The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-31

ana excitement WHICH SnOWtu me IIut lDc
discovery alluded to was not without Sc
iOus import. My questions ms TO what 1t
was were, however. u1srcgaruel by bOth
gontlemcn; and while was taking some
refrcshment after my journey, Verschoyle
seized the opportunity 10 question me over
again rs to my adventure, which he had al
ready related to Lord MarlOes, asking mo
TO repeat every little detail of the walk;
and remarking, with some uCumen, that
my remembrance of the whole affair was
more vivid than when | had fl ST spoken
OF IT.
| said that was perfectly true; as, when
a long bygOue history IL suddenly recalled
TO ones mind, the MINOR incidents con-
ncCted with 1t are less apt TO come to the
surface than when subsequent thought has
cleared and revivifed the impressions OF
the past. Likewise, That | had bcen for
tuuate in finding "A sketch made the day
after the occurrence l mad described; rs
also some private notes, chiefly relating to
sky tnls and other data OF the days work,
but containing sundry details wearing on
the event IN question, and which might
otherwise have forgotten.
"a sketchy That lsmOre fortunate than
I expected" cried Lord Marlops. on
didn't know of that. Nerschoylc2 | hope,
Mr.. lie Fame. YOU have got it with you'll"
My answer was to take the canvas from
a small square parcel which had brought
into the room, and to lay 1t IN the table
before him.
1t ~ unnecessary to dwell on the sur
PRISE of both LORD Marlocs and his friend
when they looked at what was, to all APP
pCafanCe, a copy OF the picture up stairs.
II was not TIL after some minutes had
been gwen to ITS expression, and YER
| schoyie had pointed out the words, "A
sister of Loud Marlocs, tnken IN Dltchley
| Puk,' with the date roughly scruW led IN
paint ON the back OF the canvas, that my
| host sad:
lyon mentioned "a look OF fright and
! offence on the girls face; hut here IL j.
| hri, .ht enough, with somewhat of n listen
| ing expression. according to my idea"
Your idea il correct That is precisely
! the expression She wore when she turned
! ht head Is II to see whence the approach
| ing footsteps came. II was not Til she
saw--not TIL altcrwnrd, that her face
changed. and she turned her head directly
| and hurried on
Ny host locked at me keenly.
! Pardon me- he slid, but you altered
| your sentence just now. NOu were going
TO sav she saw-what? May / ask you to
| 20 Oh T.
~ would rather not, my lord: simply
| because what ] was gong 10 add appears
even to myself too iunciIul To be pun INTO
words. But 1t is TINS. | mentioned TO you
the rustlng sound like the stealthy step of
some one following me which first at
| tIactCd my attention. Wei, no soctier It1
see the young lady have >kctcncd, thal
| | became conscious IN some unaccOuntaDle
fashion that II was she. not |, who was
! being follow ed: That she SAW what cOu,d
| not see; and that ~ was TINS sight winch
| brought Tia" change over her lace whicu l
have dc.cilbed.'
And YOU have no idea what il was?
You saw nothing You have nothing
more to tell us then! erred Lord Marcos,
in such evident Il .sappoiutmeut, that, at
! tue ri.k Of muckcry, made up my mind
! 10 tell nim all.
81 SAW nothing" answered; but AS
/ To- any lica Of what II was-If, IA | expect,
| yuu have already set me down AS mani
ac, YOU Will not 10 surprised AT what am
| now going To tell you being in keeping
! win The resi- OF KNOW
! thIt portrait of this fair lady : cousin?
| When | came m front of it last year, never
| having seen II before, mark youl nor nav
. lug a. yet seen hers. felt thow or why
cannoi tell Won that II was the step OF the
man painted there that | heard in tins
! park tn years before; and I knew thow
or why cannot tell ether that II wa, he,
/ and no other. who forced from her that
| cry tor help which had made me hasten,
though all IN VAN. - he rescue
! Nv host ru-" to his Ret.
Watcher you are q maniac or not, he
said. gravely, your story Is the strangest
and most unaccountabls have ever
heard; and you Will not think II less so,
when Won have seen what | have TO show
| you. WIN YOU come tins waYE"
Without another word he opened the
door aud passed out of the room, NeIs-
Choyle ANA following linn.
IT the entrance OF the picture gallery,
| however. those two drew back. and sufI cred
me TO precedc them little. | did not 80
| very far
There, on the wall before me, hung the
= painted image of the fair Lady DOrothea,
whose disgraced name had been thorn
| and a slur ON the family for 81 many gene
/ iafions, her bright eyes and laughing bps,
I which had carried away 70 many hearts.
/ sull btamIug on me from the canvas IN
all the joyous Coquetry OF her youth and
innocence,
There. ON the floor beneath H. stood
long dcd cast oi that omn1us shape we
all Know too well, painted black, aud COW
! cred with clotn. At n sign from Lord
| Muiioos Ncrschuyle removed the latter.
| and, coming nearer, / SAW laid within II
the hcsble>, skeleton Of human figure.
Brown. bare, mdrous, and earthly, 1t lay
there, with no sign OF WOuaullucsS-nO
trace OF beauty left. but with the lambent
fash and lu,tre OF The French kiug's dil-
mouds still cleaning from the tieshless
JOINTS OF the throat-still living on either
side Of the eTlsly, blaCftned skull
l. Tue pictured woman smiled down on me
from above; the dead woman grlnned up
mt me from below aud only these jewels
remained o tell ia, VINO looked upon them,
that they were one ana the same.
My God | erred. " DO YOU mean
% say that her body has been found
some one answered; who do not
know:
Within few wards of the path Mt the
further side OF the little hill, from which
You heard her cry for help.
"She never eloped. then, ut all" ! went
on, the CHASTITY truth dawning more fully
on me. "Sne was murdered, Good heav-
ems, murdered, and not for galni'
Again some one answered.
Sne was murdered, aud not for gain.
The proof is IN those Jewels left on her
body. something else was left too. See!'
Ii was my host who pointed; and, stoop-
iuu. saw what had escaped my eyes be-
iore--ihe handle aud "A couple OF inches Of
the blade OF n short hunting knife. The
remainder OF Il was buried between tine
ribs on the left side OF the body, whore II
had been left sticking after the blow was
dealt which. in one deep rent, let ont the
young life within and made u Cam the
more on earth.
Look narrowly at the handle said
Lord MaTlOcs. his voice seeming to break
haIshly ON the silence, rs we stood gazing
downward, too nwed for words. ! on
see that il Is OF silver, and rather Curiously
shaped also, that il bears the family crest.
Now, LOOK there!'
knew beforehand where he was pointing
at that portrait to which now, ms before,
felt an instructive repugnance To lift my
eyes. | knew beforehand that the man
there wore n knife with such n handle IN
his belt. Not that remembered having
noticed II previously. Probably most men
Carried weapons AZ that time.
81 believe. If one were To take II out and