The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-09-25
THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL WEDNESDAY

leved he would develop into clever
man. His father had been a good friend
to me. He had, in fact, educated me.
He had also taken me abroad with him
for long time. Then, to the surprise of
everyone, he married late in life young
and delicate woman, who died in giving
birth to Freddy.
When Freddy was four years old his
father died. If he lived to be one and
twenty he would inherit the whole of the
Linsfarne property; if he died before at
tanning that age, l inherited everything.
/ said only the truth when 1 said 1
hoped he would live. Linsfarne was a
magnificent estate, but had no inordi-
nate desire to possess it. / was never very
ambitious. Great wealth, it seemed to me,
often brought great worry and bother, and
/ hated worry. l always preferred taking
things easily, and living on in quiet,
unostentatiOus manner. Not so lnez
Grandeur and state were to her, l had
found to my surprise, very great deal.
She revelled in fine cloths, gorgeous
dresses, and lovely things of every de-
scription. She was ambitious, very.
was not
I think Mr.. Hardy's coming did me
good. l felt decidedly brighter and better.
After he had gone, however, Inez was so
constantly bringing to light most out
landish things which she declared had
done, and which in many instances she
absolutely proved to me / had done. that
l grew moodish and low-spirited. My
memory was going fast. / could not
! remember having done these strange
things. 1t was really very serious.
On the afternoon preceding that on
which we had arranged to take Freddy
home, Inez would insist on taking the
| boy down 10 the seashore. 1t was a sultry
! day, and ominous clouds were gathering
overhead. / felt sure we were going to
have thunderstorm. Inez laughed. At
all events, she should 90 with Freddy,
and | must and should come, too. Very
reluctantly yielded to her command, and
we started out.
We walked down to the shore. Inez sat
| down on the beach beside me. and Freddy
| played about on the sand. The tide was
| low, and there was good, wide stretch OF
sand just in front of US, and little to the
! left some rocks. / closed my eyes and fell
into dreamy doze, when was awakened
| by startled cry from Inez. l reused
myself and jumped up.
Freddy had climbed up the cliff as far.
as some caves, which, reports said, had
once been used by smugglers. Evidently
he could not get down again by himself,
or he was afraid to attempt it, for he stood
at the entrance to one OF the largest caves
| and screamed:
"Auntie" Che always called Inez thus,
''do come up. It's lovely. l can't come
| down again by myself. You'll have to
come and help me-"
His voice sounded very thin and shrill,
and he looked very tiny little fellow, up
| there alone among the rocks. | was a good
climber, and little further along there
was a pathway up the cliff by which Inez
could get up easily. | therefore climbed
up to Freddy from where we were, Just
below him, and Inez took the path.
He seemed very much to relish the idea
| of having made us come after him, and,
! together, we explored the caves. They
were small and narrow, and very close.
l suggested we should get out of them,
and home as quickly as possible.
The sky was now inky black. looked
at Jnez. She was very pale and appeared
agitated. Freddy begged to be allowed to
remain in the cave until the storm-which
was evidently close at hand-was over.
He loved the thunder, he declared. He
was not afraid.
The rain began to fall We all three
stood just within the largest cave and
watched it as it fell, literally speaking, in
|
we should have been drenched in no
time.
Inez and sat down on the rocky floor,
and Freddy stood still at the entrance of
the cave. Inez placed her arm round my
neck, and laid her cheek to mine, holding
my left hand tightly in her own. Then
she drew herself back a little and fixed
her eyes on mine.
"Inez! Don'tp l entreated, for that
strange feeling of utter subservience TO
her will was stealing over me.
she did not move. Still she looked
into my eyes with that fixed burning
| glance that seemed to look into my very
soul. had no power to take my eyes
from hers. The fascination was intense.
Presently, as she knelt before me hold
ing both my hands in hers. she babe me-
in a low, dreamy voice, look at Freddy.
followed the direction OF her eyes.
The boy was sitting on the edge of the
thin ledge of rock outside the caves,
dangling his feet over the precipitation
from that spot the rock was almost per-
pendicular right down to the beach be-
low.
tried to call out to warn him, but no
words would come.
Inez was once more before me. could
| saw or 90 nOIDlDg. COUlu Only gaze
into her eyes with that awful sense of
fascination which took all will. power
| from me.
Presently felt-as she looked at me
a horrible desire enter into my mind to
steal softly behind Freddy. One slight
push from behind would send him over
the cliff. He, and he alone, stood be-
tween Linsfarne and me. How quickly
it could be accomplished! No one would
know but what he had fallen over. Who
could prove it were otherwise? Who
could prove had touched him intending
he should start, fall forward, and be
killed?
1t was very lonely part of the shore
! No one had been about when he assembled
to the caves, to our knowledge. 1t was
such very likely thing for a venturesome
boy like him to do-to climb up to the
caves and then turn giddy and fall back
ward
We could 60 home in great (apparent)
distress, and say we had lost him. He
had run away from us. Then We could
make great fuss about his disappearance
get people to help us search-and by
and by they would come across his dead
body at the foot of the cliff. Linsiarne
would be mine, and, whatever might be
said, no one could prove-even If they
saw me touch him (which from the beach
they could not, unless we were watched
through a powerful glass;, no one could
prove | meant him to fall.
Il L.. =, II I.,.,,