Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-08-05


but bowed my head on her lap-I was
kn ceiling at her feet-and the noCd Gsokt
loose.
Even after that I did not quite give
up ell hope. Time, i thought, might
work wonders. Any way, she had been
The life of my life Ioo long forme to shat
her oct OF my heart. went on wor-
shipping her, and | comforted myself
it was the oniy comfort l had-wlth
thinking that even ifshe didno lOvetDe
she loved no other. IL WAS just beiere
then that Colonel East man had moved
TO Ryefieid, and very soon his son
Robert G.. me home 10 pass the summer.
He met Lucia, and they seemed at once
greatly interested in one another II
was not strange. He was ofher kind
generous, genial, and loving / suppose
they We're just suited 10 each other
Well, hated him That was not strange
either. i hated his handsome face, his
social manners. ] gave to every one OF
his good qualities a distinct and dseparate
hate; and, because her eyes looked on
him with favor, this still, deadly hate
grew daily dtadlier ard more murder
ous. But dissenfbleG. Ieyen euftiva-
ted his friendsliip.s was more social
and good-humered than I,hadeyer been
before, and began TO gain popularity
But the smiles | wore we're like flowers
growing over volcano. --e11s
=" After while ] heard that lie and
Lucia were engaged, and then resolved
that he should die. | met him just as
usual, with this deadly purpose in nay
heart. ] even congratulated him on his
happiness. But / watched his every
movement, close, close. Soon after there
came time which placed him in my
power. He was to come from Nindham,
oneday, with five hundred dollars he had
drawn from the bank the day before
He w0nld come this way. | resolved 10
meet him here. Heewas rot expected
until afternoon, but / came early in the
morning. was determined he should
not escape me. | stationed myself be-
hind that clump of poplars near the
Black Pool. Lightning has blasted
them since. Ne wonder, l had not
been there very long before heard
horses footsteps. / looked out, eau
tiously. 1t was he. He had started
early-perhaps to make the journey in
the GOODNESS of the morning; perhaps
/ gnashed my teeth in silent fury al the
thought-perhaps he was in haste 70 see
again his fair betrothed.
II had laid my plans as coolly as
tell them to you now: had armed my
self, and sesolved. as soon as he should
reach me, to spiing from my conceal
ment, fell him from his horse, and mur-
der him then and there. OF course there
was always TIE chance that he should
defend himself and master me--the yet
more dreadful chance that, if | killed
him, / should expiate my crime upon
the gallows; but, physically. | am no
coward. / had made up my MUD, and
there was no fear that ! should finch.
"But it happened better than | had
planned. For once Satan favored his
own. Before he reached me he dis
and tied his horse to the fence
on the other side of the way. The ami
NAL looked tired, and. Isuppose, his mas
ter felt in the mood TO be merciful. Then
be came across the road, and sat down
in the very shadow ofthe poplars behind
which !, his deadly enemy, was hid
He took off his cap and barred his fore
head to the September morning air.
Then he drew from his pocket nina
ture, and bent over it lovingly. | was
almost near enough to hear him breathe.
| could see the features as well as he
Lucia was there--Lucia, with her soft
hair, her eyes of violet blue, her bewil-
dering smile. After moment he press
ed it pasionately to his lips, murmuring
fondly:
"'Oh, Lucia, my bride, my darling,
my dear, dear love!'
"If had meant to spare his life be-
fore | should have killed him then. I
might never win her love, but he should
not live to bask in her smiles-to claim
her--to hold her in his arms.
"Softly as cat stole from my con-
cealment. Absorbed in happy thoughts.
he neither saw or heard me, until stood
behind him and my hands were clasped
around his throat-tight, tight. Then,
indeed, he struggled madly for his life. |
But never relaxed my hold. All heilt
could not have shaken it off. Soon he !
fell down at my feet, still and stiff, |
no longer-dedd. s
"I was calm still. Irified his pockets. |
took the five hundred dollars and his
watch and tied them, together with a |
heavy stone, in his pocket handkerchief
and dropped them into the Black Pool. |
They cleft the dark waters and sank |
In an instant they were lost to
sight forever. left the miniature, which !
[ longed but did not dareto keep, upon
his person. gave him, as,he lay there,
1ne long, triumphant gaze, and then
quietly walked away home. II I'll
" But not even yet was my hatred sat
sfied. The dead man lying there, stark
and cold, with his face npturned to the
sun, was yet, to thinking,
better off than I. Gladly, ah, gladly,
would l have taken his place, and lain
ips call me til beloved of her soul-to
toI in fnfh ha, l.
nto the hereafter Of spirits iTrfE(Tss |
"For time l half expected to suffer
or my crime felon's doom, but suspi-
lion never seemed to point my way
That afternoon his horse, which | had
eft as he had tied it, broke from its fas-,l
ening, aud rushed. riderless, home III
Then they found his body. Tie rob-
,ery which had been committed seemed
o indicate the money he had with him
IS the motive of the deed, and led to the 4
apprehension of two or three persons
hitherto suspected of theft. But they
we're all discharged and after Mrs.
Eastman had died, and the Colonel
moved away, the matter, had pretty
much ceased to be talked of.
1.-The first pang of remOFse | ever suf-
cred was when saw Lucia standing at
drs. Eastman's grave. Ihad not seen
Ter before since that day. She had
hanged in those few weeks so that you {
would hardly have known her. Her
Whole face seemed frozen. Her cheeks {
nd lips were ashen; the smiles had allI
led out forever from her face; the joy-l
US light from her eyes. loved her sol /
hat would have died. even then, to |
ring back TO Der happiness; but weuld /
ave seen her die before, if the power &
ad been mine, / would have restored c
er lover to life.
"Three years after went 10 see her. "a
n all this time | had never once seen Y
er alone. Now could wait no longer. Ea
had not much hope, yet ] longed to 5
I'll her again of my love. She came into r
he room where l waited for her, and i
nod he mo a mortal terror snirad 81.