The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-16
THE MARKED FINGER.

EFeH WneH pOy supefHclal people Salu
he was imperious, lecause he was baro-
ret 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 in
formed that the Bowdens were hard,
proud, imperious, and jealous, though
just men.
They never did a 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 well knew 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 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 pitied by her own serv-
ants 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 called him Sir Chester.
He always called her Lady Bowden.
They never quarreled, and they were al
ways dull. She never smiled. There
was some talk of her having loved some
young farmer before she married so well.
But that was doubtless scandal.
al, al, g., Thn.ta. lio1
shot, three months afterward, and young
Sir Chester was nine years of age.
At Oxford he made one friend and
many enemies. Oxonians hate Oxonians
who are not CHEEKY and friendly among
themselves.
Boleyn Hever began by plying Chester
Bowden, and ended by liking him.
But they were never familiar For
instance, Hever always wore piece of
tlesh-colored plaster between the first and
second joints of the middle finger of the
left hand.
Chester never asked the meaning of
the patch; and once when, while boat
ing, the plaster was rubbed away, Ches-
ter never asked what was the meaning
VI lllC SGNGl llIUlG bdJlUto 6bdIS ilt saw
where the plaster had been.
The explanation, however, was very
simple. A rich old grandfather, from
whom the poorish Hevers had expectar
tions, and being an old sailor, had elected
thus to mark his godson.
Boleyn Hever, being naturally high
class man, entertained strong disgust
for these marks-a disgust which reached
morbidity, and he hid them with flesh.
colored plaster.
At twenty-three Sir Chester Bowden
married one of the most dashing women
of her year. He was as jealous as his
father, and as proud; therefore he had
no fear Of Lady Bowden being migrate
full. She WAS poor.
Boleyn Hever, his neighbor, had not
married, and was using his estate, which
had been left him when very much en-
numbered.
At what precise moment Sir Chester
became jealous of his one friend he him
self never knew. He was too certain of
his Cwn suffering.
He hated company, but he was bound
to give fetes, balls, etc.
1t was the evening before the first an
niversary of his wedding, upon which oc-
casion there was to be ball.
Sir Chester had noticed his wife anx-
ious all day, and his demon prompted
him terribly. Why was she anxious?
After dinner she pleaded sickness, and
mani tn har usual littinn. into
which Sir Chester never intraded.
An hour afterward he sent servant to
her with some inquiry concerning the
ball on the following day.
The servant returned saying that "my
lady" was not in her room.
There was murder in Chester's heart
the next morning. But he only took up
a heavy riding whip.
No--not in her room
The first trace he found of her was Q
pencil-case, glittering in the moonlight
He drew line in his minds eye from
the house to it, and thence in the same
direction.
"To the grape gates" he muttered-"s
straight line to his house."
On he went.
Suddenly, being on the top of the hill
lock, he saw Boleyn-there could be nc
question about the man-and with him
a woman, hooded.
They were going towards the great iror
open-work gates, which, from their pat
tern, were commonly called the grape
gates.
He uttered horrible cry, which evi
IDENTIFY the couple heard, for they hurried
to the gates, to which there was no lodge
and one of which was open.
They must have seen Chester leapins
towards them, for they ran.
He was within twenty yards of tn,
couple when they passed the great gates
which were swung to with terrible
noise.
Again Sir Chester uttered savag,
cry, for he knew he could not open then
without the key kept in the library, anc
that while he was scaling the wall they
would escape.
He ran to the gate, and then it mus
have been that he tainted.
When he came to himself, he saw
vaguely in the moonlight, and lying nea
him, small, white object.
He touched it, and shuddred.
Briefly, it was human finger, tattoec
with seven stars; it had been caught By
the great, iron gate, and nipped off lik'
a twig by the immense weight of th'
iron acting on the edges of the gate.
How long had they escaped? In hi
. E,I 1. t,l H.. I.
hands were stopped. He never knew ho,