The Beaufort tribune and Port Royal commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1877-1879, 1877-05-10


able to leave my room, and then they were
forced to it, did they tell me that he'body
of beautiful Nelore We're had been found in
the woods, near the bridge, utterly without
life; and, when examined, discolored marks
about the throat showed that she had been
strangled to death.
This was six weeks later. The body had
been taken to the We're burial place, but
her betrothed, a noble gentleman, the ser.
wants said, had come down to Westwold
and taken charge of everything, though
greatly racked with grief. Mr.. We're had
been taken home very i'll, and Helen had.
of course, gone also.
My love dream had turned into horri-
bic nightmare, and ended in an awful re-
ality.
A year passed. As was natural, the first
sharp shock of this most painful experience
had worn off, More immediate occurrences
occupied my thoughts, but could neverre-
call that fatal time without shudder.
One night, at sacred concert, saw the
face of Helen We're. 1t was more beautiful
than ever, matured by the Christening in
iuence of suffering. She was dressed in
deep mourning, and by her side sat a man
of peculiar elegance and dignity.
AS watched Helen We're sharp jeal-
ousy of her companions attentions stole
over me. There seemed between them, to
my attentive eyes, the familiarity of close
sympathy. l saw her slip her little black
gloved hand within his; | observed when
she grew weary that he supported her.
When the concert was ended i fastened
to approach them. Helen seemed startled
and agitated by my appearance, but gave
me her hand and introduced me 10 Mr..
Alfred Sutton. A few words aside inform
ed me that this was Velore's betrothed.
She urged me to visit her. / did so.
Her father was dead. She lived in her
beautiful house alone. How greatly she
had changed from the gay little schoolgirl
of hardly more than year back . She had
lost all the abandon OF girlhood, even the
bloom, but she was very lovely, and as
watched her new pang OF jealousy OF MIR.
Alfred Sutton rose in my breast.
But in a little while / understood her
better. Her feeling for her sisters betroth-
ed husband was only sisterly; his love for
her only brotherly. Carefully, tenderly |
sought and won her.
Six months after our marriage gentle
man came in carrisge to my house, and
asked to see me alone. / conducted him to
the library, and closed the door.
He was man of polished address, and
evidently OF strong character. He intro
duced himself as Dr. Naux of the private
insane ASYLUM at Hillside. At this an
nouncement ! felt slight CONSERVATION
and bewilderment, that think was appa-
rent in my manner.
about a year ago." said he, after some
preliminaries, q" received a patient whose
name may not be unknown to you---Mr.
George Sloewick."
"Good Heavens / cried.
"You know him."
81 have known him very we'll"
eyes He was placed in my care by his
father; pronounced insane by his family
physician. | have given his case the best
care and particular attention, but he is in
durable At present his physical strength
is fast failing; in short, | fear he Is dying.
But as life fails reason returns, and as |
row consider his state perfectly natural,
and his reason lucid, l feel required to
treat his wishes with indulgence. He de-
sires to see you, and have come for you"
| rose and began looking for my hat.
When servant had brought it, / followed
DR.. Naux to his carriage.
| was too confused to observe what course
we took. | only realized, with sudden
thrill, that we stopped at last before the
portals of the asylum. My companion
gave ME some refreshment, for | was, | con-
fess, very nervous, and then followed him
through several light, pleasant corridors TO
the door.
SIS he quite prepared to see me :" l
asked.
Gle is waiting" was the reply.
| was ushered into chamber OF mod
crate size. The light was subdued. A
woman stood at the side of a bed tanning
the ghastly face among the pillows. The
head was shaven, the cheeks deeply fallen ;
] never should have known George Sloe-
wick, not even by his voice.
"Come close" he said, in strained whis-
per, motioning me to the bedside.
DIR. Vaux placed chair for me, and
stood with hand upon my shoulder.
81 can talk only a moment" said Sloe-
wick, with painful effort. 81 killed her
II killed Velore We're. You see | had
money hid there under chestnut tree, all
the money ! could get. My dog saw me
bury it. He was a sagacious brute. He
dug it up, and l killed him for it. was
burying him near the spot, and was all
marked with his blood, you know, when she
came and saw me- thought she saw all,
for there lay the bags of money as the dog
had paved them out of the dirt. 1t was all
the hiding place / had; / thought she
would tell, and l. determined to kill her.
Perhaps, after all, she did not see the
money; don't know; but pretended sick
the next day, and told her that / was in
great trouble and wanted to talk with her.
She promised to meet me near the bridge.
She came. / strangled her. Then l hid all
day in the woods. At night / heard you
calling her. / stole out, and tried to kill
you too; l thought / had. Then | ran
away and got safe to the city. No one ever
suspected me.
"You see Pm dying now. Don't let any
innocent man suffer for what l did. The
money is there now under the chestnut tree
You will know it, because it is splashed
with Sultan's blood"
He stopped here. He evidently wished
to say more, but was unable. The doctor
started forward and raised him to sitting
position. When he id him down he was
dead
As Sloewick had said, the money---some
five thousand dollars---was found; but nc
one appropriated it, and it was donated tc
charitable institution.