Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-12

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her own bedroom, the door Of which was
opposite the sick-room while she herself
was to occupy a little bed hastily put up in
the dressing room. This arrangement was
deeply resented by Dora.
Il think if anybody has a right to be near
Allan a. such time, it is |, his sister she
said, when she and Grace were alone.
But surely, Aunt Dora, a wifc's right is
above all others"
That depends upon the wife"
Then. if there can he any such distinc
ton, nobody can dispute my step-mother's
claim, for she is the most devoted Of
wives
She has a knack of seeming very de
voted. remarked Dora.
Seeming. and a knack," repeated Grace.
Indignantly How can You say such
things. Aunt Dora' How dare you insinu-
ate that my fathers wife is not true'"
Il insinuate nothing. Grace, and am not
going To he taken to task by a schoolgirl
| can only say that Lady Darnel is a mys
terry to me. just as she is mystery to the
county. Indeed, ! may say that you are
the only person who appears to understand
her and believe in her
My father believes in her." retorted
tITitt, llDIt anu IlNEt lltllHldAl- ildl
is enough for me"
"Your father is under the spell Of q po-
cnt fascination. my dear. Have you never
1t Irtl of a middle aged widuwer subjugated
" the maneuvers of handsome widow
4 widow whose antecedeats are wrapped in
profound darkness
"Gou are talking most unjustly, Aunt
Dora; and, what is more, you know that
sou are unjust. wonder you don't eX-
Dect something to crawl out of your Bible
md sting you. wouldn't sit with my
Bible on my lap and spit venom at inno-
,ent people
If YOU can not control yOur tongue,
Grace, shall 90 to my own room, said
Dora closing her Bible, and rising us II TO
lcpart
Il shall he very much behOlden to my
tongue if il drives you there, retorted
Grace. upon which Miss Darnel had no OPP
tion. and was obliged to carry out her
threat; more especially as the room was
Grace's own particular den, and she was
only a visitor there.
She departed carrying her Bible and a
large assortment of angry feelings with
her
I}ut she did not retire TO the solitude OF
her own apartments in the north wing.
Solitude is apt To he intolerable in these
periods Of suspense and anNit:,. Miss
Darnel went down to the drawn room.
and ON her way met a servant who was go
ing stairs to announce Mr.. Colchester
He was in the drawing room, the mah
said. and wanted Ia see Lady Darnel, Mis-
Grace. anybody.
Dora felt that she came under the head
Of anybody, So she hurried To the drawing
room. eager To be en rapport with the
county: though, indeed, in spite OF his
splendid position, she always looked upfn
Edward Colchester rs in somewise an out
slider. He was 50 gOod-natured, so hai
felloW-well-met with all the world, 80 ! e
tie governed by the Draconian laws OF
county society.
She found him in the drawing room, in
huntin: clothes, fidgeting about with a
whip in his hand, just as if he had that
moment dismounted to rest his hunter :
back during pause in the morning
work
MY dear Miss Darnel," he cried, seizing
her hand. what a dreadful thing this Is
/ Been out with Col Thorpe's barriers; only
! Just heard it on my way home, or should
| have been here before. How did il hap
pen' Is he very hadE How is Grace'"
1T is long story. Mr. Colchester, and
| it is profound mystery. We none OF us
know what it all means yet. My poor
. brother is III most precarious state. l
| fear we will lose him"
Here the tears rushed to her eyes, and
they were not crocodile tears. II she hated
! her brothers wife, she loved her brother;
/ and though she could not bear to see him
| happy in his second marriage-nay, re
sented that second marriage as If 1t were
! a deadly wrong done TO herself--she could
net calmly contemplate the possibility OF
/ lC sing him.
Don't cry" said Colchester, very much
| Inclined to be fearful himself Things
arc never so bad as they look. But for
| goodness sake tell me how it happened.
| S.r Allan shot himself they say; late last
: light, after you had all gone to bed"
Not all said Dora Lady Darnel sat
no late to write letters. She was still up
at the time it happened"
Then she must know all about 1t.
! she appears to know nothing. She had
/ been TO Grace's room. She was in the cor
ridor when shesSe@rd the pistol go off.
And Sir Allsslyas alone in his room'
$50 it appearSs Gle had gone to bed al
1 hour before He s.nust have got up and
gone back 10 Lady Darnels morning room
where he had left the case of revolvers on
the table. Why he should have got W
and half-dressed himself, and gone back Il
ret those pistols, is an unfathOmable mys
Iery."
He NAV have heard burglars-or fanCieC
he hearl them" suggested Colchester
Some men are always on the qui vive fol
burglars-sleep with life-preservers undel
their pillows. They might burgle all rount
nv house and should never hear 'em
but | know it is a weakness with som'
men How do you know that there WASH
a burglar there; He may have shot 81
Allan"
Dora shook her head.
Il do not believe il was burglar. |
there had been any one in the house an.
s,.ufffe between Sir Allan and robber-
Lady Darnel must have heard it. Sh
WAS in the corridor when the pistol Wen
off"
Then how do you solve the mystery"
at is nv painful conviction that tn
deed was either murder or suicide"
Suicide" exclaimed Colchester. "Ou
of the question. Why, there wasn't
harpier fellow in Willis than Sir Allan
the cheeriest, the kindest, the most genia
OF mem
Kind, genial, admit, said Dora, "but
Know my brother better than any one els
. ,.tn know him. was his companion an
,auffdante from the time left school I'll
the day he married his second wife. d
not believe that he has been happy OF late
His marriage was not a satisfactory mai
riage. Even if he himself could have fel
thoroughly satisfied-which do not thin
he ever did-he knew that the county wa
dissatisfied with his choice"
The county are - set of snobs, sal
young Colchester, swallowing an ev
word with wry face. Why couldn