Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-09-26
HER DOUBLE LIFE.

templateu giving grand pail the num-
Der 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 around
announcing that there would be no ball.
Two or three months passed, and one day
the whole countryside was Mortified by the
news that Lady Walden had been found
dead. The circumstances We're these:
The Waldens were dining out at house
some distance off, and their butler had
taken advantage Of their absence to take
himself off OH his tricycle. to see some
friends.
About II o'clock the carriage unexpect-
edly returned, and the footman was sur
prised to find that only his mistress had
come back in it.
Between - and the butler returned,
and seeing light in the boudoir went and
listened at the door. lie heard Lady Wal
den speaking rather eXcitedly in some
strange language and a mans voice an
swering her in the same tongue
This somewhat alarmed him, and he
knocked at the door and entered quickly.
Lady Walden was alone. She asked him
irritably what he wanted and ordered him
to go to bed.
Early in the morning dogcart drove up
to the door, Lord Walden entered the
house and angrily asked where her lady
ship was and what time she had returned.
He then went to his wife's room and came
out looking very much disturbed.
''She is not there" he said in reply to the
frightened query of the maid. Hb hurried
to the boudoir, followed by the h:.tler, who
waited outside while his master ent in.
For moment there was q dead silence,
then stifled cry and the sound of a heavy
fall. The butler rushed in and found his
mistress dead in herchair and Lord Walden
lying on the floor in swoon.
An inquest was held in due course. Lord
Walden's story was that he and his wife
dined with their friends on the night in
question, and afterward small dance took
place.
The carriage was ordered at 9 o'clock, but
Lady Walden told her husband during the
evening that as she was engaged for every
dance she would not be able to leave until
an hour or so later. Lord Walden bctook
himself to the smoking room and at 3
o'clock proceeded to the ballroom to find
his wife.
There to his establishment, he learned
that she had gone some hours before.
His host persuaded him to stay and sleep,
but his anxiety would not permit him to
rest, and he fastened home as soon as it was
light.
Preparations were made for an elaborate
funeral, when, the evening before it was to
have taken place, q stranger presented him
+ II, nI eor al
The vicar Of the parish, Mr.. Hume, was
with Lord Walden, who was seated ut his
study table with some papers before him.
II am detective, my lord" said the
man. my name is Cory, and have been
sent down here because of certain state.
ment made by a prisoner who was arrested
five days ago.
MY lord,' continued the detective grave
ly, "the statements made by this person
were of very serious nature. They were,
in fact, accusations against Lady Walden"
Lord Walden sprang from his seat with
an oath.
you insolent hound" he shouted.
what fiend sent you here to SANDER my
dead wife's name?"
The detective drew back. Lord Wal
den," he said, II have very painful duty
to perform. I implore your lortlship to
calm yourself and answer one or two
questions which am unwillingly obliged
to ask you,"
go away now" he said, after rejecting
an instant. II will see you again tomor-
row after the-the funeral"
My lord," replied Cory respectfully,
but firmly, my business will not admit OF
delay. l have come to identify the body"
He drew photograph from his pocket
as he spoke and laid it on the table. The
other two started, for it was undoubtedly
portrait of Lady Walden.
For some years past" proceeded Cory,
"there has been series of extensive frauds
carried on both in England and on the con-
tinent. These frauds were devised and car
ried out by gang Of five persons, one OF
whom was woman called Eleanor Brom-
ley. ,,.,, 49, sso ,,.,z - Mont,
Carlo, and owing to an unfortunate Incl
dent she was obliged to leave somewhat sud.
denly. All trace of her was then lost until
five days ago when one of the gang was ar
rested in London.
"This person has made certain statements
which it is my painful duty to lay before
you"
The vicar rose and signing to the detect
i've they noiselessly left the room together.
"May see the body?" whispered Cory.
Mr.. Hume led him up stairs and indi.
Gated the chamber where the dead woman
lay. He waited outside until Cory re-
turned. The detective came cut looking
very grave.
'"The woman who lies there" he whis-
pered, sis no other than Eleanor Bromley.
She was the acknowledged leader of gang
of swindlers. About 10 months ago they
were at Monte Carlo, and one day at the
tables Bromley took up the winnings of a
Young man who had been losing heavily for
some time, but who had, by bold coup,
recovered a large sum.
''There was Il row. of course, but Bromley
was too clever for them all, and the un.
fortunate victim went straightway out In
to the garden and shot himself. Public
| feeling was much against Eleanor Bromley,
and she found it convenient to disappear,
| leaving her accomplices in the lurch. One
of them, Frenchman named Eugene Du-
rand, traced her to Egypt, where she passed
herself off as u Russian countess and sue
ceeded in captivating and marrying Lord
| Walden.
"Durand followed her to England, and
according to his own account presented him
self before her and demanded hush money.
Apparently they could not come to an I'M
derstanding, and Durand left the house
swearing TO fulfill his threat. The next
morning Lady Walden is found dead"
The funeral took place next day, and
shortly afterward Walden park was shut
up for an indefinite time, its owner having
gone abroad.
A tablet on the wall of the church bears
witness to the youth and virtue of "Steph-
anie, fifteenth countess Of Walden" but
with the exception of the vicar no one in