Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-03-13
CHAPTER XII.
r--rrr Dr-,

1t was over She knew! The hope whicft
may have buoyed my spirits that PhilippRs
agitation at learning of Sir Mervyn Fer
rand's death was but due to the fact tn at
she once loved the man entirely vanished
l could see no loophole of escape no posi-
bility of persuading her that she was fancy
ing horrors which had never taken place.
Moreover, although would have given nay
life to have saved her from the kno wledge, of
this thing, could not meet the eyes of her ]
loved, and lie to her.
did indeed, if but for the sake of gaining
time attempt to stammer out some evasixe
answer; but she interrupted me before had
spoken five words.
az aSEa are ean shns as como & kn nn
the whitened road-the dull, dead face-the
whirlng snow! In dreams l have stood
over him, and said to myself, He is deanr
But, BASIL my love. my husband, I thought
It was but a dream. l drove it away.
said, 1T must be dream. I hated him, and
so dreamed that killed him. Basil, dear
est Basil, tell me, if you can, that dreamed
it!n
Her voice sank into accents of piteous en-
treaty She looked at me yearningly.
dearest, it must have been a dream"
- She threw out her arms wildly. mo, no.
was no dream. Even now 1 see myself
anding in the night over that motionless
orm. l can feel the cold air on my cheek
Stili ate ilySell uyllS through Cfl6 snow
Basil, hated that man and | killed him!"
The tears were streaming down my cheeks.
seized her hands and strove to draw her
to me. She tore herself from my grasp, and
throwing herself wildly ON the bed, brokB-
into paroxysm of sobs. AS approached
her she turned her head from me.
81 killed him! killed him!" she whispered
in awe-struck tones ooh, that fearful
night! 1t has haunted me ever since
know not why. Now l know! He wronged
me, and killed him! killed him!"
placed my arm around her neck and my
she started up wildly.
'No, moi" she cried. ''Touch me nott
Shun mel Shrink from me! Basil, do you
hears Do you understand l have muir
dered mani"
Once more she threw herself on the bed,
her whole frame quivering with anguish.
"A shamed-a ruined womanW she NUT
tered: "a villains forsaken toy. and now a.
murderess! You have chosen your wife
well, BASIL"
Sweetest, I love you," I whispered.
Glove me! How can you love me? Such
love is not holy. If you love me, aid me to
die, Basil! Give me something that will
| kill mel Why did you save my life?'
because loved you, then, as love you
| now"
She was silent, and hoped was growing
calmer. 1 was but waiting for the first
shock of her newly-born knowledge to pass
away, in order to reason with her, and
SHOW her that by every moral law she was
guiltless of tn fearful crime. Suddenly
| she turned to me.
'How did l kill hing she said with a
shudder.
dearest, rest. We will talk again pres
emily"
''How did I kill hims" she repeated with
vehemence
''He was found shot through the heart" 1
answered, reluctantly.
''Shot through his heart-his wicked
heart! Shot by me! How could L have
shot him? With whata Basil, tell me all,
or | shall go mad' I will not have the
smallest thing concealed will know all!'
He was shot with pistol"
its Where is it.'
| Il threw it away"
You? Then you knewr'
| | bowed my head. 1 felt that conceal
ment was useless. She must know all.
told her everything | told her how she
| had promised to come to me; how, as she did
not keep that promise l went in search of
her. told her how she had swept past me
| in the snow storm; how had overtaken her
repeated her wild words. and told her how
the fatal weapon had fallen at my feet, and
how had, on the impulse of the moment
hurried it away into the night; how she had
broken away from me, and fl down the
lonely road; how, excited and terrified by
her words 1 had gone ON to learn their
meaning; how l had found the body o Sir
Mervyn Ferrand; how, without thought of
conoealing the deed, ! had laid the dead man
by the roadside; how had rushed home and
found her, Philippe, waiting for ME, and in
the full height OF temporary insanity l
told her all this, and | swore that from the
moment I discovered that her senses had
gone astray I held her, although she had
done so dreadful deed, as innocent of crime
as when she slept, babe, on her mothers
| breast
She listened to me with fixed, .dilated eyes.
She interrupted me neither by word nor ges-
ture; but when had finished speaking she
covered her face with her hands, and great
tears trickled through her fingers. 'sNo
hope No horel" she cried. sob, Basil,
dared to hope that something you would tell
me would show me it was not my hand
which did this thing! My love- my own love,
we have been so happy while could per-
suade myself all this was dreaml We shall
be happy no more, Basil"
! Although she still shrank from ma nv