Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-08-30


might be mistaken; and it is delicate
matter meddling between husband and
wife.
So she went to perform the mission
upon which she had been sent.
Five minutes later Mrs. Rusk came fly
ing down stairs, pale and excited.
Something is wrongl" she exclaimed.
Your Wife's suite Of rooms are dark. I've
been through them all There's nobody
there. They look as if they had been
deserted for hours.
Philip was startled. He went hastily
to see for himself.
It was as the housekeeper had said.
The dreary loneliness Of the rooms indi-
Gated they had not been occupied at all
that evening.
Where was Dulcie, or IOlnetteF
Whichever was the rightful name to
user
Calling up the servants he made nasty
inquiries concerning their mistress.
One of the maids remembered seeing
her go alone into the garden late in the
afternoon One of the men had passed
Major Villars' close carriage in the high
road at about the same hour.
Putting the two circumstances together,
Philip jumped to the conclusion that his
so-called wife had been taken fOreibly to
BOnnyView Hall.
A half hour later he was ringing at his
neighbours door.
He did not stop to ask himself why
| Major Villars should wish to get both
girls into his clutches. That could be
! explained afterward
A light was burning in a room on the
ground floor.
The Major himself opened the door.
His face looked CHASTITY in the dim glow
that pervaded the hall. He said abruptly,
before Philip could speak:
You have come for your wife?"
Eyes; she is here? What do you mean
Major ViHars silenced him with
"There is no need to say more. I am
willing to tell you all. brought DuIcie
here against her will. I have been racked
by doubts, and meant to convince myself
which was Dulcie, which TOinette. [ am
now satisfied. Keep your hands off me-.
I have no wish to detain Mrs. RaynOr
| here. You can take her away at once, If
| you so desire
| "Of course I shall take my wife home
with me, Philip answered, Indignantly.
/ Tomorrow viii be soon enough to call
/ you to account for what you have done.
No notice was taken of the covert
] threat. Major Villars spoke to Manders,
who suddenly appeared at the lower end
| Of the hall,
Go to Mrs. Raynor's roOm-you know
! which it is, the boudOir and connecting
! suite that were HOinette' sand say her
! husband has come for her.
A few seconds of suspense and Man
! ders' startled voice sounded from the
upper hall, after a noisy interval Of loud
rapping and calling.
! Come up. 1 can get no answer; the
key is turned on the inside"
Two or three excited leaps took Philip
to the door where Nanders waited. The
! Major followed more slowly, still deadly
pale, s look of growing horror IN his eyes.
! Philip put his shoulder to the door and
5A1
| ing into the boUdoir he called Dulcie's
name in agOnizing tones. No answer.
One of the long French windows stood
! open. He few out upon the balcony and
found the door opening upon the garden
staircase ajar.
"She is gOne!" he exclaimed.
81 hope no harm has befaIlen her, ="
Major VilIars said, with seeming earnest
ness.
Philip looked at him, cIinching and IN
climbing his hands.
you are responsible for this. Come
you villain; help me find my poor darling. /"
The Major made no demur. Guy
Vaudeville joined them in the lower
hall, looking dazed and stupefed, for he
had no clear idea as to what had occur
red; he had simply been disturbed by the
unusual cOmmOtiOn.
They went first to Highlands, but found
no tidings of the missing girl; she had
4
sence, as he family hoped.
! The search went on. A pale, Watery
moon rose in the eastern sky to illumine
the way.
Major Villars would have remained
aloOf from the bluff, but some fatality
turned Philips steps in that direction
| almost Immediately.
There, on the fat, shingly rocks below,
| he saw huddled heap, bearing q faint
resemblance to a human form, the silvery
watery kissing the hem of a flowing robe.
By making a wide detOur he was en-
abled to reach the spot. Guy and the
Major followed, the latter reluctantly.
But the least show of weakness might
turn an OverWhe Ginning tide of suspicion
against him.
1t was Philip who first reached the poor
bruised creature, and lifted the aching
head, with all it's wealth Of sunny curls,
to a resting place upon his shoulder.
Toinette was breathing family, but the
livid pallor of death was on her blood
stained face.
Il shall die in your arms, she said,
gaspingly. Thank GOd-I prayed fOl
that"
Philip broke down utterly, and sobbed
aloud
How did it happen? Oh, DuIcie, my
poor darling, L cannot give you ups"
A shudder went all over the Writhing
figure he held in that firm, strong clasp
All DISCUSSES must fall IN the presence
Of death, she said, weakly. at is no
DUlcie. L am TOinette-pOOr, miserable
e | Toinette"
Major Villars heard, and Involuntary
advanced from the shadow cast by thu
q bluff, where ne had crouched tremblingly
at the sound Of the girls means.
, He had made mistake-slain the WEOnf
/ victiml
{ "Toinette!" he cried, in voice of hor-
TOR. great drops of Precipitation starting
S upon his forehead. ooh, my GOdl"
The dying girl raised her head, and