The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-07-01
could be tho punt unt of a mother
who took tho life 4 p own child?
CIINrER X.


A shade Of fear or mistrust came in
her manner to ne. ] must repeat. even
al the risk OF being wearisome, that |
think no man Eas ever in such a pain
ful position. Had il not been for my
fore-knowledge, should have loved
Mrs. Flemingfor her beauty, her good
ness, and her devotion TO my dear old
friend. could not bear to tell him the
truth, nor could bear that he should
be so baseIy and terribly deceived
that he should beaying with and loving
one whom knew to be murderess.
80 waited Tor an opportunity of APP
pealing to herself, and it came sooner
than had expected.
one afternoon Lance had to leave us
on business; he said he might be absent
some few hours-ne was going TO Vale
Royal. He asked me if | would take
Mrs. Fleming out; she had complained
OF headache, and he thought walk
down by the river might be good for
her. | promised to do so. and then |
knew the time for speaking to her had
come.
| cannot tell how it was that our walk
was delayed until the cleaning, and
then we went at once to the river. for
no other reason that can see, except
that Lance had wished us to 90 there.
But to my dying day can never for
get the scene. The sky was roseate
with crimson clouds, and golden with
gold; the river ran swiftly, trimming
full up to the banks; the glow of the
sunlight lay on the hills around, on the
green fields, on the distant woods. on
1lp hank whore gfpll an, ~ call
noble trees, on the wild flowers and
blossoms Better almost than anything
else | remember a great patch Of scar
let poppieS that grew in the long green
grass; even now, although this took
place long time ago, the sight of
crimson poppy makes my heart ache.
The wthered trunk OF fallen tree lay
across the rivers bank; one end Of il
was washed by the stream. Mrs. Elem
ing sat down upon it, and the scarlet
poppieS were at her feet.
1--WE can see nothing so pretty as the
sunset over the river, Mr., Ford, she
said "let us watch it,
We sat for some few minutes in ST.
lence; the rosy glow from the sky and
the river seemed to fall on her face as
she turned it TO the water.
The time had come knew that. vet
only Heaven knows how | shrank from
the task | would rather have died,
yet my sense of justice urged me on.
Was it fair that Lance Fleming should
lavish the whole love Of his life on a
murderesS
What are you thinking so intently
about, Mr.. Ford ~ she asked me.
shall | tell YOU" ! asked.
Yes. by all means she replied. Il
am sure the subject is very grave, you
look so unhappy
Now the time was come That beau
tiful face would never look into mine
again, steeled my heart by thinking
of the tiny baby face | had seen on the
wooden bench of the pier So like hers,
the little drowned face
II will tell you of what | am think
ing, Mrs Fleming" said; but Unjust
tell it to you as a story
"DO, she said, in a gentle voice. and
she gathered the scarlet peoples as she
spoke.
There were two friends once upon a
time" ] began, who loved each other
with love deeper and truer than the
love Of brothers,
She nodded her head with charm
ing smile; | saw an expression Of great
relief pass over her face
II Understand she said las you
and Lance love each other, there is
something most beautlNll in the love of
men"
"These two spent much time togeth-
er; their interests were identical, they
shared at that time the same hopes
and fears. They were parted for a
time. one was busy with his own affairs
the other, an invalid, went to Brighton
for his health
How the smile died away, the sun did
not set more surely or more slowly than
that sweet smile OF interest died from
her lips, but no fear replaced ii at first
The friend who was an invalid went
to Brighton, as | have said, for bis
health, and either fate or Providence
took him one night to The Chain Pier. y
! did not look at her; dared not
Ny eyes wandered over the trimming
river, where the crimson clouds were
reflected like blood, but heard a gasp.
ing sound as OF breath hardly drawn.
went on.
1.-The Chain Pier that evening lay in
the midst of soft, thick gloom; there
was no sound on it save the low wash
ing Of the waves and the shrill voice OF
the wind as it played amongst the
wooden piles. He sat silent, absorbed
in thought, when suddenly woman
came down the pier,-a tall, beautiful
woman, who walked to the end, and
stood leaning there"
saw the scarlet peoples fall from thu
nerveless hands on the green grass, bu
the figure by my side seemed to have
suddenly turned to stone. ! dare not
| look at her. The scene was far greater
agony to me, almost believe, than t
| her. ] went on
1.-THE woman stood there for SOME
| short time in silence; then she became
restless, and looked all round TO see L
anyone were near.
"Then she walked to the side of thu
pier. She did not see the dark form II
in the corner; she raised something IL
her arms, and dropped it into the sea.
| There was a sound, but 1t was llk'
| nothing human, it was neither sigl
nor moan, but more pitiful than either
the peoples lay still on the grass, and {
great hush seemed TO have fallen owe
| the river.
Into the sea-" repeated, "and TIT
man, AS it fell, saw shawl OF black ant
grey"
She tried to spring up, and l kney
that her impulse was TO rush to TIN
river. | held her arms, and she re
manned motionlesS; the very air aroun'
| nn,nl Ia hnnt titI nnglinnuf