Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-05-23

that but I'd fear and terror upon me all
the the time lest something should be found
out, and him taken while he was here"
II am quite In the dark, mother" replied
Pennie. "What Is 1t makes the mystery
about man, whose nature it is to be easy
and generous, open and kind?" He had
hidden her hear the story and she felt that
1t was not possible to live at peace with her.
self much longer in ignorance of 1t.
"What is it? Ay, you were too little to
be telled, of course you were; but since
you've made friends, it is good you should
know, that you may take heed, and say
nothing before him you should't. I'm sure,
poor fellow, pitied him for one, and it laid
his mother low. She never held up her
head after, and Pierce was Almost as bad.
Your Aunt Lister saved the Norm,inster
Gozettes that had it all in. l dessey she'll
lend EN- you to read"
He gave me this ring for keepsake" I"
said Pennie, with sudden impulse OF con-
fidence toward her mother, extending her
hand with the old-fashioned diamond hoop
upon it. Mrs. Croft drew it off to look at 1t
closer, and asked what were the words en-
craven inside-she could not see them with
out her glasses. "'God send me well to
keep;' that is what they are, replied Pen
ME. "' God send me s0ell to keep"
There's need He should keep us all, !"
said the widow, staring thoughtfully into
the fire. "There's many unaccountable
events happens in this world that never gets
cleared up. We want to trust some one out
and beyond of ourselves and of what's be-
fallen us, that we do. We're poor weak
creturs, here to-day and gone tomorrow"
Mrs. Croft paused for a minute or two in
pious meditation, and then began her story.
81 was at Rood when it was done, but
soho did ii is the mystery that limit bot
toned yet, and never may be. We were all
out in the gardens (and pretty gardens they
were when Mrs. Tindal was alive) after lunch
was over in the tent. Everybody had
story after, no two of 'em alike, so I'll only
say what saw myself I was standing as
it might be here" laying hand on the ta-
Bile, "talking to Mrs. Raymond, of Eskford
Il should tell you it was at picnic at the
Abbey, that Mrs. Tindal gave every summer
to her friends and the big tenants), talking
to Mrs. Raymond in the shadow of some
yew-trees that stands yet on the slope near
the river. There was lot of low thick
bushes behind us, and the shrubbery, near
couple of acres of 1t laid out in paths, and
there the company chiefly was, for the day
was August, and melting Not twenty steps
of, higher up on the grass, there was three
gentlemen in group; one was Mr.. Wyn-
yard Of Eastwood, one was Mr.. Oxenden,
parson at Berrythorpe, and the other was
Mr.. Tindals brother, Hugh was his name,
and he was year or two older than Arthur
him you know. They was very merry
all of 'em, talking,as could hear by chance
words, of Norminster races, that was to be
the week after; and Hugh Tindsl, with a
braggadocio way he had, was just giving a
toss with his left hand, when gun was fired
off in the bushes at the back of me. Hugh
Tindal sprang straight up, a foot or two into
the air, and fell forward flat on his face
dead-shot through the heart.
Before one could breathe, Arthur ran out
from among the trees, and brushed by us,
white and staring, to where his brother lay.
1t was, you may believe, terror and con-
fusion. Some cried to keep off the ladies,
some to fetch doctor, some to search the
i plantations; everybody giving orders and
nobody doing anything to purpose, till
Pierce came tottering down the lawn, and
gave him one look. 'Cover his face says
he, 'he's gone before his Maker, that equally
judges ALL remember the words as if I'd
heard EN- yesterday, Arthur helped to car
ry him in and lay him In his chamber. A
fine-looking man he'd been. as all the Tin
dals were, but grief to the mother that
bore him; and if he wasn't much belied, a
shame and sorrow to other women as well
as her." .l, t.,
Sand they sought through the planta-
tions, mother2" said Pennie, with pulses
almost at q stand. ,,sss., Az. ....
"They sought 'em through and through
for days; they raised hue and cry all over
the country. Who was at odds with Hugh
Tindal2 Who was to gain by his death? No
one could ever tell where the first whisper
came from that said his brother Arthur was
the man but before he was buried it was
loud enough. Folks caught It up like wild
fire. won't deny, Pennie, that his look
had struck me at the time, and had haunted
| $50 ofta, fnr oil 7 90 IA yntI,;po 7 x,n,t Ja
ny either that felt prejudice against him
then, or that I have my doubts STILL"
1t was growing gloomy in the parlor; Mrs.
Croft stirred the fire, threw on more wood,
and made blaze, while Pennle took up q
newspaper, and held it for screen betwixl
her face and the light. .4.t.s
SIT was MURDER" said the widow, reseat.
ing herself; "as black murder as was even
done. If Arthur Tindal did 1t, he has the
DEVILS own front to brazen it out If he
didn't, he suffered world o misery for an
other mans crime. DR.. Grey said he won
dered the lad didn't curse God and die; fol
the doctor never would hear q word of Ar.
thurs being the villain. They had him up
on warrant before the magistrates at Allan
Bridge; ever little they could swear against
him was sworn, and he was committed to
Norminster sizes. But when the sizes
came on, the grand jury found no evidence
in the bill likely to bring it home to him, and
he was let out of gaol; for they said that If
he was put on his trial then, he was sure tc
be acquitted; and the law could never touch
Q him after, though the best of proof NIGH
' turn up. And that's how he stands to thi.
r day, neither cleared nor condemned"
"It is cruel case, mother. What caust
! was there for his being suspectedf"
1 "Both he and Hugh were sweet on Miss
: Lylvia, Squire Curtiss daughter, at Methle.
t Towers, and though she was for Arthur, he
s family were all for the elder brother, wht
had the property. Here was sort of mo
. tive, if there had been enough to back it,
r But though some folks said the brothers hat