The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-08-31

pue was auoug Inr0w ner zlHsquer-
ade dress, and fling herself upon the luxuri-
GUS couch in her bed-chamber, when the
door was once more opened.
Maud Dumont looked up with start Of
terror.
General Dumont entered. BE was as
pale as death, and there was an awful calm
ness on his face, which caused the guilty
woman to stihe cry of fear as she beheld
1t.
She disguised her terror with a terrible
effort and looked at the General with a
smile.
''You have risen early this morning,
CRANKY" She said, cayiy. "You shame NV
dissipated habits. The masquerade was so
delightful that I fingered longer than had
intended. / have only just returned, and
am going to take few hours rest, for am
terribly sleepy"
The General did not reply to this speech.
eyes, l am very, very tred!" murmured
his wife. "But it is only seven o'clock,
CRANKY" she added, looking at tiny jew
eIed watch that lay among the trinketS be-
fore her. 81 had no idea you were such an
early riser"
81 am not an early risers" returned the
General, coldly. al have not been to bed
all nightP
Indeed! Oh, then of course you were at
some private meeting of your party. am
only sorry you were not at Morrisania. Ths
masquerade was delightful!
''You enjoyed yourself very much, thenf"
said the General, fixing his eyes, with q
searching gaze, upon the false and guilty
creature whom he had so long loved.
ooh, YES, indeed! I cannot remember
ever having enjoyed myself more. My only
regret was that you were not there to share
nv pleasure" she added, with one of those
haIf-pensive, half-tender smiles, which had
SO often fascinated the General
Now his heart was marble. The mask
had fallen from that once idoliZed face. and
he could only look upon it with feelings Of
horror and disgust.
''You are mistaken, madam" he said 81
was thereP'
A deathly shadow came over the face of
the young bride, and she grasped the tiny
stiletto tightly in her slender hand.
"You were there?' she gasped-''you were
at the masquerade"
mo, madam, I was not at the masquer-
ade. I was ut Morrisania. I was the wit
ness of a strange scene which took place in
the dimly-lighted chamber of tenantless
cottage"
Maud Dumont rose from her chair with
wild cry of anguish. She tOttered forward
a few steps and fell upon her knees at the
feet of the General.
''Pity me-" she cried-'have pity upon
mel!
s"Now said CRANKY Dumont, sternly.
''No, madam he exclaimed; Il can feel no
pity for you; neither can I feel revenge
You are too base, too utterly degraded and
contemplate to evoke either sentiment in
my breast! The past is past. l blot the
love I bore you from the history Of my life
as I would blot out dark page from a
book. You are free to 90 where you will.
Mine shall not be the tongue which win be-
tray you to the officers of justice. But |
doubt not that. fly whittier you will, justics
will track you out in the end. False wife,
murderess, traitress, Heaven have mercy on
you when the hour of doom shall GOMEZ"
The wretched woman was bewildered, ter !
rOr-struck, stupefsd. For the first time, |
she felt that all was lost
''Were alone possessed of your horrible |
secret, should feel that my fate was sealed" |
continued the General. ''You, who did not |
hesitate to murder Clarence Suydam. the |
man you pretended to love, would scarcely |
scruple to murder me, if you thought by so |
doing, you might retain possession Of the |
wealth for which you have perled ysuF
sOuli But others hold vour fatal secret
Wolnan-an outraged ana reVengeGuI woman
holds in her relentless hand every clue Of
that horrible mystery. That woman viii
hunt you to your death. Her name Is Oas-
ice Suydamp
A groan of misery burst from the lips Of
The cringing woman.
She remembered the dark and stern face
IF Clarence's cousin. Yes, there was a44
lvenger!
FAREWELL said the General, walking
toward the door. 1--WE have met to-day for
he last time. God pity your poor old
ather!"
He left his guilty wife neeling on the
7elvet rug before the fire, and passed oaIt of
he room.
The door closed behind him, end Maud
)umont was alone. She lifted the tiny
tiletto with the pearl handle, and looked at
t with a strange smile.
Eyes, she nutteEed. "Levinto was right
lie could laugh at the hangDaan while he
possessed thisP'
st twelve o'clock that day terrible scene
ook place in the Ovington mansion
When the French maid pushed open the
oor communicating with her mistress
luxurious dressing-roon, she drew back
nth long and piercing scream, which "a
ounded through the stately dwelling.
Mr.. OVington, startled by the cry, Esshed .
trough the hall into Maud's room. He
ad just been notified of the arrest Of his
eprobate son George; now he was called
pom to witness the sight thas broke his
cart.
His beautiful daughter lay upon the veh
ct hearth-rug, motionless, ghsstly~-~deEb