The Petroleum Centre daily record. [volume] (Petroleum Center, Pa.) 1868-1873, 1869-06-15

night, and--good- -Oye, with
n wave of her hand she pasSeu ifom the
room.
He was mad to have spoken as he did
maddcr still to let her leave bin so! how
mad he was soon to learn.
| Lyon Berners remained walking up and
down the room some time longer. The
lights were all out, and the servants gone
to bed. Yet still he continued to pace up
and down the paror floor, until suddenly
piercing shrieks smote his ear.
In great terror be started forward and
instinctivey rushed towards Rosa's room,
when the door was suddenly tb:o ow open by
Rosa herself, pale, bleeding from a wound
in her breast
''Great Heaven! What is this?' be
cried az, aghast with amazement and sori
row, he supported the CHASTITY and dying
form, and laid it on the sofl, and then sunk
on his knees beside it.
''Wbo, who has done this?" be wildly
demanded, as, almost paralized with hor-
| ror, he knelt beside her and tried to stsnch
the gushing wound from which her life
blood was fast yelling.
She opened her bloodless lips. now paling
in death, and gasped forth the words:
"She-Sybil-your wife. l told You she
would do it, and she has. done it Sybil
Berners has murdered me. she whispered.
Then raising herself with last dying
effort. she cried aloud. .Hear, all! Sybii
Rerpers has murdered me- And with this
charge upon her lips. sbe fell back DEAD.
Even in that supreme moment Lyon Ber-
ners, first thuIght almost his only thought,
was for his wife. He looked up to see who
was there-vho had heard this awfnl, this
fatal charge
All were there! guests and servants, men
and women' drawn there by the dreadful
sbrieks AL had heard the horrible accusa-
tion.
| And all stood panio-stricken as they shrank
away from ole who stood in their midst
1t was she.Sybil, the accused, wuose very
aspect accusd her more loudly than the dy-
ing woman had done; for she stood there.
still in her idy masquerade dress, her face
pallid, her yes blazing, her wild black
hair loose and streaming. her crimsoned
hand raised and grasping o Dlood-stained
dagger.
20, wretaed woman! most wretched
woman! WhaF is this that you have done !
i groaned Lyon lBerners in unutterable agony
agony not fIr the dead beauty before him,
but for the living wife, whom he felt that
ne had drivento this deed Of depreciation.
Lyon Berners, do you believe me gull
ty9' she asked
He looked up, and their eyes met If he
had really believed her guilty. he did not
now. He answered briefly and firmly.
"No, Sybil! Heaven knows that [ do
not;bnt explain this horrible bnsiness-if
you cam"
''Tbe explanation is tlis.'' she said,
emphatically. And then her voice arose
clear firm, and distinct, as she continued:
II was In my chamber, which is imme-
dialeiy above that occupied by Mrs. Blon-
delle. My chamber is approached by two
ways, hrst by the front passage and stairs,
ana secondly by aRarr0w staircase raining
up from Mrs. BIondeli,'s raoms. / do not
know how long ] had sat there when
heard piercing shrek from some one in
the room below lnstinctively | rushed
down the communicating stairs and into
Mrs Blon9elle's room. aud up to aer bed,
where | saw by the light of lhe taper she
was dying. Her eyes werr closed, and |
thought at first That she had tainted from
fright until, almost at the same instant.
| saw this dagg-r--"hcre S5bil STONED
and picked up the dagger that she had
dropped few minntes hegore-.d driven 10
its hilt in her chest drew it ont. In-
stantiy the blood from the opened wound
SPIRITED up, covering my hand and sleeve
with The accusing Stains yon see? With
the iiow!ng Of the blood her eyes flew open
She gazed ati'rightedy at me for an instant,
and inen with the last effort OF her life. for
WHICH terror lent her strength she started
| tp aHo led shriekng TO this room. /,
still holding the dagger that had drawn
from her bosom. followed her mere. And
! you Anow the rest. said Sy1il; and over
i come with excitement, sh5 sank npon the
nearest chair 10 rest