American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-07-09
CHAPTER IX.-CoSTISUED.

CHAPTER N.-CoNTISuED.
Ross looked round and saw that the
were all against him save Lady Viola
who cried out in pity. Then suddenl
another young girl stepped forward
beautiful as picture. light on he
lovely, Southern face, her dress of am
Der and white falling in statues9ue fold
around her, and amber roses nesting il
her hair. She advanced to where tn,
little group stood-Lady Cumnor. will
her white face full of tragic sorrow, Sil
Austen. too bewildered to speak, Ross
half indignant. half despairing, anc
Lady Viola, holding his hand, as though
she would cling to him when all hope
failed. Lean raised her face to Lady
Cumnor; and those who saw it never
forgot it.
He is innocent" she said, calmly.
81 did it. will answer to Heaven and
to you for the little life lost. 1 swear
that he did not do it, and that l didr'
They fell back from her with a cry
of horror. and left her standing alone.
The silence of unutterable horror lay
over them all. Lady Cumnor was the
first to speak.
Your she cried. "What had ]
done to you that you should STAY my
child? You, a woman yourself, to take
my darling from mer'
Leans dark head dropped for one
moment; then she raised her pale, ago
nized face.
Il repent now," she said, "but
killed the child"
Learn" cried Ross, "you did not;
you could not! it is impossibler'
lit is true" she declared. Before
Heaven l say that it is my fault the
child is dead. l killed itr'
- will never believe itr' cried Ross.
a 1t is true" she repeated.
Then Lady Cumnor seemed to re-
cover from her shock of horror. She
looked at the girl standing before her
81 can believe it." she said. ~ can
sooner believe it of you even than of
him. He is a man; he might hesitate
before he took the life of little child.
You are a woman whose heart is on fire
to avenge what you consider his wrongs.
will not say, Lean Dynevor, that it is
conspiracy between you; l will not
say that between you you plotted the
death of my boy. 1 will not say that,
although it may be true"
my dearest Hester" cried Sir Aus
ten. whose distress of mind at the loss
of his child was SO great that he could
hardly speak, "pray be calm! You
must not say such things"
May l not speak the truth to the
murderess of my child? She tells you
she killed our little Hugh. 1 believe
there is always evil lurking in the dark
face of a Southern woman. l demand
that she be punished 1 demand that
justice be ineted out to her, and that a
life be given for the life takeni Would
~ 81 hat .ol
was not true? Would any woman en-
danger her life for liep Answer me.'
From the crowd came no reply; but
Lady Cumnor read pity in every face.
81 You pity herr She cried. "What
compassion have you for me, whose
darling lies murdered there pa doc 4
tor had been summoned, but he had
pronounced life to be extinct. "She
tells me she has slain my child, and
your hearts go out in pity towards her!
say she ought to be stoned to death,
for she has slain the sweetest of chill
dren-my only child! Pity her? No;
life for a hfel I will tell YOU why she
has slain my child. She chose to-day
because she thought that every one |
would be too intent to notice her move
ments, and she has killed him because
listenr'
A deeper silence fell upon the crowd, |
every man and woman of which bent |
forward to hear.
because she is going to marry Ross
Cumnor, and this child stood between
her lover and his fortune! That was
her motive. Let her deny it if she
can! She cannot"
No word of denial came from the
sweet lips; but Ross cried out:
1T is falseI-all falsel"
do you deny it, Lean Dynevor?
asked Lady Cumnor; but the girl made
no reply. "You are quite right in not
adding falsehood to murder. You
have talked much about self sacrifice
perhaps you think that in staying the
child who stood between your lover
Ind his fortune, You have done a
deed. You forget-you
orget. He will have Larchton Mere
low; but you shall pay for it with your
life. That my child is dead and the
spanish woman's son has Larchton
Mere will never benefit you. You will
lot be here to see it; you will pay the
penalty for your crime"
"Leam," cried Ross, in agony, "you
lid not do it, am sure you did not. 7"
d" You are the chief witness against
ler," said Lady Cnmnor. You sent
ne child 10 hcr; and RoS5 trembled
$ he recalled what he had said. :. You
will have to give evidence against her.
appeal to all present--did you not say
hat when you placed the little one on
he bank you told him to run to auntie
,eamP You cannot deny it; you said
o. masked"
He need not deny it, said Lean;
there is no occasion to say more. Lady '
lola. you have been very noble and s
rue; do not fear for Ross; he is safe.
. and | only, am to blame for the death
Z the child. have no more to say"
Despite her avowals of guilt and the !
lausible motive ascribed to her, there !
Tere many who, touched by her youth 1
nd loneliness. would have defended
err, believing her to be innocent; but I
.ady Cumnor would allow of no inter- ,
srence.
"Speak once MORE" she said 81 Q
SIX you, before give you in charge. /
re you guilty or not2"
~. and1 alone, am guilty." replied /
ie girl y
"Forgivc me. Ross, for my false judg-
tent OF you" cried LAZY Cumnor, upon a
caring those words. "Alas, why did S