The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-12-13
HE FWEgTIETH eF DE0EMBER.
BY ESTHER sERLE KENNETH.

Idndsey's interview with her father,
[ saw the Colonel walking with Major
Southly in the garden. The moon
was up: I could see that the Colonel
looked badly aud talked eagerly, and
that the Major was far from gracious.
As | sat at my window. wishing, for
my darling's sake, that | could know
the import Of their conversation. I
heard Lindsey trip along the piazza
below. l looked out and saw her
just going down the steps.
Lindsey" l called.
She looked up.
Us that you, Aunt Nanny? | left
my Dante, which Ben gave me, down
in the summer-house. L am going
down to get it,
Not in those slippers, Lindsey, "
L answered. The grass is drenched
with dew"
But it will be ruined if it stays
out all night" she answered.
Then change your shoes, or send
a servant for it, said.
She did neither, for just then Ben
came up the path, aud she quite for
got the book.
/ have never been satisfied that
went solely for the book. | was GER
tainly full Of desire to know what
those men mere talking of-or rather
to know if it concerned Lindsey.
put shawl around me and went
down. The dew drops sparkled on
the flowers, and a Whippoorwill was
planting among the larches.
l went on until l came to the sum-
mer-house. There l found the vol.
ume, and when had taken posses
sion Of it, ] stopped and listened.
The two men had paused just beyond
a clump Of shrubbery near me. and [
could hear, distinctly, every word
that they said.
by Cod" exclaimed the Colonel,
In a voice of intenss passion, (" do
you threaten me2"
You may call it what you like, !"
replied the other, coolly. will
either have the girl or the money"
. have told you. Southly-"
You have told me nothing that
makes q songs difference, either one
way OF the otherl Your word doesn' t
amount to a rush IN this case; you
are perfectly helpless. l loaned you
the money when bid for the girl. IL
you have no power to make her marry
me, the money must be Tefanded to-
night, and | start for Washington to-
morrow"
l saw stately Colonel Walton shrink
under these words as if they were
lashes.
"Soutbly," he said, in broken
voice, give me a week longer"
Curse you'll | will not give you
another dayF'
There was a cry, fash, groan-
something. fell heavily among the
shrubbery. An involuntary cry for
help rose to my lips, but stifed it
for horrible fear came over me. AS
/ looked through the vines [ saw only
one of the men standlng-the other
lay quite stiff at his feet.
A cloud had passed over the moon
It drifted away and showed the maj
who was standing to be Colonel Wal
l saw his face. He had killed The
other.
In spite of my horror, my first i'm
pulse was to go to his side, for he wal
Lindsey's father, and in great grief
He raised his clenehed hand to HEAVIER
with groan l shall never forget, anc
then his head sank upon his breas
and he stood like a statue.
Ali was so still The whippoorWil
called plaintively; that was the onl.
sound save the signing of the wind il
the laTches. TIA scene was first il
Highland then IL shadow as the cloud
drilted over the moon. Somethin
rose IN my weak old throat as if
were suffocating, while l waited.
1t was strange, but / never doubte
that the man was dead. Into tina
awful silence Hope never intruded
1t WIS moment Of utter despair, an
l felt that the man who stood there
a. FL II ] Ill
have cursed God and died
A rabbit bounded through til
grass. He started, and locke
around, wildly, as If hand had bee
lain upon him In arrest. The ague
guilt shook him, as he bent over tn
body. He examined it for a momen
then raised himself and locke
around eagerly. He seemed to delil
crate something in his mind. It Wa
probably what should be done wit
the corpse.
Dropping upon one knee, he peere
once more into the dead face, the
winding his hand IN the man 5 necl
cloth, he dragged him over the grouI
towards a deep gully at the lower pa
of the grounds. 1t was not far.
listened and heard the body era:
through the brush, aud thud amor
the stones below.
1t was course Of the utmost sha
Iowness to pursue, if concealne
was the guilty mans aim-as it mU
have been. But ne seemed to reall
his guilt so fully that | think 1t daz'
him,
He strobe away under the larch
to the house. l never stirred I
many long hour. / was trying
decide what l ought to do.
Of certainty L never thought
exposing the matter-of bringi
Lindsey's father TO justice. | was on
confused by the horror and sudde
ness of the matter, and uncerta
how I eonld best help those Hove
l could not decide then.
But after / had sought my bed, a.
lay on my sleepless pillow, made
plan. If the body lay where it was
would be discovered, and the secl
ferreted out. At the bottom of I
gully was a bed of bushes .and bra
bles, and the corpse was probal
concealed among these. 1t was L
safe there, but little further alOE
upon the hillside, was an old we
Here It would neYer-in our genel
zion. at leasb-be found. There,
the following night. | would place
AIImy life / had been a tough, 20
erful woman. / knew that L b
strength enough left to do that
Lindsey.
| fell asleep just at day break;
L was not quite Independent OF