Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-11-27

Good gracious mel What next9
1t was an accident. The man made
fool Of himself; so much the worse for
Ferris, " said his lordship.
IAN extraordinary story has reach
ed me, john SAID Lady Purpleton.
looking distressed. 81 hardly like to
repeat it, but it seems to be generally
known. Even the servants are talk
ing about IT, II is rumored that Mr..
de Rosilia shot Maj. Ferris at the IN
stigation of Laura Fawthorpe.
What" exclaimed his lordship.
quite aghast,
Il have inquired into it. Miss Raw
nor and Lady Ann Hartley both
heard Mr. de Rosilia propose to
Laura that he should shoot Mai. Fer.
ris."
Nor
Eyes, indeed. There can be NO
doubt about it The conversation was
plairly overheard"
"WhereW
In the large conservatory, on the
afternoon before the-the accident
happened. Miss Fawthorpe and Mr.
de Rosilia imagined themselves alone.
In fact, l rather suspect, said Lady
Purpletou, with faint smile, that
my informants, hearing the young
people come into the conservatory,
were unkind enougo not to reveal
their presence.
you mean that they hstenedp
Anyhow, they heard.
'"rhis is very serious indeed" said
his lordship, pacing up and down
the room. "What-what is the mo-
tive suggested Why should the girl
desire to have Ferris injured2"
Revenge-pique SO they say.
But | can't believe it of her, said
Lady Purpleton, energeticaily.
DO you think Miss Fawthorpe sus-
poets this rumor2'
'She is leaving, and her manner is
certainly strange. She abruptly an
nounced to me just now that she
SHOULD return home this afternoon.
Have you sand anything about it
to here"
"HJw can II II the story be false,
it would be an insult to repeat it. If
it should be true, there can be no OBJ
iect -
"Quite so. Least said soonest
mended. 1t was devilish queer ac-
cident, | must say" remarked his
lordship.
In fact, his lordship found himself
infected with the same disquieting
suspicion which was now prevalent
throughout the house. 1t was impos-
sible to ignore the testimony of two
perfectly reliable and unbiased wit
nesses. AS regarded de Rosilia, there
did not seem anything remarkable in
hot bl0oded, impetuous foreigner
committing a dastardly, desperate
deed at the instigation OF the girl who
had fascinated hlm. The incredible |
part of the story was that Miss Faw /
thorpe should have countenanced, /
much less encouraged, such baseness /
toward Mai Ferris because she fanci- /.
ed herself sighted. Such a proceed /
ing seemed altogether repugnant to
the girls disposition, especially as she
had not by any means the reputation /
of being passionate, nor was she like
ly to be swayed by sudden impulses /.
Unfortunately, tAe young lady's 1
conduct after the accident certainly /
favored the suspicious that were enter
tanned againt her She had shown I
symptoms of great distress of mind +.
which the nature of the wounded
mans injuries by no means warrant /
ed 1t seemed probable that she was
suffering from remorse, and 1t was
observed that she declined to speak or
/ to look at Mr. de RCsila after the un-
fortunate episode, Ga the other hand
she had carefully abstained from ex-
pressions of sympathy for the Invalid, (
from which it is shrewdly surmised
that, while regretting her share in the
catastrophe from a sense of shame
and horror, she felt no soIlcitude for
Maj Ferris Above ALL Miss Faw I
thorpe's naughty and almost dlfiant
manner to those about her after the
occurrence, and her sudden departure
upon the lamest of pretexts, tended to
increase unfavorable impressions. (
Lord and Lady Purpleton contrived
10 infuse some little cordiality into !
their farewell greetings with her, but
many of the ether guests, especially I
the ladies, took very slight pans to .
hide their disgust at her conduct /.
/ When Maj Farris was able to leave
his room, after depressing period of
drawn blinds aad seml-darkness, he /.
soon got wind of the story and ques-
toned his host aboutit it.
"Ohl l believe it is all nonsense
about Miss Fawthorpe, l mean, SAID
Lord Parpleton, who was very much
inclined to be ashamed of mis- susplc-
ions.
II was referring more particularly
to de Rosilia, said Maj Ferris, chang
ing color Do you think he did it on
purpose9'
"'Pon my word, I don't know"
said his lordship, shortly.
Can you give me his address2" in
quired Mai Ferris.
II don't fancy hehas such thing,
said his lordship, epdeavorlng 10 dis
pei, by feeble joke, the ominous
frown on his friends brow. He is a
bird of passage-here to day, gone to-
morrow