The Opelousas courier., 1891-03-21
sECRETARY'S MURDERER.
By ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS AND HER
BERT D.. YARD.

By ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS AND HER.
BERT D. WARD.
The Secretary of the "Society fol
Educating Cherokee Indians in the Ap-
probation of Browning advanced upon
the Albany Station. She dad not hurry.
The society had failed to materialize a
quorum that day, and she had plenty OF
time. It was one of the DAYS when
Boston was conscientiously illustrating
our new climate. It was still called
February for courtesy's sake. The
thermometer registered seventy in the
shade, and the furnaces did their best to
compete with the temperature. The Secre-
tary wore a seal-skin coat. One of its
warm pockets embraced a copy OF
Paracelsus. She took out her handker-
chief and apologetically smoothed her
face. II she had been in Chicago, she
would have boldlymopped her brow.
Our passenger made flank movement,
threading her way through the steaming
coupes and herdies, in hope of monopo-
LIKING the cool, outer anteroom on the
feminine side of the station. The Secre-
tary was slight, but determined, and the
belligerent door yielded discreetly to this
spirited woman. A gush OF fresh air
swept her in. She sank into the furthest
corner and removed her seal-skin coat.
which she laid neatly on an empty seat.
She then famed herself sadly with the
last circular appeal for funds in behalf of
her refined Indians, and wondered, with
the patience of all true reformers, WHY
the cause was not more p~assionately APP
preciated.
1t was warm. 1t was very warm. But
in the anteroom the Secretary breathed.
1t was dusk, and shadows had begun to
envelop the corners of this ROOM, espe-
clally those seats nearest the door, whose
upper panels were of glass. The Secre-
tary was, or thought herself, alone.
Many passengers passed through, Violent
ly characterizing the weather; but they
all went into the main 0 and made
straight for the radiators, where they
sat down, and such as could not afford
the evening paper famed themselves
with their gloves.
The Secretary was glad to be alone.
She looked at the Indian circular GEN.
seriously, as if it were to blame for the
failure of her life's scheme. The Score.
tary was not a Puritan, but she was of
good old missionary descent, and her
thoughts ION awful subjects rolled.a
The Secretary was a born philanthropist.
She was the most conscientious soul In
Boston and vicinity, and we all know
what that means. She was ~co1seline
herself by the mental organization Of a
new association for teaching beggars
how to starve silently and asthetically,
when she was startled at hearing a pene-
trating whisper not six feet away: siHow
shall the deed be done2"
The Secretary turned her head with
the least possible motion, and beheld for
the first time the dim outline of d man
and woman bending toward each other
in the darkest corne of The room. They
seemed to shrink from recognition. The
scant light from the covered court fell
from behind them and hid their faces in
deep shadow. To prevent any possible
chance Of Identification, the broad brim
of a soft felt hat dropped over the mans
eyes, and an impenetrable veil enyeloped
the woman's features. The Secretary
held her breath while the mysterious
whisper was repeated:
"How shall the deed be done9s
After an agitated pause the Woman's
voice answered, timidly, Unjust it be2
Is there no escape2o
With some sinister deliberation the
man replied, 1--WE have carried the
matter as far as we can without doing
it,
He spoke grufly, and the Secretary
thought she detected q cold bloodedness
in his voice.
s'But-a pleaded the oma
aNo; it has got to be DONE"
He pulled his sombrero lower over his
eyes, and raped the floor viciously with
ms cane. The Secretary sank back with
y SIGH Of horror. Instinctively she felt
Tor her Browning, but her good sense
told her that this situation was beyond
the reach ever of that great man. 1t oc-
49, WI
CURED to her to make her presence known
the suspicious pair. It occurred to
to get up and leave the room. ssIf
could only attract the attention of the
colored ~annanciator, +" thought the secre-
tary. HE seems to have a very practi-
cal mind. Perhaps he can tell me what
10 do with this case
Thp Gpnrafarr uyaa oaa.-
'ify humanity altogether by leases But
ne missionary in her kept silence. She
lstened, and felt it her duty to give all
most as much attention to these wicked
Bostonians as if they had been Chero.
Iees.
1T has got to be done,n repeated the
nan IN the corner, with an imperative
ccent on the last word.
nWhen?" asked the woman, helplessly.
Tomorrow night The words came
'ack in Q curdling whisper.
aWhere2n
leave the place to me.o
stHow2s
III don't know. All I know is that II
must be the greatest mystery Of the day. \
he man pulled his hat an inch lower,
nd gave a growl that made the Secre-
ary shiver with apprehension. Even
is companion shrulk from his caleulat-
ng brutality. The Secretary had read in
he Boston evening penny paper details
t the plots which precede great crimes,
ut she had never expected to participate
i q prelude to such social enormities.
Unjust he die2p The feminine voice
in the darkness.
The SecretarY shrl7dernd