, 1886-12-15

hA'pa NhA "hn BlfiiS iol lHOhtI llldhllS'
had bought mills in two adjoining town.
70 keenville and weekly would drive
over to them, a matter of some fife en-
miles, and pay the labor and other ex-
pense accounts.
Much of the business of drawing
money for these accounts came through
Aaron Voss, of whose hatred Mr.. Muir
tree was sublimely ignorant. Esther's
i~nfatuation increased as did the winter.
She defled public opinion with a persist
ance that could only result from a reck-
less love. She mourned the loss of
many old friends, whose advice she had
;cceived but neglected to follow.
Most t~earfully had she written to
Walter of the change in her heart, and
implored for his forgiveness. 1t only
brought from the heart-broken soldier
boy a passionate cry for her to not for
sake him. He had lived all through the
scare of battles with the firm belief that
she, his glorious Esther, was his guard
ian angel. lie was positive that her
good spirit had protected him from all
harm, where others had been killed or
hopelessly manned.
He had been promoted to be major of
his regiment, and would soon be home to
win back her sweet love. His pleadings
were all in vain. They brought CO
pious tears to those beautiful sapphire
eyes, but her heart seemed to gain addi-
tional warmth for Murtree, if there was
a possibility of increasing her capacity
of love for the man whom she already
worshiped.
Two months sped by, and with the
love Of Murtree and Esther still at fever
heat Walter Lane returned home-came
with his bright officers uniform, and
his poor tawny face plainly picturing
the terrible sorrow that had sunk so
deep into his heart.
He arrived in early evening, II with
n desire that was irresistible hurried
from his mothers welcoming kiss to the
house of Esther Carter. He found her
and Mr.. Murtree the sole occupants of
the cozy parlor. He was welcomed
frankly by Esther, and spent a nervous
hour in answering the many questions
regarding army life. Twice Mr.. Muir
tree. with the kindly breeding of a gen
tleman and a man that feels secure in
his love, rose. to go and leave these
childhood mates for n quiet visit by
themselves; but each time Esther be-
seeched him, with voice and eyes, to
not leave her, and he remained. AT
last poor Walter was forced to leave
from sheer exhaustion of his bursting
heart.
lie staggered home, realizing, oh! 50
terribly, that his whole life was in ruins,
and that he he had been robbed by that
smiling, devilish Murtree of all that this
world could possibly give him.
He spent n night or untold agony in
the same oom that from boyhood had
held so many golden hours for him.
The following day he met many of his
old friends, who shook his hand with
such a pathetic grasp that he felt they
all knew of the sorrow that was Grazing
him.
What painful comfort we derive in
the feeling that our friends sympathize
with us, but through sensitiveness can
not speak.
In the afternoon with horse and sleigh
and alone, he drove to Brisville, n town
fifteen miles distant, where a married
sister resided, to take tea and spend the
evening with her.
By mere chance, we can not call ii
strange, it was one of the days that Mr..
Murtree drove over to his mill at Bris-
vile to pay off his help, and, the sleigh.
ing being excellent, Esther had accom-
panied him as she had often done before.
1t was at the time of full moon, and
Murtree had told Esther that they would
nave supper at the Brisville tavern and
Il moonlight drive home. Esther had
appeared to the few who had met her
that morning rs in a very melancholy
mood-a mood that was so foreign to her
nature as to create great comment, and
was freely interpreted as being caused
by the return of Maj. Lane.
Before starting on her drive she kissed
her mother and younger sister several
times, which was strangely unusual, but
no tears were in the sapphire-tinted eyes;
and by the way, how seldom one sees
tears in those strangely colored eyes.
At 10 o'clock that night Keenville was
stirred as by an earthquake. A farmer
had hastily driven into town with the
terrible information that n murder had
been committed out on the Brisville pike
Richard Murtree was found dead in the
snow by the roadside with n pistol bal
through his heart. The fatal weapon
an ordinarily sized revolver, was found
in the road. The sleigh was overturned
u few rods up the Dad and had 81
caught in the fence as to hold the horses
Poor Esther Carter lay entangled in tn,
robes of the sleigh, a raving maniac.
Her beautiful body was like a magnifi-
cent tomb which holds only the dead
Weeks and months of investigation fol
lowed, but the mystery was never
solved. The only person that wa.
known to have witnessed the tragedy
was poor Esther, and her reason wa
gone forever.
The investigation proved that Maj
Lane had returned to Keenville by
o'clock, and Mr.. Aaron Nose testified t.
having turned into the Brisville pike Oh
his returning from Flosstown, and st
passed the scene of the terrible tragedy
after . o'clock, and at that time thu
road was perfectly clear.
1t was shown that through some un
known cause Mr.. Murtree had, befor'
leaving home, drawn $50, 900 in cash, Al
unusal amount, and that he had pait
less than So, 000 to the Brissville mill
still no money was found on his per
son.
In the dress pocket of Esther wa
found a crumpled letter, that had evi
IDENTIFY been read and re-read; it wa
dated the day before the murder an'
read as follows:
Miss Carter: This is to warn yol
that Mr.. Richard Murtree, who is pay
ing you attention, is n married man; III
has a wife and three children in Bos
ton.