Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-04-18

~ III Nlidt way w OiAO
Of you gentlemen saddle my horse ?"
"But Miss Moreland," said sleepy
eyes, "you must not go home now.
1t would not be safe"
unreasonable" said the gentle
man with the paper. ''The lady is
jesting."
81 am going home, DIR. JordOn
get me horse or shall walk" and
drawing her scarf about her shoulders
she moved toward the door.
"Stop! I'll get the horse if you
aoiW go, but it is simply folly" and
the good Doctor left the room NUT
tering something about folks who
lost their wits.
A few. moments rapid riding
brought May to town, and as she
neared the house the feeling which
had drawn her there increased to a
painful intensity. She reached the
gate and dism0unted. A silence I'M
broken reigned around. Shaking
with a dread of something, she knew
not what, she assembled the steps and
tried the door. 1t was fast. Not
wishing to disturb the household,
she passed around the house to the
library door, which opened on a pi-
azza. AS she assembled the steps some
one opened the door and sprang out
by her. She glanced round and by
the dim light Of the stars she saw a
tall figure pass rapidly out of sight.
To scream she never thought, but
with a trembling hand she opened
the door and passed through the Ii
brary into the hall. 1t was a way OF
the family to keep the gas burning
all night, and May had no difficulty
in ascending the stairway to Roberts
room. His door stood open. She en-
tered and stood speeches., motion.
less with horror at the sight which
met her gaze. Robert Moreland lay
upon the floor in pool Of blood, his
right hand grasping pistol, his eyes
fixed and CLASSY. One long, piercing
shrek burst from the lips of the ter
rified girl, and she fell senseless upor
the floor.
Then came a rush of hurrying feet
2 a sound of frightened voices and thu
servants rushed to the room. They
= lifted May. Their touch reused her
F.; and she staggered to her feet anC
D looked upon the horror-stricken face
: around her.
1 "The God of hebben, Miss May,
r said the broken voice of old caesar
e as her glance fell upon him, "wh'
TOKEN done dis ?"
Caesar, send for Cara, for DIR. Jor
r don, for some one-any one 0 m.
> God! Go. DIR. Jordon is out at tn
e Stanley cottage-go for him-send 70
y him; why do you stand here?"
i The old negro ran down the stair
: way followed by two Others, one G
y whom ran to the nearest house 70
n help, the other went for Mrs. More
: land, while Caesar mounted May
e horse and rode away as if legions c
It devils were at his back.
e "You cannot move him." May sal
= to the two girls left with her; the
t, she sat down and covering her face
y waited with a sickening pain in he
4; heart and brain. o horror, woul
d they never come? The moment
If seemed hours. One of the servant
IS returned with two gentlemen, an
e soon the welcome sound of horses
feet fell on the still night air. Neart
t. and nearer they came, until the
G paused at the gate and in a momer
d DIR. Jordan had assembled the stall
and stood by the side of the wounde
lie man. May sat mute and motionles
n apart from the men and her dea
1t brother. She had not touched hin
e. had not looked at him since the Sc
y wants lifted her from the floor, bI
now when some one approached hi
|; to lead her from the room she spran
away from them, and falling on HI
4. knees beside him covered his dea
W face with kisses, moaning and trent
L. ling with terror and grief. The
lg lifted her up and led her away to h,
l. own room. From there she cOul
a, hear the cries of grief that echo6
ID through the house, when Cara Nor
re land returned from the ball to fir
to her husband corpse.
he Robert Moreland, it seemed, hs
lost his life trying to save his none
ly His room had been robbed.
IN When morning broke, May arc
r. from the chair into which she HI
n sank. and looked around her ROOF