The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-06-25

Of
sybiIghded away. She could hearno more.
Supper-time drawing near, when all the
guests would have TO unmask, Sybil and
Beatrix r-e-exchnnged costumes, and went
down to the drawing-room together just as
the last quadrillo was completed, and the
company began TO march to the supper
room.
As each couple passed into the supper
room they took off their masks, and hand
\ cd them 20 attendants, placed for hat pur-
pose IN. thaFight and left of the door. Thus
wheni The eohInny Allied the room, every
face was shown but "Deoth' was no
where TO be seen.
At last the party broke up. Only n few
of the guests remained nll night. These
were shown TO thoir rooms, aud the others
having gone, rs fate would hayeit, Mrs.
Blondclle vent into tho little reception
parlor to meet Mr.. Berners. who assured.
her that henceforth he could never extend
to her moro than q brothers affection.
"Thcn give me n brothers. kiss" she
sighed. "That is not much 10 ask, and |
have no one to kiss me now. So give mea
brothers kiss, andlot me go" she pleaded
plaintiyely.
lie hcsitatod for . moment, and then
bending over her, he said: Z. i.is.
at is the first, and for your own sake il
must be the last, Rosa J. n he pressed
his lips 10 hers.
It jsas the last as well rs tho first; for at
tho meeting of their lips they were stricken
asunder as by the fall of n thunder bolt.
And Sybil, blazing with wrath, like n
spirit from the Lake of Fire, stood between
them q
She looked not human with her whole
face and form heaving, palpitating, flash
ing forth the lightnings of anger
fFSYBm m exclaimed her husband,
thunder-stuck, appalled,.
She waved her hand towards him, as il
TO imploro or command silence.
al have nothing 10 say to yorl, - she
muttcred, in low and husky tones, Hs IL
ashes were in her throat. "But 90 You T.
she said, and her voice rose clear and
strong as she turned and stretched out her
arm towards Rosa, who was leaning in
alright against the woll-"To You, trait
ress, who has como between the true hus-
, band and his wife-in the morning you
must leave the house you have desecrated
for if You do not, or il ever L find your
false face here again, | will tread down and
) crush out your life with less remorse than
ever l set heel upon n spider ! will, as ]
/ am n Bcmers ! And now, begone, and
never let me see your form again y
o Rosa Blondelle, who Ind stood spell
bound by the terrible gaze and overwhelm
o ing words Of Sybil, the wronged wife, nov
o suddenly threw up her hands, and with
D low cry fed from the room.
And Sybil dropped her arm and her vote,
81 at the same instant, and stood dumb ant
/, m%otionless.
i And now at length, Lyon Bernors spok,
A again.
4 "Sybil" no said, 'this house is yours
I You must do rs you please. Blu this j tel
yoI: that in the same hour that sees tina
3 poor and %friendless young creature driver
i from the shelter of this roof, / leave it too
i and leave itforever T"
\ If Lyon Bernors really meant this, o
n thought 70 bring his ,Grey-hearted wife L
Q terms by the threat, he was mistaken il
her character.
Q ooh, gol' she exclaimed bitterly ego q
!, soon as you like, Lyon Berners. Good-nigh
aud good bye" she said, and with n wav
of her hand she passed from the room,
He was mad TO have spoken rs he did
madden to let her leave him 30 how mad
k he was soon to learn.
o Lyon Berners remained walking up an
down the room somo time longer. Th
lights were all out, and the servants gon
TO bed. Yet still he continued to pace Il
s. and down the parlor floor, until suddenl
lltlNlilk hllithn nilpNb I'm VIZ
n In great terror he started forward and in
y stinctiyely rushed towards Rosa's room
when the door was suddenly thrown ope
by Rosa herself, pale, bleeding from
ID wound in her breast,
"Great Heayenl What is this 2" h
10 cried, as, aghast with amazcment and Sol
=, row, he supported the CHASTITY and dyin
he form, and laid il ON tho sofa, and the
sunk ON his knees beside IL.
n "lNho has done this2' he wildly dC
ct manded, as, almost paralyzed with horroi
he knelt beside hor, and tried to stnnch th
k gushing wound, from which her hfe-bloo
81 was fast yelling.
10 She opened her bloodless lips, no
8. paling in death, and gasped forth til
10 words:
"She-Sybil your wife. l told, you sl
G. would do it, aud she has done it. Syb
is Bewors has murdered me- she whisperet
=. Then raising herself with q last dyin
10 effort, she cried aloud, "Hear, all | Syb
BeTners has murdered me-" And wit
i, this charge upon her lips, she fell bac
n DEAD
Even in that supreme moment Lyo
j, Berners' first Thought, almost his onl
y; thought, was for his wife. He looked u
OF to SEQ who was there-who had heard ia.
10 awful, this fatal charge.
I'd . Al were there n guests aud servants
men and women, drawn there by III
! dreadful shrieks. All had heard the no
8, rible accusation. " 2
b, And all stood panic-stricken as the
III shrank away from one who stood in the
ct midst.
le 1t was she, Sybil, the accused, who's
I'd very aspect accused her more loudly tina
the dying woman had done; for she stoo
lE there, still in her fiery masquerade dres
her face pallid, her eyes blazing, her vii
ed black hRir loose and streaming, her erin
n soned hand raised and grasping a bloc,
er stained dagger.
Oh 40, wretChed woman most wretchC
ed woman What is this that You have done
groaned Lyon Berners, in unuttorable ag
&, ny-agony not for the dead beauty befo,
him, but for the living wife, whom he fe
ds that he had driven to this deed of desper
ton.
"LyonB erners, do YOU believe me guilty
she asked.
He lookedup, md their eyes met. If
had really believed her guilty, he did II
H. now. He answered briefly and Rrmly;
H. ono, Sybill Heaven knows that |
cd not; hut explain this horrible business,
rs "Tho explanation is this" she said, CT
al phatically. And then her voice arose cler
in firm, and distinct, rs she continued:
for 81 was in my chamber, which is INN
nd diatoly above that occupied by Mis-. Bio
ty. dele. My chamber is approached by t'
ways, first by the front passage and stall
and secondly by n narrow staircase umnil
up from Mrs. Blondelle's room. / do n
ara know how long I,hAd sat there, when
hearda piercing shrlekfrom some one in Il
est room below. Instinctiyely I rushed dow
Nla nnVay nNrpfantf,y aN,s 81 H. NJ.