The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-11-24
hor mood bad changed and she WIS sab

dued by desire 10 see him. He had
some power over her that he knew. But
his own will was weakest He must Zee
hcr. He must hold her in his arms, if
only for n moment. 1t was evening,
two weeks from his last visit. That very
afternoon Roy Sebert had returned from
fishing excursion, and at 8 o'clock he
found Drusilla alone in the brilliantly
lighted parlor. Never had he
seen her 80 well dressed, she
was careless about her attire in general.
she had put GU her one rich dress,
myrtle green silk, bought, l think, to
match her emerald ring and necklace,
Dmsilla had persuaded herself that Max
well would visit her that evening. Oh,
could she but have known ON what II
fatal errand, she would never have let
Goy lit her hand to examine the quaint
device on her ring. Before she could
prevent it, Roy had pressed her hand to
lis lips. She snatched it angrlly away,
and ut that instant the words flashed
through her brain, "God help him who
comes between us
At Drusllla'S command hoy instantly
left the room He had been gone but Il
moment when she heard the report OF II
pistol, and, fearing she knew not what,
she rushed INTO the hull only to find her
worst fears confirmed. Roy Sebert Y
there upon the floor in last agony, TIE
blood issuing from q wound III his
heart.
Swift rs Drusilla had been Lucrcce
was there before her. She was down
upon her knees trying to stanch the
blood. Her face was distorted with hor-
ror and grief. She was still as death
until she found her efforts vain, and,
when her lover fell lieless burden
from her arms, such shrek echoed
through the house as could never he for
gotten hy those who heard it. Father
and mother knew in that instant that
their beloved only daughter was a hope
less maniac. Glaring wildly around,
her glance fell upon Drusllla, and, re-
garding her cousin as the murderer OF
her lover, she sprang toward her with
insane fury. 1t required the united
strength Of Mr.. Sterling and his farm
Ilhll'l I' lDbS'H htI Hplu VI AiuNii" "
throat! o whatanight Of horror was that!
DrusiIla lying between life and death,
Lucrcce raying of her lover, and accus
ing Drusi.la rs his murderer.
Only one person knew the truth OF
the affair; that was John Miller, the
hired man. He had been to the village,
and, on his return, he saw Maxwell st.
Ives standing by the gate, looking
toward the house. The man glanced up
to dnd what attracted his attention, and
there, plain ms day, saw Roy Sebert kiss
Dusila's bnnd. The next instant Max.
we'll went rapidly up the walk, entered
the house without announcement, and,
almost imm, diately afterward, retraced
lis steps, mounted his horse, aud rode
rapidly away.
st, this was elected the following day
Mt the Coroncr's inquest, and the tnct
that Maxwell st. Ives WAS missing was
uIl that was needed to confirm the ver-
Dict, and free Drusilln rom any sus'
piron Of direct completely in the mlr-
der. Yet when, after weeks OF illness,
she came back to reason and life, she
Ielt that she could no longer remain
under her ,mclo's roof.
81 must live by myself" she said,
,adIy; II bring soTow and death into
every household ! enter"
So it was planned that n cottage
should be bought, and Jeanette should
he sent for as companion ana servant.
I was visiting friend in the country
Who told me- the story. She sad to me,
one afternoon when we were ont driving,
" Would YOU like to coil on Druslil"
s,torliuo? there is the cottage. "
Ii was Il beautiful place. There were
Eualisa roses trained about the low
porch. A woman i'll French cap met us
at the door and conducted Us INTO the
room where her mistress sat reading. a
stat " woman, wearing black dress
and small black cap, that, with its cor
onat outline marked by tiny pearls,
looked like small royal crown. The
.yn3 were clear and dark, but infinitely
sad. OF late years jeanette had read
to her mistress until Drusilln's over
taxed eyes had, Ivy rest and caretulness,
become rs bright as i'll youth. Her
mouth was large, but curved and sweet.
She was so grateful to us for coming ;
she admitted that her life was lonely ut
times.
When my friend said, 81 have told
Miss Brooiner your story, and she gives
you her love and sympathy, she reached
her right hand out to me. | can never
forget the clasp Of those soft, caressing
fingers. By.and-by she was led TO talk
of The past and Of Maxwell st. Ives. A
man answering to the advertised descrip-
ton of him had died Of yellow fever in
NV Orleans one year after that sum-
mer- night tragedy.