The Penn's Grove record., 1885-04-11
wa. ,ns Guilty.

Her cheeks were hot and flushed.
''It drives me mad - she said, stamp
ing the floor with rage. 1.-The torture
is too great to be borne, My bumila-
ton is complete. If Leonard really
loves her. then death would be sweet to
me.n
Convulsive sobs burst upon her In a
torrent. They shook her frame, and
for once this pr~Oud-spiTited woman gave
her embittered feelings full vent,
The crimson velvet curtain which
screened the open window was gently
drawn aside while yet Lucy Berkely re-
cited her anguish and her fears.
A strange man, who had heard all she
said. entered the room from the balcony
and stood uncovered before her.
Dwarfed in stature, with long, harry,
powerful arms and a m~isshapen body,
he gazed upon the lady with a look of
miserable vacancy. This was a harm
less idiot who had grown up among the
servants OF the establishment, and was
allowed to roam about the house with
almost unlimited freedom.
AS he grew up, Rufus-for such be
was called by accideut-it became very
apparent, was the merest idiot. OF
one sentiment only did he seem capable,
and that was to idolize Lucy Berkiey.
To her he devoted himself entirely as
the dog does to his master.
His appearance, however, created now
"a sudden feeling Of surprise. Hatred,
rage and grief were upon his face I'M
~mistakably, but most curiously express
ed. what is the matter, Rutus?'
He approached her and Missed rather
than spoke:
"Comel Seel She is with himl" and
the idiot boy pointed to the open win
dow. Miss Berkeley cast a searching
glance over the gardens which sur
rounded the house, and IN a moment
the object of his hate became apparent.
The clear moonlight showed her two
figures walking arm in arm through a
distant avenue shaded by fine old elm
trees.
One was Clara Martin, Miss Berkley's
COMPANION. The Other-alas, her own
afiauced lover, Leonard Ddcrel
The IDIOT watched the anguish depict
ed on his MISTRESS face, and then
clinching his hand and pointing to the
direction which the pair was taking, he
cried:
Il hate herl She is badl She makes
you weepI''
Miss Berkeley did not answer, but her
gaze remained fixed on tue pair who
were coquetting in the garden. They
seemed absorbed in each other, and
were engaged in earnest conversation.
You would be happy if she were iaI
away where he could never see heI
again?n Kissed Rufus.
Yes, il it were possible, " said Miss
Berkley, half to herself.
The flames of dark, burning Jealousy
were famed into a blaze within the dis
appointed woman's heart, and she
writhed in torture and tears for hour:
upon the couch in her boudolr.
The next morning, as the gardener Of
the Berkley family made his usua
rounds In the gardens and plantations.
be saw lying upon a grassy bank The
Iifeless form of Clara Martini Crimson
blood stains dyed the snowy whitenes'
of her swan-like neck, and there was &
dreadful cash in her throat.
4 curiously-shaped dagger was lying
beside her. 1t was of foreign work,
manship, and was apparently the wea
pom with which the deed OF blood haC
been committed, as the blade was rec
with gore.
A shudder ran through the gardener.
but his face grew white rs that of the
dead girl near him when he recognized
the weIpon us one he had seen III Miss
Berkley IS cabinet of ~curiosities.
How came IL there2
1t was the last day of a celebrated
trial in Richmond, and crowds tiOckeC
to hear tbs decision which might con
denim Tho neiress Of n of their proud
est families to dark, dreary, lifelong
impriaor HcIlt, perhaps to death. Few
dared IT, nope that her innocence WoulC
be proved for circumstantial evidence o.
the strongest character pointed to Lucy
Berkley as the murdeTess of her Inflated
companion.
one alone stood by her, and from tht
first testified his belief iii her innocence,
1t was the lover whom she had believed
false, Great was her joy in her trouble
to hear from Leonard that he neyeI
loved any II but her, and that his at
tentiOns to Clara rOs from the fac
that he and she we're long separated
cousins and joint heirs to a large prop
erty, OF which they had been deprived
by fraud. His long conversations will
her We're on hissubiect, and he though
it safest to keep their discovery a score
until they could both proceed agains
the uncle who had been robbing then
with some chance Of success.
But neither the wealth nor influence
Lucy's friends brought TO bear coult
turn public sentiment in her favor
Her jealousy of Clara had been known
She had used harsh and angry words t.
the young girl, and these had been over
heard. She was the only person VIII,
could have any interest in CLARA
death; and a dagger belonging to he
had been the instrument of the crime
Then no one could tell where Mis-
Berkley had spent the previous night
She had not taken her usual place in th
household; and she had not been on he
bed that night, as it vas proved to hay
been antouched in the morning.
Strangely enough, too, the IDIOT hai
anu htb NhD oAAAoiAt9N NAN'
to his whereabouts could be obtained
Leonard Dacre searched up anddowi
the State for him, because he had con
ceived the strange theory that 1t wa
this mishappen. unhappy being VIII
was the real murderer. He had pu
forward this theory, but few woul,
even listen patiently to it. By tn
majority it was looked upon as frlvolou
nonsense; and many thought Miss BerB
ley had put the lad out of the way
create suspicion regarding him,
just before The case was given to tn
Jury, however, aud while everythin
pointed to the guilt of the prisoner a
tie bar, Leonard Dacre's appearance a
the door of the court room, draggIn
after him the idiot, created a thri
among the eager spectators. A buzz G
excitement agitated every one, inclu
ding the anxious, white-haired iudg
and the members Of the jury.
The dwarf looked round him hal
frightened yet defiant. When his ey
rested on the dark rObed figure of hi
mistress in the dock he uttered a 10y
whine Of delight. and dragging hImsel
from the grasp of his captor, he darte,