The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-19

one TOOK II out 10 - anu IOOke0 az IL as
she had taken it GU and looked at it three
days ago, and then she carefully proceeded
to load It. Her face was ashen pale as she
did this, and her hands trembled so vio-
lently That more than once she paused in
her task. Bnt with a great effort she con-
trOlled herself, and after she had loaded
the revolver she lail il on a table before
her, and then sat down waiting for the ap~
pointed hour.
There was great stiffness in the room; the
grey mist crept in and the air grew chill,
but Lady Ennismore never noticed it. She
sat there half benumbed, thinking vaguely
Of what she was about 70 do, and the bitter
cause But it never entered her mind to
draw back and stay her hand she was
only waiting, and as the dusk stole around
her she rose, put on i seal-skln cloak and
hat, and holding the rey'Olver beneath her
cloak she unlocked the door aud rang for
her maid.
She told this woman steadily enough that
she was going out to walk in the grounds
for a short while, as her head ached, aud
she ordered tea to be taken TO the young
ladies in tbs schoolroom.
Master Patrick can have tea there also
with his sisters, she added; and if Lord
Ennismore returns when | am out tell him
| shall soon be back
Having thus given her orders, she pro-
cseded downstairs, still holding the re-
volver hidden beneath her cloak. and, pass
ing through The hall, SIC went out into the
misty air.
By this time it was very dense; so dense
that any object at a fen yards distant was
indlstlnct, but Lady Enismore knew every
inch of the ground she was about to tread
and wendell her way With swift, sure steps.
The woods of BrackenfOrd were beyond the
grounds, standing on the left side, and in
che dip Of the hin on which toe house was
built. These woods had hourished there
long before Mr.. Maiden had bought the
estate, and raised the great mansion which
had now descended to Lady Enismore. In
the spring and summer time they were
beautiful, with the blue hyacinths and white
anemones Towering beneath the great trees,
while brackens and ferns grew In great
luxuriance.
Lady Ennismore had gone here with her
nurse as child, and in her young girlhood
had stolen down the leafy glades to meet
her lover! And now once more she was 60
ing in secret and in silence through the
clinging mist and the gathering gloom.
She made no pause; Oh she went straight
and direct to spot she knew full well. A
little gurgling streamlet ran through the
woods, and across this Mr. Maiden had
erected several pretty rustic bridges when
he bought the place, and it was by one of
these bridges that Lady Ennismore had ap-
pointed to meet George Roche.
She never doubted that he would keep the
deadly tryst. He meant to force her to
acknowledge his claims, or to drive some
harder bargain with her, which it would be
impossible for her TO keep from the knowl-
edge of Lord Ennismore. He meant, in fact,
to ruin her life in her honored matronhood,
as he had ruined it in her girlhood.
"But he has gone too far" she muttered
to herself, clutching her revolver still tighter
in her quivering hand
II was almost dark with the mist and the
deepening twilight when she reached the
bridge, where she expected to meet George
Roche; dark, aud there was not a sound
ave the streamlet gurgling on below. Lady
Ennismore passed over the little erection
formed Of crossed pines, to which the moss
IF long years chung, but she was still alone.
She waited, listened, and then recrossed the
bridge. But she had scarcely done so when
she heard a footstep approaching. Her
breath came short, everything seemed to
swim before her eyes but she pushed aside
her fur cloak and raised her weapon in her
hand.
Nearer came the f0otstepe-a mans heavy
steps, crunchiug among the fallen leaves
and the faded Dracken which strewed the
little path. They stopped at the opposite
ide of the bridge where Lady Ennismore
stood; stopped, and through the mist she
saw the indistinct shadow of man.
The next moment she fired; fired twice,
and moment later, with a groan, the in
distinct shadow she had aimed at fell heav-
lily forward, and Lady Ennismore turned
and fled
Fled through the dark woods fled with
fear, horror and nameless dread to wing
her feet What if Sue had not killed him?
What if he staggered on to Brackenford and
denounced her to the husbanD. of her love2
One after the other such hide5us thoughts
pursued the maddened woman, and for the
first time the deed that she had done stood
out before her own sight In its full black
ness.
To die alone, without a prayer, without
friend in the still woods! She stopped-she
gaSped for breath. Should she go back?
But no, no! that would be to betray all
She must go on--go home. and seem as if
no blood had stained her hand. He deserved
to die, she told herself God help him; God
oity hlm in his dying throes.
Half an hour later she was sitting in her
lighted bedroom, waiting and listening still.
She had taken off her cloak, and hidden
away the revolver in her wardrobe, where
it had lain s. long. Then asked for
Lord Ennismore, and was told he had not
vet returned, and she had changed her
damp gown and wiped her damp brow and
drunk some tea her maid lad brought her;
and with strained ears she was listening for
every sound.
Nothing unusual happened until the clock
On the mantsl-piece was Ginning ZOO.
rhen she thought she heard strange stir
in the house--a hum of strange voices from
below. She rose and went out on the cor
ridor opposite her suite of rooms, and looked
Town over the bannisters into the lighted
nall.
y. God! Four men were carrying IN on
rude country gate PROSTATE form. The
face was hidden by a handkerchief, and
blood was dripping on the marble floor.
She crept back to her room; she put her
hands over her ears, and great and deadly
faintness stole over her, aud, after faint
truggle to recover herself, she fell forward
5enseless on the floor.
A moment or two later a trembling rap
came to the open door. 1t was her head
waiting woman, and, as there was no re-
ponse to her rap, the maid walked into the
DOM and found her lady lying as she had
fallen. She ran to her and lifted up Lady
Gnnismore's dcath-like face.
80, my poor dear lady !" she cried. "She
must have seen them carry him in. Q, what
IS to be done this dreadful dayG'