The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-09-19
CHAPTER XXXItI.
Il AN MAD


Il AN MAD"
II by any chance Beatrice, who certainly
had trouble enough to make her wakeful
had risen with the dawn Of the morning
which followed the ", and looked out
Of her easement she would have seen sight
which would Lave caused her much surprise
She would have seen Sarah Miller, whom
she believed 10 be in England, ling on
the opposite side of the street, utter despair
and anguish written in every lineament
gazing at her mistress window like one
bidding the object, the dearest on earth, an
eternal farewell eternal because even the
conSolng hope of meeting in some future
state is absent. But Beatrice, who, in the
earlier watches of the night, had been awake
for hours win her sorrow, slept on until the
sun was hi-n. Perhaps it was we'll for her
she did SO.
The poor self-appointed instrument for
working the divine will had, after she left
the scene of her dark work, wandered about
the outskirts of Munich, aimless y and hope
lessly. Had it been broad daylight, and
had there been persons to see her, an occa-
sonal stifed moan and wringng of the
hands would have been all that showed the
agony of mind she endured. But it was not
as might be Supposed the agony OF remorse
IL was agony at the thought OF the furth
sacrifice which such sense as still was hers
told her she must make, in order that the de-
sired and predeStinei results might follow
the act Of the night.
She was mad and she was not mad On
what may be called the religious side Of the
question, her mind, as may be guessed from
her deeds, was gone Iast redemption. 1t
l. -. h.,,, 80 s.,
years; ever sincs she had accepted rs true
the inexorable logic of creed which she had
partly been taught, partly framed for her
self. Tue tire may have been burning for
years giving now and again transient flashes,
and only waiting for certain circumstances
to fan it to a consuming flame. The fierce
burst was now over, but the fire would burn
and not again be hidden until it Lad devoured
life as well as reason.
She had killed, murdered this man in all
but cold blood Apart from the horror at
tendaut on the actual execution OF the crime,
a horror which began to haunt her and be
ever with her, she felt no poignant misery,
no maddening regret. In her wild, dis
jointed way she iamented, not the mans
death, but the fact that she had been chosen
to bring it about. She lamented it even as
Judas might have lamented the hard fate
which, in ord,r that prophecy might be full
filed, singled him out, and deCreed that he
should betray his Master. And, if it he true
that providence saves and Stays, who shall
say that the woman's mad reasoning was
unsoundt
On the other side, the material side, Sarah
Miller was, as yet, sane, or nearly so She
could look forward, plan, AMI even carry
out And the anguish which racked her
mind was the homecoming Of the truth,
that her act must part her and her mis-
tress for ever Here was the browning
sacrifice. Here was, perhaps, the earthly
punishment, Never again to gaze into that
dear face; never again to hear that loved
voice; never again to be near her to minister
to her wants, to aid her. scheme for her,
and if needs be, sin for her. Never to see
her in the happiness which had been sodearly
bought. Here was the sacrifice! 1t must
he made, and she must find strength to make
it, and skill to insure its being OF use.
To see her mistress, to meet her even once
more would be to ruin all Sh, must never
know whose hand it was bore her freedom.
She would never suspect that her servant
had been the means of cutting the knot
which it seemed no earthly power could undo.
All. no earthly power could have undons it.
So when at last the morning broke gray,
and trees and other objects doomed phantom
like and unreal through the mist, Sarah
Miller planned and schemed, seeking the
way to insure what she had 50 dearly
bought All her thoughts reached one end
She must hy far, far from the spot. Bea-
trice must never hear Of her again; never
know that she left London. II her prox-
unity 10 the dead man bscame known the
truth might be guessed and all be lost.
Yet before she went she must see the
house In which her darling lived. She must
s,oop and kiss the doorstep on which those
| loved feet had trodden. She must watt her
one passionate and UNDECIDED fare we'll, then
leave the place and be as one dead.
She struggled against the desire, but it
overcame her With the first streaks Of
| daylight she entered the sleeping city, and,
| utterly worn out, stood before her mistress
window, and for a while watched il as ono
might watch the last fading ray Of a sun
which has sunk never again to rise, and
| tighten the darkness which shall be eternal.
At that early hour Of the morning the
street was silent and deserted. There was
no one to notice the strange looking creature
who stood and. with wild despair in her
eyes, for ever gazed on one spot. Her look
for the time was such that no one, not even
the one most preoccupied with his own con-
Germs, could have passed her without feel
ing his curiosity raised as to why she was
lingering there, and what gave her that ap-
pearance Of dire distress.
After some minutes spent in this manner
the woman crossed the road. Her limbs
dragged after her and made her exhausted
state apparent She leant her head against
the door Of the house which held her mis-
tress and sobbei convulsively. A dizzy fesl-
ing came over her. aud she felt that she was
upon the point Of fainting and falling sense.
lss on the doorstep BY . supreme efiors
sbs .---.''