Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-04
CHAPTER VI.


crime in the long black box.
y. CHAPTER vi.
Marie Kamberowski's confession ran as
follows:
My loved Lima, for you write the following
the opinion of others is of no value to me; 1
care for no one. I would gladly! oh, how
gladly, have saved thee from pain; but it mad
dened me to see you, my beautiful Lima, In
prisonI How you discovered my crime know
not. Why did it and when will tell you.
You shall be free; your own wild words were
enough to condemn you, but you must not pc
suspected Of crime of which you are entirely
guiltleSs.
1 was as you know, governess to Madeline
Egerton's mother, and loved her dearly, put
one came between US who turned my love to
bitterest hate. That one was Grenfell Eyer
ton. The courtesy of his manner and his hand
some face drew me to him with strange fas-
cination. / was only three years older than
Lucy. at 20 was handsome: he admired me,
but his love was never mine! The touch OF his
hand, the sound of his voice thrilled my very
soul! loved him not as these fair Engllsh
women love, but passionately, with jealous,
mad devotion, and he knew iti He played with
my strong feelings, he laughed at mel his
love was centered on Lucy alone, that delicate,
fair-halred girl with her large, soft blue eyes.
Welli the end came; she married him, and was
needed no longer l left them with burning
hatred in my heart, and though Lucy Egerton
l refused coldly; 1 could not brook the sight of
her happiness with the man still SO passion
ately loved. I went to London and took sing
ing lessons in the hope of gaming money by my
voice.
Your father was my singing master. He
found my voice good, and, as afterward dis
covered looked upon me as sure means Of
getting money in the future. He was then
young, handsome man. Karlo Kamberowsh
was the young Pole with the exquisite tenor
voice, he professed violent love for me. l was
nd n orlV
memory of Grenfell Egerton's GOODNESS rank
ling in my heart with the hopelessness and
apathy OF dispair, married this inscriptions
man. The same year Lucy Egerton died!
Grenfell wrote to me in his frantic grief,
saying he knew had been a friend of his be-
loved wife's; therefore he begged me to under
take for the sake of that friendship the entire
charge of his little daughter Madeline, then
only years old: he offered me most hand
come remuneration if I would consent and
added that he was leaving England at once
and probably forever to seek distraction from
his grief in travel and life of danger and ad-
venture, only delaying his departure till he
heard from me. When received this letter a
tumult of rage nlled my heart. 1t was too
much to ask that l should take her child and
cherish it for him. My husband, however,
whose love of money was Unsuitable, insisted
on my at once consentng, and date my feel
ing of dislike to him from that period. He
forced me to accept Madeline came; you we're
then only year old. Years went on; at inter-
walls received letters from Grenfell, short let
Enclosures for his child. Those cold, formal
letters stung me afresh. The utter indiffer-
ence was cutting to my pride. Ny long epis-
ties, full of Unsurpassed passionate love, re-
vived my old longing. but he remained utterly
passionate and unmoved.
Suddenly the news reached us that Mr.. Eyer
ton had unexpectedly come into large fort
une through the death of distant relative,
and was on his way back to England. Ny hus-
band whose inVeterate love of money have
mentioned before, then formed the wild ex.
travagant idea of forcing you to represent
Madeline Egerton. thus eventually making you
the heiress to all the newly-acQuired wealth;
the perfect seclusion of Madeline and yourself
rendering this deception almost easy, many
people being entirely ignorant of your exist
ence or of hers. was known in fashionable
circles as Nine. Sivani the great singer at the
- opera, but of my private life little was
known. For once fell in readily with my hus-
hands unscrupulous plans. l hated the child;
was Jealous Of your love for her jealous of
her fair beauty, and the startling likeness to
her mother ever revived the old pain OF de-
spair. But for her mother might have been
bappv woman. The difficulty was to con-
ceal Madeline, for a time at least, SO as to
denv discovery Enoughl you know, my poor
Lima, how we forced you 70 person
father; we told you that there were urgent rea-
sons that Madeline and her father should not
meet for the present, and limited that some ter
rible calamity would come upon US in case you
failed to comply with our wishes. Once I al
most relented at your utter distaste and be-
wilderment; but the thoughts of you, rich and
living in good society, made me firm to my pur-
pose. The London house was prepared for its
owner, the old caretaker dismissed and new
set of servants engaged; they were told you
were their mistress, and the day before Mr..
