The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-04-25
OUR STORY TELLER.
The MARKED FINGER.

Even when boy, superficial people said
he was imPerious because he was bar
onet at twelve years of age.
Those who knew better, who had in
formation concerning the old family of
the Bowdens, had no need to be informed
that the Bowdens were hard, proud, i'm
perious, and jealous, though just, men.
They never did wrong, and yet never
seemed to be in the right.
At the inquest it was said old Sir Ches-
ter accidentally shot himself. But the
county families we'll knew that he had
taken his own life.
Even many Of the common people on
the estate had little or no doubt upon
this point.
The reason? Three months before the
crash his wife had fed from him. He
made no effort to seek her out, and it was
only his death and its manner which let
people into the secret of his love for her.
She had been pitied by her own SER
wants through her ten years of married
life.
She was very meek and mild, always
stood up when he entered the room,
and to the end Of all she called him Sir
Chester.
He always called her Lady Bowden.
They never quarreled, and they were
always dull. She never smiled. There
was some talk of her having loved some
young farmer before she married so we'll.
But that was, doubtless, scandal.
However, she fed; Sir Chester died,
shot, three months afterwards, and
young Sir Chester was nine years fage.
At Oxford he made but one friend
and many enemies. Oxonians hate
Oxonians who are not CHEEKY and friendly
amongst themselves.
Boleyn Hever began by plying Ches-
ter Bowden, and ended by liking him.
But they were never familiar. For in
stance, Hever always wore a piece of
fesh-colored plaster between the first
and second Joints and the middle finger
of the left hand.
Chester never asked the meaning of
the patch and once when, while boating,
the plaster was rubbed away Chester
never asked what was the meaning of the
seven little tattooed stars he saw where
the plaster had been.
The explanation, however, was very
simple. A rich old godfather, from
whom the poorish Hevers had expect.
ations, and being an old sailor, had
Boleyn Hever, being naturally high
class man, entertained a strong disgust
for these marks-a disgust which reached
morbidity, and he hid them with flesh
colored plaster.
At twenty-three Sir Chester Bowde1
married one of the most dashing wome1
of her years. He was as jealous as hi
NatL L L
no fear of Lady Bowden being migrate
full. She was poor.
Boleyn Hever, his neighbor, had no
married, and was nursing his estate
which had been left him when yer,
much incumbered.
AT what precise moment Sir Cheste
became jealous of his one friend he him
self never knew. He was too certain O
his own suffering.
He hated company, but he was boun,
to give fetes, balls, etc.
1t was the evening before the frs
anniversary of his wedding, upon whicl
occasion there was to be ball.
Sir Chester had noticed his wife anx
ious all day, and his demon prompte,
him terribly. Why was she anxious?
After dinner she pleaded sickness, an,
went to her usual sitting-room, int
which Sir Chester never intruded.
An hour afterwards, he sent servan
TO her with some inquiry concerning tn
ball on the following day.
. The servant returned, saying that m,
lady was not in her room.
There was murder in Chester's hear
the next moment. But he only took u
heavy riding-whip.
No-not in her room!
The first trace he found of her was
pencil-case, glittering in the moonlight
He drew line in his minds eye fro1
the house to it, and thence in the sam
direction.
To the grape gates" he muttered-
straight line to his house."
On he went.
Suddenly, being on the top of a hi
lock, he saw Boleyn-there could be 4
question about the man-and with hi
awoman hooded.
They were going towards the great ire
open-work gates, which, from their pa
tern, were commonly called the crap
gates.
He uttered horrible cry, which ey
IDENTIFY the couple heard, for they hu
ried to the gates, to which there was i
lodge, ana one OF which was open.
They must have seen Chester leapir
towards them, for they ran.
He was within twenty yards of Il
couple when they pas ed the great gate
which were swung to with terrib
noise.
Again Sir Chester uttered sava
cry, for he knew he could not open the
without the key, kept in his library, al
that while he was scaling the wall tn
would escape.
He ran TO the gate, and then it mu
have been that he tainted.
When he came to himself, he "a
vaguely in the moonlight, and lying ne
him, small, white object.
He touched it, and shuddered
Briefly, it was a human finger, t.
tooed with seven small, purplish stars.
II