The Wilmingtonian., 1885-09-05

him through the green country lanes to the
brown farmhouse.
"If he were only as handsome and grace
full as Harry Bell" and as she tied her hat
her gaze wandered wistfully over the river
to the brown stone villa upon the hill, where
in stately magnificence, dwelt the owner of
the mill property-Garrison Bell,
la her simplicity she had looked with al
most reverential awe upon the portly gentle
man, as with great pomposity he made his
weekly visits to the factory to give orders to
his overseer. OF late the musJached young
college graduate, HarryBell, had performed
these duties for his father, and she now
considered him the personifcation of manly
beauty and excellence.
And SO Jessie dreamed on, and at last,
with the night shadows folding themselves
closely about her, went slowly down the
creaking stairway, with heavy aching at
her heart and weary, wistful longing in
her brown eyes.
But hark! Up through the winding pas
sage, with the rush of the damp wind from
the street door came shrill cry of mortal
agony, and her blood ran cold while her
heart almost stilled its beating as she listen.
ed.
One, two, three, horrid yells rent the air
mingled with the sound of falling blows ant
fierce oaths. The sounds came from the
oyerseer's office at the foot of the stairs; ant
we've heardwith awful distinetness above th'
roar of the storm. ....-e
Jessie knew that the last workman hat
left fifteen minutes before, and she was alone
perhaps with a murderer-and whittier thai
the face of the sheeted dead was that of tn
young girl as she leaned for support against
the smoky wall.
The cries had ceased, door opened am
closed, but still she could hear the thud
thud of the wind lashed waves, and up fror
the street came the sickening stencil of th
rain-soaked debris.
But she must actP And with the though
came renewed strength, and down the ol
stairs she went with flying feet. At tha
instant in from the street came the sam
awkard form from which she had turned 81
scornfully five minutes before How mob
ana manly he looked in the hour of peril.
"Thank God, you are here, John Brace!
and then they opened the office door an
went in together.
Only the empty room, vacant and blac
with the shadows weaving themselves tc
gether in the dim and dusty corners, an
the wind blowing wild through the ma
row passage.
But what is that thing lying in a mangl'
heap upon the low lounge behind the stov,
Shapeless, almost and yet not lifeless, for
human hand is thrusted out and omit is
great clod of blood.
With a pale face, but unshaking han
John Brace removed the covering and di
closed the CHASTITY, disfgured face
Thomas Morgan, the factory overseer.
The great gashes across his throat fro
from which the life-blood was fast ebbin
and the marks of heavy blows about
face were the sole traces Of the murder
Poor little Jessie could endure no me
and when the curious crowd came hurryi
in from the street they found her lying pr,
trate upon the floor, and honest John Bra
gazed in dumb horror upon the scene.
Three weeks had passed, and through /
low kitchen window of the farmhouse |
der the hill, the afternoon sunlight sho
blithely in and wove its fairy embroider
in broad lines of gold upon the white hair
the busy housewife, as she passed with liz