Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-07-19

ing attitude she loved. II you arc going into the study, ImAy come, too, but dare not go alone. Papa has some solemn meetings there. Oh, I should be afraid of hearing them Not that I should be scolded, she added, with her tories thoughtful face. "Papa never Scolds me"
 Spoiled child |" returned Sir Neil, recognizing himself appealed to.
 "Am I spoiled, Marjorie?" she asked, evidently reishing his pleasant, lazy patronage. "Am I spoiled more than other girls?"
 CT don't know" reioined Marjorie, her face full of another thought. "I suppose it's the same all the world over. All the roses fall to one, all the thorns to another"
 They had entered now the long, com fortable room which MT. borden called his study, and he had risen in astonish- ment from the easy chair, in which he had sat deliberating with Col. Stuart, who, leaving the fellow-chair unoccu- pied, stood upon the rug with his back to the fire.
 The rector glanced in surprise from one to another, as his visitors entered nnannounced, but the Oolonelis grave eyes sought rapidly and instinctively fol some unusual reason-sought it first in Miss Castillain's face, and last in her sisters. Before they had turned from hers Louisa had spoken, and made his one faint, unacknowledged doubt into Q certainty.
 "Mr. Jordea-Col. Stuart, " she cried, approaching them rapidly, "come quick, or send, or do somethingl MT. Jeffrey has been killed in the valley, and thrown into the pool-the old mine, you knowP IT saw it done I saw him
 She stopped here, overcome by her anger and her grief. But g minute afterward she repeated the words with sudden strength and heat, 1T saw him murdered p
 The unbreathed words among the hills had found at last a voice which would not shrink from uttering it.
 't Miss Castillain, said Col. Stuart, with cold gravity, though the color had rushed even info his calm face, "be careful what you say, even here, among friends, only for no single word can be retracted."
 1T saw it 1" she cried again, in quick, assured eagerpess. "Why should re- tract true words ? I saw him mur- dered l"
 "Is it too late for help ?" put in Mar jorie. "We have had the boat-house drag at Hawkedale, and it is there now. Please send for it, Mir. Jorden-a man on horseback and he can leave word for them to bring the little boat. But do have the drag at once 1"
 Mir. borden had his hand on the bell, when Col. Stuart stopped him.
 "Would you object to taking the or= der to the man yourself?" he said, "Why should we have this presently talked of all over the town, and have 8 crowd to hinder us, too?"
 see," the rector assented. "I \. .Ill not bring the servants in here"
 When he returned from speaking to his groom, Louisa was still talking of what she had seen.
 twill he be in time ?" asked Mar jorie of him, in 8 voice of intense anx- iety.
 "f any man could," the rector an- swered, laying his hand with fatherly tenderness upon her clasped fingers. "B But fear it is too late for such help to be of any avail. It must have been either too late or unnecessary even from the moment your sister left the tarn !; too late to have saved him if he fell down the shaft unnecessary If he only slipped into the water arounG it. He is an ex- cellent swimmer, and would kaye res- cued himself in such 8 case. Miss Cas- tillian, did you wait at all after the deed was done?"
 "No," sobbed Louisa 'I galloped of at once for help. Oh, if it is too late it will be your fault Why do you stay 1eGs,i.S here 2S .,, ,o,,, ~ l., .-. as white and perplexed as the faces about him, "we need not waste even these few moments. We are all ready"
 cone thing, Miss Castillafn," inter. posed the rector; |" did you ride straight and fast from the mine here ?"
 "I started at once, and never stopped. l saw it all. I saw distinctly the man who did it so did others"
 "You need not tell us yet" put in Col. Stuart, quietly, as he moved to tbe door.
 "Jack saw it, cried Louisa, in sharp, quick tones, between her sobs; "and, " she added, while the Coloners eyes met hers in painful surprise and the mans own son saw 1.-the murderer's own son!"
 "What !" cried Sir Neil, with sud den start, ''you don't mean-great Heaveni Louisa, you don't mean that that Spendir has murdered Jeffrey ?"
 "Who else-who else?" Louisa al- most shrieked, in tone both malevo- lent and miserable. "I saw him, and the boys saw him, and Miss Chester saw him."
 Col. Stuart, his hand upon the door, stopped as her words reached him, a sudden mist before his eyes. Sir Neil, in the act of rebuttoning his overcoat, started as if the few sharp words had struck him.
 From Mariorie's frightened lips a cry of real and bitter pain escaped, which made Neil, in all his haste and agita- ton, turn with quick and anxious look of sympathy which was quite new to his indolent eyes. For one instant she laid her hands pleadingly upon his arm, and seemed wishful to speak but then, wiih sudden stinging recollection, she drew them away, and stood back while he passed her in his haste. Then out in the hall. she stopned be-