Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-08-03
became an invalid, but royalty beau

became an invalid, but royalty beau
tiful still.
T" What are thes,. strange storie
that are being whispered about cor
cerning Miss Castlemaine p she said
Babette says she is not to be found.
1t is true" returned Van Loar
to whom Ler remark had been lad
dressed.
"HoR very singular. Such
sweet girl, too! I trust no harm ha
befallen her,
A shade of thoughtfulness mad
the widow more bewitching thai
ev r. The usual crowd of admirer
had gathered around her, when {
carriage rolled rapidly up the:avenne
Heavy footst ,ps strobe along tn
hall. A moment later Randolph
| .Castlemaine stood before her, flushed
ami excited. :,
Madam, how, dare you sit there
smiling and coquetting after What
has happsned2 he cried, loudly, 81
that, all heard. Z" Murderess, how
dare you ?"
She grew liv,dly pale, and Leaned
back in her chair gasping for breath
But her brazen efrontery was not tt
be conquered 80 easily.
1.-THE man is mad" she said, put.
ting UP her hands belplessly. "I'm
afraid. Will some one take him
away 2" -
Castlemaine drew nearer. Helean-
ed over her, a deadly hate burning in
his eyes.
9 Madam" he hissed, ".my hour 10
Of revenge has come, at last. I've
waited long enough, God knows.
Madam" laughing wildly, you have
twice asked who am. / will tell
you. Listenl Your first husband,
Herbert Collingwood had a brother
Robert: lam he F.
She faced him with a mingled look
of scorn and rage.
Liar |" she cried, sharply. Rob
ert Collingwood died years ago"
His lip curled. $50 you thought,
madam but it vas a mistake. He
lived, and lived for revenge on his
brothers murderer. He stands be-
fore you |"
she quailed. "van Loon," che
said, turning suddenly to her admi-
rer, will you stand here and see that
man insult me? 1 tell you he is
raving mad. Oh, take him away"
Nobody stirred. BE put his lips
to her ear.
Madame, he whispered, dis
tinctly, u have a revelation to make.
It concerns my niece Theresa. |
found the child that its mother had
basely deserted, and cared for it.
This was years ago. She has grown
to be young lady now. Madam.
the girl you undertook to throttle
and drown on the bay this morning
was Robert Collingwood's child and
yours i
A wild cry broke from her lips.
9. No, no. no !" che shrieked.
She wrung her hands. looking about
her like hunted animal at bay.
-Ilha-faces of friends.Mere ayerte,l
now, ~horror and suspicion plainly
written on every one. She looked
beyond them toward the door, as if
seeking some avenue of escape. While
she. looked, Vendalesu suddenly appear
ed from the hall, a girls form cling
ing.to his si,le. Mrs. Veraly's eyes
liIated wildly. She tottered to her
feet, and seemed to freeze there in a
white horror. Her lips parted, but
ut first no sound came from them.
My God!" she cried, and pointed
to her shrinking figure beside Ven
lale. The sea has given up its
lead Mercy, mercy, mercy !
Her face grew purple and distort-
ID, all at once. he flung up he,
.rms with wild shrek. Before any
any ore could reach her side she had
fallen to the floor in violent convul-
slons.
She died that night, though not
before she had made lull confession
oil her crimes.
The manner in which Theresa
Collingwood had escaped drowning
is easil y explained. On being thrown
into the water she had clung to a
floating spar, and was eventually
picked up by some fisherman. Rob
ert Collingwood and Veudale, being
informed Of this fact, and learning
IRON Theresa herself what had hap
pened, had arranged to produce the
girl in season to. confound her would
be murderer.
Theresa dropped afew tears on the
grave of her beautiful though wicked
mother. But in the light. of Ven
dale's love, she soon forgot the shad-
ow that had darkened her earlier
years. Surely it was better thus.
H.. D,r1 D,D1r PArr Ram