Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1880-01-10

preston, l caught the CLEAN of abso-
lutte terror that Elenore Herbert threw
back at me As he led her away.
That man is mad there is danger
in his eyes tonight" l thought, and
impelled by some Irresistible impulse, I
found myself hurrying in the direction
of her residence half an hour later.
Was it fate or providence that guided
my wandering steps? l do not know;
1t was all 30 strange and unreal; the
events that followed seem to me even
now, looking back into the dim vista of
years, more like the incidents narrated
in some sensational novel than an oc-
currence in real life. had Just turned
into the block on which the Herbert's
resided, when wild, thrilling cry dis
turbed the silence of the summer night,
cry that came from the lips of
woman, and from the direction of the
house in which ElenOr Herbert passed
her miserable life.
"Father in Heaven, save her!" l
cried, and no such fervent and heartfelt
prayer had crossed my lips since l
knelt at mothers knee. cannot re-
member how / sprang up the steps;
Sadie. the maid who had brought Mrs.
Herbert's note to my Office, was in the
hallway, wringing her hands and Civ
ing vent to the wild screams that had
attracted my attention to the spot. |
did not wait for her explanation, but
dsrted up the stairs and toward the
door of the white and gold boudoir from
whence came the sound of maniacal
laughter and low grOans Of pain. Al
most mad with terror forced my way
between a group of frightened and use
less servants, and threw myself wildly
against the door. 1t yielded. and if 1
live for hundred years / shall never
forge. the sight presented to nv view
Beautiful ElenOr Herbert lav prone
upon the floor, her white silk evening
dress dyed crimson with blood. and her
face rigid and pallid as that OF corpse.
Her mad husband stood over her with
cruel-looking knife in his hand, chuck.
ling gleefully. At sight of me he burst
into a terrible peal of laughter, and be-
fOro hand could be put forth to stay
him, plunged the knife in his own
heart.
Ha-hal" he cried, "see how nobly
l have fOiled you'll You would have
stolen her from me-take her now-she
is yours"
He fell to the floor dead, with the
last works on his lips, and at the same
moment an officer, attracted to the spot
by Sadie's cries, rushed into the room
to ascertain the cause of the disturb
ance. / can never clearly remember
what Immediately followed. l only
know that the words came to my ears
"The lady is not seriously wounded. y
Then must have fallen i'll, for when /
recovered myself the remains Of Charles
Herbert had been laid in the grave and
his wife was slowly recovering. Years
have flown since that terrible night,
and looking up from the written pages
before me, my eyes fall upon the fair
ace of my wife.
"ElenOre, my darlingW l call softly,
and she comes to meet me gladly, more
lovely than when.l i saw her first in that
fatal room of white and gold, far more
beautiful, with the love light giving
place to the look of hunted terror in her
violet eyes, and smile of infinite peace
upon the perfect lips.
'"My wife-mv ownr l murmur,
fondly, and perhaps she guesses why
kiss her face with such passionate ten
derness, for she shudders and nestles
closer 10 me, with her golden head upon
my breats, and her mind straying back
to the tragedy of the past. that is dead.