Milford chronicle., 1889-08-02

! lnu lecu rlueu- detectives laA leou en-
ployed, and within a weeks time some Of th
stolen valuables we're found upon the bod
/ II an unknown man, who was discovere
! floating in. small pond twenty miles fror
! tho scene OF the crime.
listened to Claude's story in silence, It
framing from asking any questions tina
might cause him greater suffering. He seeme
disappointed by this, and for a long tim
dwelt upon the popularity Of the murder, hi
absence from the place at the time Of its oc
currence, and the final discovery Of the va
grant who undoubtedly committed the crime
He appeared very nervous, as if repressinl
an excitement that he did not wish observed
After a time | succeeded in drawing hi
thoughts from the murder and for an hou
we talked Of other things During all tn
time that we had been in the room CLAUDIO
eyes had every now and then sought a dis
tant corner. Finally looked in that direc
ton and perceived an immense flower pot full
Of earth, from which grew the stock of
large lily. The lily was in bloom, and a ono,
attracted my attention.
what a strange appearing fowerin I ex
claimed, as arose to examine it.
Claude sprang up and rushed past me.
"Yes, 1t is strange" he replied, with III
concealed excitement. Don't touch i'll
believe the thing is poisonm
"What makes you think soF' asked.
"Idont know, he answered. little wildly.
"A week ago it was almost snowy white;
since then it has changed till it has become
what you now see. At first thought it was
dying; now do not know what to think"
I could not Danish all thought Of the
strange flower from my mind at once, and
that night fell asleep thinking Of it. All
night long was tortured by horrible dreams
of murder and bloodshed, and in all my Wis
ions the lily figured prominently. was
very glad when morning came.
Enos Mortimer had left will which cut
of his son Claude with a dollar All his
property had been bequeathed to Victor, but
he had stated In the will that at Victors
death the property should go TO tho next Of
kin. As Victor had died unmarried, ''the
next Of kin" must b. his only brother, Claude
l could see but little trouble in settling the
affair quickly and easily, and could hardly
comprehend why Claude had sent so far for
me when legal service could have been OBJ
tanned much nearer home
Meantime had moved my practice to Up
ington. / had discovered that there was
better field there, and at once awaited myself
Of what seemed to bea good opening. Strange
to say, Claude did not seem to approve Of the
step. He did not openly express his disap-
proval, still his manner spoke fully as plain
as words. Nevertheless, we still remained
friends
Claude was utterly changed from his former
jovial self. He had lost all his old jolly ways
and seemed like man haunted by fearful
memory. He was nervous and unsociable,
and his former twinkling eyes seemed filed
with shifting, unsteady light. The lines
upon his face grew deeper, and the white that
tinged his hair grew more perceptible.
Strangely enough, after my removal to Up
ington my old friend did not ask -pe to call
upon him; but l did not wait for an invita-
ton. One day / called found him in his
favorite room and instinctively looked for
the lily. A cry burst from my lips as l did so.
There in the corner stood the grewsome
flower, looking stranger and more unnatural
than when | first saw it. From a mixed
black and white the cup Of the flower had
turned to dull, dead black, and the tongue,
which had been a dull red, was crimson, as If
colored by pure life blood. Months had pass
ed since I saw it last, still this was the same
lower that had seen before.
A peculiar feeling Of fascination and hor-
FOR seized me, and | advanced toward the
lily. Claude Mortimer was there before me.
He stood between the flower and me, his whole
,rame a-tremble.
Don't touch it'll" he gasped hoarsely at
8 accursedr'
''Let me look at it, Claude, " said, endeav-
ring to choke down the feeling of horror in
ny breast. ut is stranger
With reluctance he stepped aside and allow
d me to again inspect the flower, but all the
While he cautioned me not to touch it or to
nhale too much odor from the flower. The
ame sweet yet sickening odor came from the |
lover, but now it was many times stronger |
han before Indeed, this odor was so strong
------
hat was soon compelled to seek a chair,
ceiling faint and dizzy.
Il should think you would die, shut in |
iere with that thing" cried 1.-THE odor is
erribleln
mot so very bad after you get accus-
omed to it," he replied, hesiratingly. SIN
Iced, if you are not directly above It you will
lot notice the odor at all after a time"
1T is the strangest thing | ever saw or
eard Of" declared. ut actually fills me
With horror Why, I should dump the thing
ut DOORS"
He shook his head, look of alarm on his
ace.
mo, no." he cried 81 would not part
nth it for anything"
That day when / parted with Claude Nor
inner did so fully convinced that there was
terrible secret locked fast in the mans
reast, and that in some way the black lily
'as connected with the secret How this
ould be could not imagine; yet something
eemed to tell me that it was SO.
From that day l Stunned Claude Morti-
Ter, for felt that there was dreadful stain
pom his hands. OF this had no proof; yet
an unexplained manner l was convinced
nat it was true.
Two months passed, and one night a terri
le thunder storm passed over UpingtOn.
he morning came, bright and beautiful. and
an early hour Claude Mortimer's negro
rvant brought a sealed envelope to my door
nd delivered it into my hands. He said that
IS master had aroused him in the night and
wen him the envelope, with the request
lat he bring It to me the first thing in the
orning.
With shaking hands and strange PRESENT.
ent that some terrible event had happened,
tore open the envelope This is what read:
Il am q murderer l have resolved to
axe this confession to the world, and to-
orrow will be found dead in the room
here l am now writing, while the thunder
Flows in the heavens and the jagged light
ng rends the darkness asunder. The brand |
Cain is on my brow, for slew my own /
other. will make tho confession as brief
possible, and then cones-deathl On the
y preceding the fatal night when Victor
ortimer was murdered he and quarreled
ncerning our fathers will In a rage
t the house and departed, mounted on the
rise which was given me by my father
me years ago Twelve miles away n
'pped for the night, putting up at sleepy I
tie hotel.
When retired to my room that night l
at my window until all was still about u
house Then a terrible impulse seized e
2. Beneath my window was a low, sloping q
ed With but little trouble l climbed out p
on it and reached the ground had seen D
horse feeding in a neighboring pasture, and
the aid of an occasional CLEAN of noon