Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-04-23
CHAPTER XXXIIL.

had trouble enough to make her wakeful,
had risen with the dawn of the morning
which followed the tragedy, and looked out
of her easement she would have seen a sight
which would lave caused her much surprise.
She would have seen Sarah Miller, whom
she believed 10 he in England, standing 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
consoling hope of a meeting in some future
state is absent But Beatrice, who, in the
earlier watches of the night had been awake
for hours with her sorrow, slept on until the
sun wa, high. Perhaps it was well for her
she did SO.
The poor self-apponted instrument for
working the divine will had, after she left
the scene of her dark work. wandered about
the outskirt, of Munich, aimlessly and hope
iessly Had it been broad daylight, and
hSd there been persons to see her, an occa-
sional stifled moan and wringlng 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.
1t was agony at the thought Of the further
sacrifice which such sense as still was hers
told her she must make in order that the de-
sired and predestnei results ght 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 dee D, was gone last redemption. 1t
may be that this had been her true state for
years; ever since she had accepted as true
the inexorable logic of creed which she had
partly been taught, partly framed for her.
self The fire may have been burning for
years giving now and again transient flashes,
and only waiting for certain circumstances
to fan it to consuming fame. The fierce
burst was now over, but the fire would burn
and not again be hidden until it had devoured
life as we'll as reason.
She had killed, murdered this man in all
but cold blood Apart from the horror at
ten1ant on the actual execution of the crime
horror which began to haunt her and he
ever with her. she felt no poignant misery,
no maddening regret In her wild, dis
| jointed way she lamenteI, not the mans
death, but the fact that she had been chosen
| to bring it about. She lamented it even us
| Judas might have iamented the hard fate
which, i'll ord er that prophecy might be full
| flied, singled him out, and decre.sI that he
should betJay his Mas err. And, if it be true
that II providence saves and Stays, who shall
say that the woman's mad reasoning was
unsoundf
On the other side, the material side, Sarah
Miller was, as yet sane, or nearly SO. She
could look forward plan, and 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
la hur tnr ir1i. tar
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 odearly
bought. Here was the sacrifice! 1t must
be 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. She must never
know whose hand it was bore her freedom
She would never suspect that her servant
had been the means of cutting the kno
which it seemed no earthly power could undo
All, no earthly power could have undone it
So when at last the morning broke gray
and trees and other objects doomed phantom
like and unreal through the mist, Saral
Miller planned and schemed, seeking tn,
way to insure what she had so dearly
bought. All her thoughts reached one end
She must fly far, far from the spot. Bea
trice must never hear of her again; neve
know that she left London. If her prox
unity to the dead man became known tn
truth might be guessed and all be lost.
Yet before she went she must see tn,
house In which her darling lived. She mus
stoop and kiss the doorstep on which thos
loved feet had trodden. She must watt he
one passionate and unheeded fare we'll, thel
leave the place and be as one dead.
She struggled against the desire, but
overcame her. With tho first streaks o
daylight she entered the sleeping city, and
utterly worn out, stood before her instr IS
window, and for a while watched it as on
might watch the last fading ray of a SUI
: which has sunk never again to rise an
tighten the darkness which shall be eternal
At that early hour of the morning tn
street was silent and deserted. There wa
no one to notice the strange looking creatur
who stood and, with wild despair in he
eyes, for ever gazed on one spot. Her loo
for the time was such that no one, not evel
the one most preoccupied with his own COZ
Germs, could have passed her without fee
ing his curiosity raised as to why she wa
lingering there and what gave her that az
pearance of dire distress
After some minutes spent in this name
the woman crossed the road. Her lint
! dragged after her and made her exhauste
state apparent She leant her head again'
> the door of the house which held her mi.
: tress and sobbed convulsively. A dizzy fee
ing came over her, and she felt that she wa
upon the point of fainting and fallin
senseless on the doorstep. BY supren
effort she reused herself and shook off til
incipient stupor If once she sank dow
her weary limbs might rebel and refuse
do her bidding. She might lie there unit
her presence was discovered, and that h,
discovery ruined all. No, if she were
sing and perhaps die, let it be as far ava
from Beatrice as her waning strengt
could carry her. Sweet as 1t would be
breathe her last within reach of her mi
tress, even such poor comfort could not
vouchsayed to her,
1t speaks volumes for the iron strength {
ls her Will, insomuch that it struggled wit