where the coroner s In
quest was held. l asked James to go with me and
attend upon its conveyance to Mr.. ArgylPs. He
uPen the plea of being too much unstrung
to 80 out.
A S the sad procession reached the garden in front
Of the mansion with its burden, ! observed, in the
midst ofseveral who had gathered about, a woman,
who's face, even at that time OF preOccupation, ar
rested my attention. 1t was that of a girl, young
and handsome, though now deadly pale, with q
wild LOOK in her Black eyes, which were fixed upon
the shrouded burden with more than awe and
curiosity.
Iknow not yet why I remarked her SO paraicu-
larly why her strange face made such an impress
on me. Once she started toward us, and then
shrunk back again. By her dress and general ap-
pearance she misht have been a shop girl. 1 had
never seen her before.
"That girl said a gentleman by my side, Facts
lueerly. And, come to think, she was on the train
rom New York yesterday afternoon. Not the one
poor Moreland came in; the one before. She SEEM
ID to have some trouble on her mind"
l seldom forget faces and / fever forgot hers.
Il will trace her out, :" was my mental resolve.
We passed on into the house and deposited our
in the back parlor. 1 thought of Eleanor,
IS she bad walked this room just twenty-four hours
a brilliant vision Of love and triumphant
Ay! twenty-four hours ago this clay be-
me was as Respondent with life, as eager, as
glowing with the hope of the soul within it I Now,
ali the hours of time would never restore the ten
int to his tenement. Who had dared TO take upon
himself the responsibility of ~unlawfully and with
7iolence, eJectlng this human soul from its housel
l shuddeIe1 as I asked myself the question.
Somewhere must be lurking a guilty creature, with
/. heart on fire from the flames of hell, with which
t had put itself in contact.
Then my heart stood still within me-all but the
amily had been banished from the apartment-her
ather was leading in Eleanor. With a slow step,
to his arm, she entered but as her eyes
liked themselves upon the rigid outlines lying there
beneath the funeral pail, she sprung forward, cast
ng herself upon her lovers corpse. Before, she
lad been silent; now began a murmur of woe so
that We who listened wished ourselves
leaf before our ears had heard tones and sentences
which could never be forgotten. She talked to him
IS if he were alive and could hear her. She v as re-
iolved to make him hear and feel her love through
he dark death which was between them.
"Ah, Henry, " she said, in a low, caressing tone,
PRESSING back the curls from his forehead with her
land, "yOut hair is wet still. To think that you
hould lie out there all night-alI night-on the
round, in the rain, and not know Of it'll It was
ruel of me to sleep so. Would you guess 1 was
-exed at you last evening because you didn't come?
{ was that made me SO gay-not because l was
Apply. Nexeda at you for not coming, when you
ould not come because you were dead " and she
As that soft, dreadful laughter thrilled the room,
a groan Mr.. Argyll arose and went out; he
ould bear no more.
The kisses; the light, gentle touches of hands
nd forehead, as if she might hurt him with the
aresses which she could not withhold the intent
ook which continually watched him as If expecting
n answer the miserable smile upon her white
dCt-llttt htIt NuinEo WHICH nduUL~Q I1O9e WHO
aw them through many a future slumber.
You viii not say you forgive me for singing
asst night. You don't say a word to me-because
ou are dead-that's it-because you are d ad-
:"
The echo Of her last word recalled her wandering
eason.
my God! murdered ! " she exclaimed, sudden
, rising to her full hight, with an awful air ''who
o you suppose did it
Her cousin was standing near her eyes fell upon
i'm az she asked the question. The look, the man
were too much for his already overwrought
visibility he shrunk away, caught my arm, and
unk down, insensible. I did not wonder. We all
{ US felt as if we could endure no more.
The arrival Of the relatives was the last scene in
he tragedy Of that day. Unable to bear more of
I went out in the darkness and walked upon the
My head was hot the cool air felt grateful
o me; ] leaned my head against the trunk Of an
ak, whose dark shadow shut out the starlight
about me; thought was busy With recent
vents. Who was the murderer The question re-
Owed in my brain, coming uppermost every other
loment, as certain y as the turning of a wheel
rings a certain point again and again to the top.
iy training, as a student of the law, helped my
lind to fix upon every slightest Circumstance
ihich might have a suspicion.
Could that woman but no, the hand of
woman could scarcely have given that sure and
owerful blow. 1t looked like the work Of q prac-
hand-Or, if net, at least IL had been delibe-
ately given, with malice aforethought. The assas-
in had premeditated the deed had watched his
ictim and awaited the hour. Thus far, there was
no clue whatever to the guilty party
cid as was the act, committed in the early even
lg, in the haunts Of a busy community, il had
cen most fatally successful and the doer had van
,hed as completely as if the earth had opened and
wallowed him up. No one, as yet, could form any
conjecture, even as to the motive.
In the name Of Eleanor Argyll-in the name of
er whom 1 loved, whose happiness 1 rad that day
cen in ruins, 1 vowed to use every endeavor to dis
over and bring to punishment the murderer. 1
now not why this purpose took such firm hold
{ me. SThe conviction of the guilty would not re-
the Lire which had been taken the bloom to a
cart prematurely w~ithered; it would afford no
to the 6eresVed. Yet, if to discover,
ad been to call back Henry Moreland to the world
rom which he had been so ruthIsssly dismissed, 1
ould hardly have been more determined in thepG
ait. In action only could l feel relief from the
which weighed upon me. It could not
i've life to the dead-but the voice of Justice called
loud, never 20 permit this deed TO sink into obliy-
IN, until she had executed the divine vengeance Of
be law upon the doer.
As stood there in silence and darkness, ponder
lg the matter, I heard a light rustling Of the
~ leaves upon the ground and felt, rather than
NV, a figure pass me. ! might have thought it
ne of the servants were it not for the evident eau
OF its movements. Presently, where the shad-
Of the trees were less thick, l detected q per-
IN stealing towards the house. As she crossed an
pen space, the starlight revealed the form and gar
tents of 8 female the next moment she passed
Ito the obscurity of shadows again, where she re-
aimed some time, unsuspicious of my proximity,
Ike myself, leaning against q tree, and watching
ne mansion. Apparently satisfied that no one was
hour now verging towards midnight
ne approached with lowering steps, now pausing,
drawing back, the west side of the mansion, |
ON one Of the windows Of which the solemn light
the death-candles shons. Under this window
ne crouched down. ! could not tell ifher attitude
ere q kneeling one. 1t must have been more than
n hour that she remained motionless in thi, posi-.
on I, equally quiet, watching the dark spot
here she TRs, For the instant that she stood be- !