Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-11

news to Nancy. He returned, there
fore, at once to town, and about 8
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 Naucy'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.
al have been hoping you would
| come, - she said. "Have you been to
Maidenhead?
"Yes,'' said Erne, slowly, as he
shook hands with Mrs. LOTUS.
"And, " went on Nancy, her breath
| coming a little faster, and her color
varying, "dId you hear anything? Did
the police search The villa where it is said
| Gerard used to go2''
al 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, tthey did find
! something am the bearer of i'll news
! 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 villa-I
identified it-there is no doubt that Lord
| Gilmore has been done to death by foul
means, probably for his money and val
| uables,'' added Erne considerably,
''for he had been robbed as well as muir
dered. &"
Nancy sank back on the couch behind
her, and something like moan escaped
her white lirs
''My darling child, this terrible news
has been too much for you, - Dried Mrs.
Lotus, rising hastily and running to
Nancy's side, and putting her arms
around her. "Don't dear, don't look
like that Oh! ring for some water.
please, Maj. Erne; am afraid Nancy
is going to faint. -
But Nancy did not faint, she lay back
white and cold as if utterly overcome,
and drank some OF the water which
they brought her.
al WILDE better presently, - she
said family; ''it-was the shock, - aud
she looked at Erne with her eyes full of
fear.
1t all came back to her at this moment,
pictured so vividly before her ewes, that
she might have been actually looking
again on Hugh Clifford IS face-the face
where shuddering horror was written so
pleinly-as he entered his dressing room
on the night TO the goth of April, when
she had seen him hide something that he
carried away; when she had listened to
ri
be had uttered in his drunken sleep.
al should perhaps not have told you.
said Erne, gently; ''but did not know
what to do.
eyes, il was best to tell me-best that
1 should know. said Nancy, still in the
same weak, faltering vocie. -
'But you did not know this poor
young man very we'll, you know, dear,
said Mrs. Lotus, soothinglY strOking
her daughter cold hand.
"Poor Gerard-poor, poor Gerard!'
sighed Nancy.
ats a dreadful thing, certainly
went on Mrs. LOTUS, unconsciouslY
she was but increasing Naucy's wretch
edness. ''But where was he found in
the villa, Maj. Erne2 In one of the
rooms
Erne made gesture to indicate to
Mrs. LOTUS that he did not wish to
answer this question; but Nancv saw this
as well as her mother.
''Do not let US talk of II any more,
continued Mrs. Lotus, now most anx-
ious to repair her indiscretion. "'TelI
me about Lady Blenens Maj. Erne,
and the general, aud all our friends. -
So the subject was dropped for the
present, and Erne and Mrs. Lotus pc
gan talking of various former military
acquaintance in the hope of dIstracting
Nancy'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 a 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.
"Tell me, Maj. Erne-when mother is
not here-where was he fouud?'' she
asked in low, strange voice.
"Why talk on such a subject?''
answered Erne, taking her by the hand.
"It only distresses you to do SO; try to
forget it. -
81 must know went on Nancy in
thrilling accents; "was - he buried?
Was he in grave?''
81 do not wish TO tell you.
''I must hear-I-I know before you
tell me-they had murdered him,
and
"Nanoy, as y our old friend. let me
advise you to ask no more. This sun-
fortunate young man was probably |
lured TO this villa by the foreign woman
who lived there for the purpose of rob-
bling 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 a gravel" repeated |
Nancy.
eyes" said Erne at last; and as he |
made this admission a cry of anguish |
escaped Nancy's lips, and she fell |
lettering backward and would have |
fallen if Erne had not caught her in his |
arms.
He carried her back to the couch and |
rang the bell violently for her mother, |
and when Mrs. Lotus hurried into the |