Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-07
THE GAZETTE: FORT WORTH TEXAS SUNDAY: SEPTEMBER T.
ter's SIDE. "Would that my dear lass
had IHaddad annh an nna az he .,

| witnessed nttIe carrier Out Dy the pros
poet of being bound to carry the tragic
news to Nancy. he returned, there
fore, at once to town, and about
| O'Clock in the evening proceeded TO
! Nancy's house, and found her sitting In
her pretty drawing room.
1t was seemingly a peaceful, almost
happy scene that he entered, and yet
Erne knew that Nancy's heart was al
ready full Of miserable anxiety, and
that his tidings would only add TO her
trouble. She looked up quickly as he
entered. and then rose and put her hand
| in his.
81 have been hoping you would
come, " she said. "Have you been to
Maidenhead2"
Yes" said Erne, slowly, as he
shook hands with Mrs. LOTUS.
And, went on Nancy, her breath
coming q little faster, and her color
varying, "dld you hear anything? Did
the police search The villa where It is said
Gerard used to go2''
81 went with them there - answered
Erne so gravely that Nancy felt herself
growing little faint.
''Did they find auything?" she asked,
with faltering tongue.
'Yes," said Erne, "they did find
something am the bearer of Ill news
unhaDpily, Mrs. Gifford-Lord Gilmore
is dead. -
"Dead!" echoed Nancy, starting to
her feet, every particle of color now fad
ing from her face. "How-how do they
know?''
"His body was found at the vilIa-I
identified it-there is no doubt that Lord
Gilmore has been done to death by foul
For Il,
| uahles,' added Erne considerably,
''for he had been robbed as we'll as MUIR
dered."
Nancy sank back on the couch behind
her, and something like moan escaped
her white Ii 8.
"My darling child, this terrible news
has been too much for you, - Dried Mrs.
LOTUS, rising hastily and running to
Nanc7's side, and putting her arms
| around her. "Don't dear, don't look
like that Oh! ring for some water,
please, Maj. Erue; 1 am afraid Nancy
is going to faint -
But Nancy did not faint, she lay back
white and cold as il utterly overcome,
and drank some OF the water which
they brought her.
81 WILDE better presently she
said family; "it-was the shock, - and
she looked at Erns with her eyes full of
fear
II all came back to her at this moment,
pictured so wildly before her ewes, that
she might have been actually looking
again on Hugh Clifford g face-the face
where shud1errng horror was written so
plainly-as he entered his dressing room
on the night 10 the goth OF April. when
she had seen him hide something that he
cd bn 70
the grim and guilt pointing words that
he had uttered in his drunken sleep.
''I should perhaps not have told you.
said Erne, gently; "but did not know
what to do.
eyes, it was best to tell me-best that
I should know. = said Nancy, still in the
same weak, faltering vocie. -
"But you did not know this poor
young man very well. you know dear, >"
said Mrs. LOTUS, soothinglY strOking
her daughter cold hand.
"Poor Gerard-poor, poor Gerard!"
sighed Nancv.
sets u dreadful thing. certainly"
went on Mrs. LOTUS, unconsciously
she was but increasing Naucy's wretch
edness "But where was he found ia
the villa, Maj. Erne? In one of the
rooms.''
Erne made a gesture to indicate to
Mrs LOTUS that he did not wish TO
answer this question; but Nanov saw this
as well as her mother.
''Do not let US talk of It any more, -
continued Mrs. Lotus. now most anx-
ious to repair her indiscretion. "Teli
me about Lady Blenensop, Mai. Erne,
and the general, aud all our friends. -
So the subject was dropped for the |
present, and Erne and Mrs. LOTUS be- |
gan talking of various former military
acquaintance in the hope OF dIstractiug |
Nanry's mind from the wierd subject on |
which it was brooding. But Nancy made /
no effort to join In this conversation. |
She lay back on the couch with her |
eyes cast down, her lips CULVER |
ing occasionally, and her whole !
appearance indicating that she was |
greatly overcome. Presently, however, !
Mrs. Lotus left the room for O short /
while, as she had received letter from |
her sister-in-law, Mrs. Barclay, in |
which she had been writing reply when !
Erne arrived, and which she now wished |
TO dispatch to the post. And she had !
scarcely closed the door behind her when |
Nancy started to her feet, and at once |
went to Erne and laid her hand on his |
arm.
not here-where was he found?' she |
asked in low, strange voice.
'Why talk on such a subject?'
answered Erne, taking her by the hand. |
cit only distresses you to do SO; try TO /
forget it,
81 must know" went on Nancy in
thrilling accents; "was - he buried2 |
Was he in q grave2'
81 do not wish to tell you.'
'I must hear-I-I know before you |
tell me-they had murdered him,
and
"NsnoY, as your old friend. let me
advise you to ask no more. This I'M
fortunate young man was probably
lured to this villa by the foreign woman
who lived there for the purpose Of rob-
bing him, for he had certainly been
robbed. This was the view the police
took of it, and 1t is most likely the true
one.'
''was he in o grave?' repeated
Nancy.
Eyes" said Erne at last; and as he
made this admission a cry of anguish
escaped Nancy's lips, and che fell
tottering backward and would have
fallen if Erne had not caught her in his
arms.
He carried her back to the couch and
tho boI vToIanfIu |