The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-07-13
The MorriStuwn Gazette
Fatal Mistake
BARRETT SYLVESTER,
AUTHOR on
'TETfBRED, YET FREnr" CLOUDS AND sUysHFNs
ssksTEIIzse ERRoR FaESE PpIDx


Miss Ovington led the way into the library
'rNow, CRANKY" she said, ar she closed
the door of this apartment behind her, 'stel
me, dearest, bravest and best, what is il
that troubles you, for can see the shadow.
of trouble in those truthful brown eyes, ana
the darkness of sorrow upon that open brow
Tell me, my beloved, what has happened?"
The General clasped the rounded arm Of
his betrothed within his strong hand and
drew her toward the window. Then. with
his disengaged hand, he drew aside the volu-
minous lace curtains whiGa shaded the win
dow and admitted the full glory Of autumn
sunshine.
The broad stream of light fell upon the
face of Miss Ovington.
81 want to see your eyes, Maud, said the
General, gravely.. 81 want to look into your
eyes while speak to you, and see whether
truth or falsehood Turks in their azure
depths"
The glance which met his own seemed
tAthful as the gaze of an angel as Maud
Ovington replied to these strange words.
''You surely cannot fear the result of such
test, CRANKY" she murmured. 'FWhat-
ever foolish fancy may possess you, you can
have no thought so foolish as a doubt of
mel"
"You speak fearlessly, Maud"
"Why should l speak otherwise? You see
I am not afraid of the broad sunlight, and 7
look you boldly in the face. What have
you to say to me, dearest2"
'IMaud Ovington, there is a conspiracy
against your honorP Cranky Dumont ut
tered these words with terrible solemnity,
but there was no shadow of change in the
fair face into which he looked. ''There are
those in this city vile enough to accuse you
of infamy-nay, more, of crimei"
Miss Ovington started, and her bright
Al,
indignation of innocence. No change of
color betrayed either terror or dismRy.
The blush roses on her cheeks never faded
from their delicate hue.
,sOf crime, Maud Ovington," repeated
General Dumont-''of that deadly and una
tonable wickedness which is the worst and
blacklist in the hideous catalogue of crimel"
"What crime?" she exclaimed.
'"Hhe taking of human lifep'
The General paused before uttering the
last two words-they seemed to jar with the
bright sunshine and the fair face looking
into his own.
''There are madmen enough in this city,"
said Maud Ovington, with hauteur which
was no stranger to her; "but did not sup
pose you would be so foolish as to listen to
themP'
had retained in his powerful grasp through
out this brief dialogue, and walked toward
the door.
Enough, Maudr' he exclaimed; 81 never
was base enough to doubt you, but wished
from your own lips to hear how mad had
been in being disquieted by this vile plot.
60 from this house to that of my lawyerl"
For what purpOse?"
''To set him upon the track of the
wretches who have concocted this vile con-
spiracy. Au reUoir, dearest! 1 will return
in few hours and tell you the result of my
mornings work"
As the door closed upon the General, /
Miss OVingtOn drew a cambria handkerchief /
from her pocket and pressed it to her mouth. /
When she removed this snowy handkerchief /
it was stained with a slender stream of blood, |
which trickled from her lower lip upon the I
cambria.
During her interview with the General
her teeth had closed convulsively upon this
rosy lip until the edges had met III the
pulpy flesh.
1.-The missing letters! she exclaimed, as
she flung the blood-stained handkerchief
aside. AT any cost ut any peril, l must
discover those missing lettersl Then I can
defy the worldr'