The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-03-17

repor.. even an English woman
Nothing was known of her except that
she was young and very beautiful. The
county debated little over the ques-
ton OF calling upon the fair unknown.
Set aome bold spirits set the example,
and the rest followed at discreet inter-
walls
As the winter advanced, and it be-
came generally known that Lady Wal
den contemplated giving grand ball.
the number of callers increased. and
great was the excitement when the
cards were sent out Equally great
was the CONSERVATION when two days
before the great event was to have
taken place notices were sent round to
every body announcing that there
would be no ball What could it mean?
One or two disappointed guests called
to inquire, and were informed that her
ladvship was not at home.
Indignation meetings were held
under the guise of tea-parties, and
many ingenious theories were pro-
pounded To account for the extraor-
binary circumstance.
The Waldens vouchsafed no explana-
ton. however, and greeted their numer-
Gus acquaintance AS ifnothing had hap
pened although Lord Walden was OBJ
served TO appear little uncomfortable
when the subject was mentioned. and
appearedto regard the matter as a freak
of his wife's which he could not alto
gether account for or understand.
Two or three months passed. and the
ball which did not come off had almost
ceased to be a topic Of conversation.
when one day the whole count -side
was Mortified by the news that Lady
Walden had been found dead. The
circumstances were these: The Wal
dens were dining out at house some
distance off, and their butler had taken
advantage of their absence to take
himself off on his tricycle. TO see some
friends who lived in the market town
some ten miles away.
About eleven o'clock the carriage
Unexpectedly returned and the foot
man who answered the bell was sur
prised to find that only his mistress
had come back in il. She went straight
TO her boudoir and ordered the footman
to tell her maid to go TO bed. as she
would not require her services that
night.
Between twelve and one the butler
returned. and seeing a light in the
bondoir went and listened at the door
lie heard Lady Walden speaking rath-
cr excitedly in some strange language,
and "A mans voice answer her in the
same tongue. lie then went to his
masters room and found il empty
This somewhat alarmed him. and he
fastened down to the boudoir again.
Knocked at the door and entered quick
~. Lady Walden was alone. She
asked him irritably what he wanted.
and ordered him to so 10 bed and not
disturb her again.
Early in the morning, just as the
servants were getting up. dog-cart
drove up to the door. and Lord w Walden
entered the house and angrily asked
where her ladyship was and what time
she had returned. lie then went to
his vife's room. and came out, looking
very much disturbed.
"Shc is not there" he said, in re plv
TO the frightened query OF the maid.
lie hurried to the boudoir, followed by
'''N RHiAtss " iiV Ndittu oatsiut w hlit
his master went in. For moment
there was a dead silence. then a stuffed
cry and the sound Of heavy fall
The butler rushed in and found his
mistress dead in her chair and Lord
Walden lying on the floor in swoon
An inquest was .eld in due course,
but there was nothing to show how
Lady Walden came by her death II
was apparently sudden failure of the
heart, and the jury returned verdict
t. that effect.
Lord Waldcns story was that he and
his wife dined with their friends on the
night in question. and afterwards a
small dance took place. The carriage
was ordered at two o'clock. but Lady
Walden came up to her husband dur
ing the evening and said that as she
was engaged for every dance. she
would not be ready to leave until an
hour or so later. Lord Walden bctook
himself to the smoking-room. and at
three o'clock proceeded To the ball
room to find his wife. There, to his as
Constituent. he learned that she had
gone home some hours ago
His host persuaded him to stay and
sleep, but his anxiety would not per-
mt him to rest. and he FASTENED home
as soon ms it was light.
Ills grief and dismay at the sudden
and awful blow which had fallen upon
nun were beyond words
Preparations were made for an clab-
crate funeral, when, the evening be-
-ore il was to have taken place. a
stranger presented himself AT the Park
and asked for Lord Walden. lie was
informed that his lordship was unable
70 see anybody. but he insisted that his
business was most important, and was
nnallv admitted. The vicar Of the par
sn' Mr. Hume. was with Lord Walden.
VINO was seated at his study table with
'pme papers before him. He looked
paie and haggard, and brusqucly in
yuircd the nature of the strangers
business
am detective. my lord" wan the
mans reply. MY name is Cory. and