Egerton's arrival you were installed. AS you
remember, all this was Kept hidden from Mad
cline; she was unaware that you had left the
house. An hour after your departure she re.
turned from her ride. My husband had writ
ten urging many plans as to getting rid of this
girl. who was the only obstacle between you
and the immense fortune. Now SO much was
ventured on it was no use hesitating as to ways
various schemes: but read between the lines.
l knew that he saw but one way. That was as
clear to me as though printed in letters of fire
on my brain. Murder was the only way.
As sat in the dusk of the December after.
noon brooding over my Thoughts heard Mad
cline enter and run to your empty room. Find
ing it tenantless she ran down stairs again, to
where was sitting in the freight in the old
study 1t was dark, old-fashioned room, with
rows of musty books. Over the fireplace hung
quaint old pieces Of armor, rusty swords and
foreign knives, which cleaned sullenly in the
red frelight. I rose as the girl entered and
leaned one elbow on the mantelp;ece and mo-
toned to her to close the door. Come in,"
said, coldly. What do you wantT rs Lima at
home madame?" she asked IN the timid voice
she always addressed me, for she was always
afraid of me, and she advanced few steps to-
ward me in the uncertain light. Her likeness
to her mother was striking; 1 seemed to see
Lucy rise before me: as the child (for she was
little more), turned her large blue eyes upon
me- the soul of her mother seemed to look out
with unutterable reproach for my treachery.
The look maddened me in my excited state;
vedimpatiently, and as did my eyes fell on
the glittering hilt of foreign knife that hung
close to my head. In that instant my brain
Guilty lay in my hands. l lowered my eyes for
fear even in that dim light she should read
murder in them.
AS made no reply she turned to leave the
room; her hand was on the door when she
stopped and with shy smile she said, ''My
father will be back tomorrow. Will he come
to see me here direcTlyf"
These Questionsl How should answer them7
There was one way-to silence them foreverI
The only sound was the clocks slow ticking
as once more those blue eyes turned to mine
for an answer, and the little figure stood wait
Only this little fragile being between my
daughters wealth and success. A demon seized
me. tore the knife from the wall and as she
gazed, the smile frozen on. her baby face, her
feet rooted to the spot struck her to the
heart. Ny aim was deadly and one stroke was
enough.
She fell without cry but one heavy sobbing
breath.
MY heart stood still as gazed on the victim
of my frantic deed, but with no regret; terror
or discovery alone possessed me. Without re-
moving the knife seized the lifeless girl in
my arms and rushed up the 1nlighted staircase,
to your deserted room, and locked the door. l
placed the body on the floor. Yes. my revenge
dead. | shuddered as looked at the calm
face, now deadly pale in the first fading twi-
light. threw my black shawl over the mani
mate FORM and pressing my hands to my burn
ing forehead tried wildly to think of some
plan of concealment. At that moment hasty
footsteps came along the passage.
A large old-fashioned black box lay open in
the corner. sometimes used it for my theat-
rical properties and had that mornnglooked at
it with view to using it for your packing, but
finally rejected it as being too long and heavy;
there was no time for reflection, the steps were
approaching
x panic seized me. stopped hastily and
lifted the girl, still wrapped in my shawl, and
placed her inside it. A strange coffinI Two or
three CHASTITY stains had already marked the
floor. I shuddered a1d threw rug across the
boards: locking the box put the key in my
pocket and had barely time to raise myself up
right when servant knocked hastily at the
door.
"a telegram, madam" she cried, and as
opened the door she presented me with yell
low envelope. l tore it open; it was from the
manager of the opera. saying that the new
singer who was to appeal that night in 'Lucre-
tie Borgia" had failed them suddenly from ILL.,
ness, and he begged me to return to town i'm
mediately and take her place.