Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-12
The MarEed Finger.

A Jealous man, Sir Chester Bowden.
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 information con-
corning the old family of the Bowdens,
had no need to be informed that the
Bowdens were hard, proud, lmperious
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
Chester accidently shot himself. But the
county families we'll knew he had taken
his own life. Even many Of the COM
mon people on the estate had little CT no
doubt upon this point. The reason ?
Three months before the crash his wife
had fled 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
Ditied by her own servants 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 al
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 after
wards, and young Sir Chester was nine
wears of age. 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 Boyden, and ended by hiking him.
But they were never familiar. For in
stance, Hever always wore piece Of
hesh-colored plaster between the first and
second joints of the middle finger of the
left hand. Chester never asked the mean
ing of the patch; and once when, while
boating, the plaster was rubbed away,
Chester never asked what was the mean
ing of the seven little tattooed stars he
saw where the plaster had been. The ex-
PLANTATION, however, was very simple. A
rich old godfather. from whom the poor
ish Hevers had expectations, and being
an old sailor, had elected thus to mark
his godscn. Boleyn Hever, being natur-
ally high class man, entertained a
strong disgust for these marks disgust
which reached morbidity, and he hid
them with fesh-colorcd plaster. * x
At twenty-three Sh Chester Bowden
married one OF the most dashing woman
of her year. He was as jealous as his
father, and as proud; therefore he had no
fear Of Lady Bowden being ungrateful.
She was poor
Boleyn Hever, his neighbor, bad not
married, and was nursing his estate,
which had been left him when very much
encumbered.
At what precise moment Sir Chester
became jealous Of his one friend he him
self never knew. He was too certain of
his own sutferings. He hated company,
but be was bound to give fctes, balls, sc.
1t was the evening before the first ami
versary of his wedding, upon which oc-
casion there was to be balls Sir Ches-
ter had noticed his wife anxious all day,
and his demon prompted him terribly.
Why was she anxious?
After dinner she pleaded sickness, and
went to her usual sitting-room, into which
Sir Chester never intruded. An hour
afterwards he sent servant to her with
some inquiry concerning the ball on the
following day. The servant returned,
saying that smy lady," was not in her
room.
There was murder in Chester's heart
the next moment. But he only took up
a heavy riding-whip.
No 8 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 from the
house to it, and thence in the same direc-
ton.
"To the grape-gates,' he muttered; "a
straight line to his house." On he went.
Suddenly, being on the top of hillock,
he saw Boleyn- there could be no ques-
ton about the man-and with him q
woman, hooded. They were going to-
wards the great iron open-work gates,
which, from their pattern, were common
" called the grape-gates. he uttered q