The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-06-22

No. @.
' "'lA' engaged in idle, careless talk,
"nen a woman robed in white, nth
long black hair falling over her ,hon,.
oers' SPED swiftly across tho path before
US, and disappeared among the evsr,
greens. l stopped in alarm. The Wild
white face, the ghostly attire and noise.
less STEP were terribly suggestive of .
supernatural visltant, and it was oplv b,
powerful effort at selfcommand that 7
refraiued from screaming.
""hat was that, HeuryY I inouir-
ed.
III don't know, DEAR" he returned.
"Probablylsome poor creature who has
lost her reason. Don't mention tie
circumstance to any onc-1t will only
create a panic among the women. 7
Will speak to Mr.. Rivers privately and at
once' and advise him to have The
grounds searched"
we went quietly back to the house
L sat down upon the steps, while Henry
STOOD near' waiting for a favorable mo.
ment to speak to Mr.. Rivers. Lo,,;a
Nayne and Esther were walking arm-in-
arm up and down the long avenue lead.
ing from the front door to the great
gate' or rather, not from the front door
'tself' but from the lower side Of the
grassy area before the door-and the
moonlight fell over them in . flood.
l'ent'Og \, up every FURNISHED thing about
them' from the single ring that sp.rkled
upon Aoul''s hand to the ruby clasp at
his oompanioa's waist.
l thought had never seen Father
look better than she did thi, night.
with Spanish mantle of black l.ce
thrown carelessly about her shoulders.
and carried up over her head. while !,
single diamond blazed like . star On
oer forehead. 1nvoluntarily as 1 look.
ed at her I repeated a couplet I had
seen somewhere when I WA . ch;la.
'oueen Esther comes, in royal state.
10 save the Jews from dreadful f.te."
They had gone down to the lower
end OF the avenue, and we're gradually
nearing the house, when white-draped
nsuFe gl'ded from c'ump Of shrub
oery beside the path. There vas .
eleam Of steel, blo7 and Louis Maypo
1eii' the lite current gushing from his
side.
dalt a dozen persons had witnessed
the deed, but before any one could
reach the fallen man, or his attempted
murderess, she bad Withdrawn the tinv
oagger' and was about to plunge it in
TO her own breast, when Esther caught
the urlifted hand, and wrenchcd the
"ea pom from her grasp. There was a
rush Of hurryiog feet, screams of II:
fright from the women, low exclama.
t'ons Of horror from the men, and amid
it all Mr.. Mayne was lifted and borne
into the house, while the madwoman-
tor mad she evidently was-was secur-
ed and locked in one of the upper
chambers.
heard Mr.. Rivers giving hurried
directions to bis servants.
"Bring Doctor Stanton and any
other two surgeons that you can find
quickest. Ride for your lives"
His instructions were obeyed, and in
an incredibly short time the three medi.
cal men arrived. Mr.. Rivers met them
at the door.
"This is dreadful affair, gentlemen"
leading the way to where the wounded
man lay. Doctor Stanton bowed SILENT
ly to the frightened group gathered
there. By his orders the room was
presently cleared of all excepting two or
three reliable persons. There was 3
careful examination, grave consulta-
tion.
Louis looked at them firmly.
"Doctor Stanton, you need not tell
me that l am ying. I know it al
ready" Whatever else this man might
have been, he was no coward. "Call
them all in again, please. I have an
act Of justice to perform. Bring Nina,
too. drove her mad, poor little girl.
From first to last I have DO one but N.Y.
self to blame for this nights work."
His request was complied With. The
doors were opened, and the anxious
men and women who had been exclud-
ed, came silently in and gathered abou,
the bed.
Two servants brought in the Italian
woman whom be had called Nina. She
did not struggle or resist, but went
passivcly wherever she was led. Her
insanity was of a quiet type, evidently,
only at long intervals breaking out into
violence. She paid no attention to any
one-kept repeating, in pitiful, heart
broken way, "The poor baby is dead.
The poor baby is DEAD"
Esther was standing beside me when
Nina was brought into the room. She
caught my wrist, and whispered hoarse.
ly.
"Louise, am I awake or dreaming I
That is the woman that came here two
years ago to warn me of Willard STAN