Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-09-15

head sank forward on his knees.
Madcap came out OF that long swoo
e like Il soldier who has lain down t
i sleep at the post of duty, for the room
/ was empty, the fresh morning win,
:, Flew in through the open window
L and on the tables before her Their
! lay sealed letter addressed to herself
Mr.. Eyre had wrapped his cloak abou
her, and placed pillow beneath he
4 head, and she noticed these signs O
+ love as she tore open the letter, anC
i'll Mr.. Eyres firm handwriting reat
, the following:
, -'"Madcap- child-beloved daughter
by the time you receive this | shall
have delivered myself up to justice fol
the murder of your mother In heart
and hand l am guilty, and viii suffer
for it in due course. She has forgiven
me-perhaps in time you, who have
been the JOY of my life, the light of
my eyes, my good and most faithful
daughter, you who in the two darkest
hours of my life have come to me.
and perchance love me still, in time
may learn to forgive your most unhap-
Ply guilty father, D. II. Eyre,
Madcap kissed the letter as she laid
it in her breast, never had she loved
her father so deeply as in that mo-
ment. so, Dad. .dad,". she cried
aloud, with Il sob in her voice as she
fed up stairs to the room where Nan
stood gazing in wonder at the unslept-
in bed Of her mistress. Order me
some coffee, Man," cried the girl,
quickly; then come back and dress
me, for / must 90 out directly" And
she began to strip off the tumbled
white gown she had worn throughout
that dreadful yet most blessed night
! sect me one of my freshest dresses
out, Nam cried Madcap, eagerly; for
| ann going to save some one-to carry
good news, Mainland he likes me to
look well-and tell them to have Tom
my round in five minutes-but someone
must drive me-" she added, looking
down at the hands that trembled so
she could not fasten the lace at her
+ throat. And you will have breakfast
ready by nine o'clock, for father viii
come back with me, and he will be-
! hungry"
Master Gordon arrived at the Tow
erS last night" said Nan, i'll an az
g1ieycd tone; but Sanders wouldn't let
! him come in-and what's come toayour
! hair, Miss Madcap?" added the( woman,
staring; there's Il long thick piece cut
right away from the side"
"Thcre'S plenty left said Madcap
/ feyeriShly, as SHE tried to swallow some
! coffee. is not that Tommy" and she
ran out of the room, putting on her
nat and gloves as she went.
|
Meanwhile an extraordinary scene
was being enacted at Marmiton Jail
AT eight O'Clock Mr.. Eyre had walked
| in and given himself in custody for the
murder of his wife: and before the
dreadful confession had properly reach
ed the brain of the governor, who inn
agined Mr. Eyre to have suddenly gone
mad, named Hester Clarke as witness
to the deed, and Lord Loyel as being
, acquainted with the fact
The man was at first stupefied: but
Mr.. Eyre persisting in his story, and
, showing no other signs of madness, in
less than an hour his brother Justices
were summoned, and scene of the
utmost confusion among them pre-
vailed. He alone was calm. and before
being conducted to a cell, asked that
no one might be admitted to him. eS-
pecially his daugh ter-and as he named
her the first sign of emotion he had
yet shown crossed his features. To
Lord IOVel, who was present, and who
! Vainly implored him to withdraw his
! Self-accuSatiOn, he said he was resolved
on doing his duty, and hoped Frank
/ would do his, and make Hester Clarke
do hers, that though he had disbe-
iieved their story yesterday, in the
night he had become convinced of its
i truth.
! He added that Lord LoyeFs knowl-
edge of it had eXiled him, and no doubt
was the reason of his acquieScence in
t the case of mistaken identity by which
Major Methuen had been buried under
4 his name, and many living persons
persuaded that Lord Lovel, not the
other, had died.
Mrs. Methuen knew the truth from
the first" said Lord Lovel; and Cor
don, who now came in, appalled, at
, the news that had met him on his re-
turn from an early ride, was barely in
time to see Mr.. Eyre leave the room,
without any further look or word to
those present.
! Madcap saw only scared faces as she
drove through the village in her fresh
gown, and with Il look of happiness,
many hand was half stretched out
Ito check her, none burst speak as she
went quickly by, reaching the jail a
few moments after Mr.. Eyre had left
the governors room.
They all made way for her as she
came in; and not looking at Gordon
any more than at Frank, nor seeing
| clearly any of their faces in the long
ing to see her fathers, in plain truth
full words told how her father had in
deed murdered her mother, though for
seventeen years he was unconscious of
it. for that he had killed her in his
sleep.
She detailed the events of the pre-
ceding night, and said that no doubt
there would be future opportunities of
testing the truth of what she said, then
asked to be taken to him, that she
might tell him the truth
Colonel Busby, who for the first time
in his life, was by amazement mot at