The Forrest City times., 1891-01-03


 @@7 of hers, so IsabeI Carew told herself!
 For, after all, was she really sorry the dreadful thing had happened? Did she feel any real remorse for the strange tragedy otthat fearful night?
 Did she not rather continue to ex- ut over the awful thing which had made possible her marriage with the man she worshiped?
 1t was not penitence which caused her these intending nights of torture, the never-ceasing days of agony. | It was because there was no obliv- ion for these haunting memories It was not because she repented going to Fern court that dreadful night. 1t was because she remem- bered with such distracting vividness every smallest item of what had oc. ,urred
 Every minutest particular of the scene was imprinted upon her brain, IS if limned there in characters of ,orrodinc fire
 What a weird, ghostlv, uncannv night it wasl
 The sky was a canopy of inky, funereal clouds. There was an odor in the air ot perishing bloom, and the smell of bare brown mold, damp from the chill rains just ceased.
 There was noise of troubled wa ters complaining to the black night from far down the steep river wall.
 Autumn's last leaves, dead and dying, huttered on every gust, like swarming bats, through the gloom.
 And that gusty wind screeched and whistled, sobbed and howled, like some banshee lurking in the leafless trees which tlanked the lonely strip of road.
 The road was lonely; the little railway station a half-mile back was equally so, and Fern court was some distance beyond.
 An why had she gone to Fern court on that ia.ed night? And why had she met Gwendoline Roslyn, just as Gwen, too, was walking away from the station?
 Gwen minded neither the gloom nor wind, nor the mile walk along the lonely river.
 Isn't it romantic, Izzie," she laughed, merrilv, "atter the genuine, high-pressure, tragedy style All we need IS a couple ot gallant and brig adish-looking cavaliers. mou nted on coal-black steeds, to come gallop- ing out of the black night, to ride away with us, and to adore us ever after"
 "lou don't fear the appearance of some vagabond who would not hesi- tate to hurl us over the precipice in to the river for greed of what little money and what few valuables We carrv3" Izzie remarked.
 w here IS the use alarming our selves, without reason, very likely?" said Gwen. But after to-night's experience tramping through wind and darkness, shall always notify people in advance of my coming. shall make certain of conveyance waiting for me when I arrive.
 ''lt IS always best; for nobody ever can be certain what may occur" Iz- zie returned.
 And how queerly things can hap pen sometimes" !" Gwen said, in her joyous, unheeding voice. Suppose we should indeed be hurled down this dreadful bank for our jewels and purses? Who would ever have the least idea of what had become of us' Nobody knows l started for Fern court; nobody knows how we met each other, and how you came with he. And so we should just drop out of the knowledge of everybody who ever cared for us; there would be much wonder and some inquiry, and a search, perhaps; and then all would be over and ended Our bodies would be swiftly borne to the depths Of the deep sea wonder, and tho ever rushing river here would tell no tales of our fate
 Miss Carew was trembling so vio- lently that her eompanionnoticedi it, even in the dense darkness.
 "Why, lzzie. does the subject agi- tate you. dear2 Then we will change it for the gallant cavaliers on thel coal black steeds. if you like" Gwen added, in her happy, uniearing young voice.
 Did you not hear footsteps?' Iz- 2ie asked, abruptly, in constrained and taltering tones.
 You are frightened, and imagined you heard something, " said Gwen
 "I suppose so, lzzie acquiescod. readily, Anyway we must be near Fern eourt now Isn't the light wonder from the side oriel, Gwea?'
 Gwen stepped forward impeously. to behold a light which should prove her destination near. For. brave and joyous as she was, she enforced walk through the lonely gloom of the windy river path and some how oppressed her.
 She stepped forward eagerly. She had not noticed how the bank sud denly curved outward; how the space between the deadly verge and her incautious young feet had narrowed to mere thread of turf.
 "Why, Izzie, there is no light, dear; how-"she began.
 The sentence was never finished.
 Gwen had stepped forward once again-stepped into empty air, while twenty weary fathoms below the