Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-11-13
PART THREE-CHAPTER XIII.

Enter through the dining room win
dow Ike Van Wart, Old Sam Gals
worthy and Hendrecus Danady.
At the same moment Mrs. Brother
toft's cry for help rang through the
house. Jierck Dewitt in the cellar
heard it. Lucy In her turret heard it,
Plato in the hall could not but hear 1t
close at his ears.
Plato was still on guard playing pam
tomime with the weapons, He stood,
with pistol outstretched, pointing at an
imaginary foe. 1t was duellO he was
fancying. He had received the other
partY's fire unscratched. Now his turn
was come. He proudly covered his in
visible antagonist with his pistol at full
cock
apologize, SIR" whispered Plato,
''or"--
Here came his mistress loud scream
for help. Plato was petrtied.
Mrs. Brothertoft rushed into the hall.
There was the negro, standing like a
statue holding forth q weapon to her
hand. She seized it. Her sudden fright
reacted into sharp fury. She was
fearless enough, this cruel virago. The
touch Of deadly weapon made her
long to be dealing death. She heard the
scuffle in the dining room.
Come" whispered her old comrades,
the furies, closing in and becoming
again body of her body, spirit Of her
spirit. "Come, take your chance! Here
are marauders-rebels! Shoot one OF
them! Practice here! Then you will
get over any scruples againsO blood, and
can kill the people you hate, If they ever
come in your way. Now, madam"
Such a command ran swiftly through
her brain. She opened the dining room
door.
Her scream told the assaultlng party
they were discovered. They were pen
ioning Major Kerr in double quick time.
He sat in tipSy bewilderment, mumbling
vain protests and vainer threats.
Not one of the group about the captive
observed the mistress OF the house as
she softly opened the door.
But another did.
Edwin Brothertoft, tardily following
his party, was clambering through the
window.
He saw his wife at the door. She
must be kept from the danger OF any
chance shot or chance blow in the scuf-
fle. That was his impulse. He sprang
forward to put her away gently.
She instantly fred at the approach
ing figure. a.,
lie staggered and fell. His head
struck the claw foot OF the table and he
lay there motionless, with face up
turned and temple bleeding.
Her husband! She knew him at
once.
His thin, gray hair drawn back from
his mild, dreamy face, with the old par
doning look she remembered so we'll and
hated so fiercely-there lay the man she
had wronged and ruined, dead; yes, as
it seemed, dead at last by her own hand.
"My husband"
She said it with strange, quiet sat-
isfation.
Every one paused an instant, while
she stood looking at her Work, Win
a smile.
She had done we'll to wait. Those
INCAPABLE weapons she used to see 10
the air had become palpable at last.
Yes. she had waited wisely. This was
self-defense, not murder. she hao the
triumph without the crime.
$50 you must must come proving
about here and be shot, she SAID 10
hm. as if they were alone together.
And she spurned him with her foot.
As by this indignity she touched ana
broke down the last limit OF womanH-
ness. she felt great exulting thrill OF
Isherty. mad sense of power. Moth
ing could offer itself now that she was
not willing TO do. Any future cruelty
was a trlfie TO this. Her Joy in this
homicide prompted it to murder.
She looked up. The groupe about
Kerr were all regarding her. She
laughed triumphantly in a dreadful bed
lam tone and flung her pistol at Major
Skerrett.
he caught the missile with his hand.
care Won mad?" said he. "Do you
know that you have killed your hus-
band? Take her into the next Doom,
men, 60,
,aptlv "You did not know it. We
are sorry it was not one of US. We are
manor men, come to take this Britisher
prisoner. not to harm anybody or any
thing here. "
Course you all" she cried, and she
made a clutch at Sans honest face. y
am not sorry-not Il No; glad, glad
Qladl And I'll have you all served So
no. hung, hung for spies!"
Take her away, menF repeated
Skerrett. 1--WE must eonfne her, onI
not here with this dead man. Gently
now. as gently as you can; remember
she's woman!"
ssWomanP' says Canady. holdi~ eel
fingers from his face. ~ y tne
Continental Congressl she's 3 hell cat!.
.sNo hope for him with such wound
as that, said the major, kneellng over
Brothertoft and eEamining his olooa5
forehead. s'He ssems 70 Be quite dead
See to him, Sanfho1 stand ~ hslol