Daily Republican., 1888-02-02
THE kIvAL Lovers.

iACl uhu
engaged some months before the ser
vices OF a young Spsniard, Senoi
Vidette, to teach her Spanish, and
yesterday this Henniless teacher had
bad the audacity TO speak of love to
the heiress OF Che,nor Hall.
Mrs. ChetDor had dismissed him
with some suitlnk words and he had
lett the house vowing vengeance on
young Ryland, whom he believed was
betrothed to Hi,degard. As the even
ing passed and her lover did not
come, Miss Chetnor grew nervous lest
some danger had befallen him, for he
was still weak from wounds received
during the Zulu war, where he had
won distinction and honors.
After the last guest had departed
Hildegard made up her mind that she
would slip over 10 the Manor House
and find out why her lover had re.
mained away IRON the ball. 1t was
then about 9 O'Clock in tho morning,
and bitterly cold, when she started on
her journey.
"Hildegard he d her course through
the winding lanes, until she found
herself in part OF the road that cut
across desolate piece Of common.
To the right OF her "a sheet OF half
frozen water, q Drt of mere, glistened
in the moonlight
Harkl What was that? A moanf
She stood still tD listen. Was it the
wind, or human cry?
Again II came. Yes. it was a hu-
man cry-the moan of one in anguish.
She looked about her and shuddered.
The utter loneliHess of the spot. the
weird, ghOstly moonlight shimmering
on the pool, conspired TO raise some
thing like supersliti0us fear 10 her
htart, but presently the cry came
again.
Yes, 1t was d human cry, and it
came from the pond, She went swift
ly toward the water, started, stood
lstill Mortified; a hu e an figure lay en-
the ground, with is lower limbs in
the waier-a human form? A dying
man perhapsl
She drew nearer, nearer vet. The
light fell upon the upturned face.
Whose was III
Great heaven 81" she whispered, for,
stopping forward, she saw the face OF
her beloved. ghaslly in the moonlight
as the face of the dead.
While she looked at the set lips, the
halt-closed eyes, sense of wrong, a
conviction that crime had been
achieved came over her. She knelt
down by the sidG OF Alex. She found
that his coat 5 leeye was wet with
blood.
1t was murder then, and ITildegard
found her lips forming the name of the
murderer, VidetLel
She took the hand of Alex that be
longed to the un hurt arm; she clasped
II; she held her cent-casc ID his nos
tIlis. she put her ear to his heart
Thank heaven, it beat; he was not
deadl
His soft fur car lay near, md Hi.
d gard placed il under his head Then
she took some OF the icy water In her
hands and dashed ii in his face. How
was she to find helpl Oh, that she
had brought carriagel But no, if
she had the noise OF the wheels would
have prevented her from hearing the
moan which had alarmed her.
All at once sht saw mans form
between her and the moonlight. She
did not shrek though the figure came
close and the light revealed the evil
lace OF Nidette. Her cloak was black;
II hid her form and she turned her
face away.
Would he recdgnize herY She felt
mat she held her lie and the Ii of
Alex in her hand.
He did see her, in spite OF the black
cloak, in spite d her rigid stiffness.
lie uttered some ejaculation that
sounded horrible in Spanish.
What is thAtl" asked Carlo, in
thick tones.
This man is lead"
Some instinct prompted the words;
she ielt that II the Spanlard believed
his rival dead he would leave him un-
touched. Her voice was so boarse
with cold and fear that he did not
recognize ii.
dead - who is deadf"
"How can tell your ] found him
here.
rs he deadi asked Carlo, "be.
cause, II not, you can run away and
call help-lll witch him"
"Yes, he is de I'D; he has been dead
hours. You go and call the consta-
bles; it is murder Go-go and cali !
The constablcs-dr-shall lw
She could not have devised better |
plan TO put space between her and the !
opnnlard. The mention OF the con
stables, the terrible word murder, both
acted on him hkt a spell. He turned /,
md He'd.
Hildegard chafe her lovers hand. !
'he kert her strong salts at his nos
.rlls, and daylight found her watching
still.
At length be nd oaned, then spoke.
What has happeneds Where am
Here safe with lIildegard."
darling, have been illf Tell me
Dbl l know it now-tha ball ut Chet.
lor-I came across the common, and a
nan approached, stood in front OF me,
lifted a pistol and fired know moth.
ng else, only the assassin was, l am
'ositive, your Spanish teacher, Vldette.
Ie must be madr'
YES" said IIildegard.
At that moment an early wagon
umbled into the road; Hildegard ran
orward, stopped the men (there were
wo) and Alex W ~ speedily lifted into
bis vehicle and taken to Chetnor Hall.
which was nearer by a mile than his