The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-06-29
The Morristown Gazette
Fatal Mistake
BARRETT SYLVESTER,
Ss9ETTERED, YxT PREK, % sc1oUDs AND gUEsEEE&
"EsTKLLE's ERROR" FALSE PELDRs
"ATkIcKKE DUMB, Etc. ETos
AUraoR OF

England, Clarence was en8aeeu Dy u !" esieHy
gentleman to give lessons in painting to his
dauehter-a beauty and q woman of fashion,
very young, very aniable and very mucn
beloved by those who know her. You know
Clarence Suydam's enthusiastic nature; you
will not therefore be surprised to hear that
he fell in love with this woman.
ssAnd she returned his afectlonf
'sShe did, or she pretended to do so.
Clarence confded in me; he told me alI-hls
happiness in the present, his hope In the
future. She had sworn to share his humble
fortunes in spite of all the world-ln deli
ance of the harsh code of society which re-
serves beauty and wealth for its own station.
They were betrothed. They met often, but
secretly; and, when separated for any length
of time, they corresponded-still secretly.
This endured without interruption until
yesterday, when my cousins idol came here
to tell him with her own ips-with the calm
fnsolence of her class-that she was false to
every vow she had ever uttered"
Infamous womanr' muttered Mr.. Dalton.
'fMOre than this she demanded of him
the letters she had written to him during
the past year-letters that would have eter-
nally compromised her had they fallen into
the hands of her betrothed husband These
letters Clarence refused to restore; nay,
more, he swore that he would deliver them
to General Dumont, the man she was to
marry"
ssBut what has this to do with your cous-
ms disappearance" exclaimed Mr.. Dalton.
Clarice Suydam looked at him for few
moments in silence.
'tPerhaps nothing" she murmured-''per.
haps muchT
She then told the young man of the letter
which Clarence had received upon the pre-
yious night-the letter which invited him to
the meeting from which he had not returned.
Shave you that letter in your possession
asked Mr.. DaltoR
'cNo; Clarence had it in his pocket when
he left the house" answered Clarice. II
went early this morning to the hotel named
in that letter, and found that no one of that
name had been staying there. The people
belonging to the house were very willing to
give me all the information in their power,
but they could throw little light upon the
ygteTv nI Ihs g told old me that person h
past eight, and had given a card to the
waiter with the name of Spencer written
upon it. "A gentleman will call here at
half-past eight to ask for me, this man said;
you can tell him that I am waiting for him
here.' At half-past eight, person answer
ing my cousins description came In and
was shown at once to the dining-room; ten
minutes afterward, the two men left the
house together"
Sand this is all you could ascertain"
eyes, all, James-allP'
"When your cousin Clarence left this
house did he carry with him the letters
which the lady had asked him to surrender"
"He did. He told me once he always car
ried her letters about him in a sealed packet.
They are dearer to me than my life, he
said, and will never part with them but
with lifep
''Does this lady know of your cousins
disappearance"
''She has heard nothing from me-" an
hint I or0 Cofi hak oh
knows of Clarences disappearance"
''StrangeP' the young man said, thought
fully.
Then cold chill ran through his veins,
and a horrible suspiciOn-a suspicion that he
would not utter-fashed through his brain.
'iLook at her face" said Clarice, lifting
the curtain from before the picture. and
tell me if you can read the secrets of this /
womaE's soul"
James Dalton gazed long at the beautiful
miniature.
''The face is that of an angelr' he cx-
claimed; mo shadow of wrong can Turk be-
meath the light of those radiant blue ewes"
Clarice laughed scOrufully as she dropped /
the black drapery over the easel.
THAT is ever 81 ans reasoning" she said;
''do you forget that the Warehouses de
Brinvillers was as lovely as a Hebe-that
LucretIa Borgia was more beautiful than
completely hidden is the heart beneath.
''Hark?' exclaimed the young man. II
heard carriage stopping at the door below.
Can 1t be any tdings of Clarence?"
"No; those who have destroyed Clarence
Suydam are above suspicion. 1t is not to
the police that 1 must look for help"
She walked to tho window and looked out
at is Miss Ovington's carriage!" she ex-
claimed. 'What can have brought her
here2 Nay, do not stir, James," she added,
as the young man was about to leave the
room. 81 told you that 1 should have need
of your aid. Wait! wait and watchF'
The room was In shadowy obscurity only
by long rays of light, which
through the narrow apertures be-
tween the shutters, which were left little
way open to admit this light. James Dalton
seated himself in the shadow; CIarice Suy-
dam remained standing before the easel.
Miss Maud Ovington drew back with a
gesture of establishment as she entered this
room.
''What, in mercys name, does this mean?"
she exclaimed.
Olarice, that my cousin, Clarence Suydam,
Is dead2"
s'Dead?"
''Yes. You are surprised, are you not?"
TERRIBLY surprised, " said Miss Ovington,
sinking into chair, and holding her hand {
1erchle1 before her face.
''And yet his life or death could be of lit
lie consequence to you" replied Clarice,
since you had proved your Indifference to
lim by deserving him for a Weather
uitor"
''You are very cruel to me, Miss Suydam,"
aid Miss Maud Ovington, removing the
handkerchief from her face, and lifting her
right blue eyes, with piteous expression, {
oward the iDfexible cOuntenance of Clarice; {
ff0Trk Tvrrir1 -. L Al. III
or mereys sake, when and how did your L
ousin die?"
''You were here yesterday, Miss Owing Il
on2" answered Clarice, solemnly. b
al was K
my cousin, Clarence Suydam, died upon n
Re night succeeding your yisit--last night"
ellis death, then, was terribly sudden, u
n he was in perfect health when / saw him. p
/ Heavens name, Miss Suydam. speak out II
how did your cousin die?" n
''Shdu speak out, Miss Ovingtonf" asked
arice, with peculiar emphasis upon her IL
ords.
''Yes." eI
''No Miss Maud Ovington, it is too soon lie
It for plain speaking | decline to tell you
ything respecting my poor, unhappy cous- 70
but that he is dead" ca
There was silence for some minutes, dur u
which Maud OYington seemed to be as as
mixing deeply. clt
Miss Suydam, " she said, after this pause, WI
eat favor" fol
Indeed, madam atl
i'Will you grant it2'
Perhaps know what it Is" br
''Your cousin had in his possession a num-
+ of letters written TO him by me before IN
engagement to the General. All papers
onging to Mr.. Suydam have no doubt ms
sSed into your hands since his death
"A 1yo7, rat,,r,, tbosa Itto, a. ,,.9sS thi
4 cannot, Miss Ovington.' we
You cannotF
mo, cannot, because those letters are ure
In my possession. Clarence Suydam die
! no secrets from me-we were as brother
l slster-and know that he carried the aw
' x containing your letters about him ]