Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1893-09-14
tho day when the tragedy OF her life

both the two portraits that she had
placed side by side before she locked
the door, with her own hand, never
except by her own hand to be opened,
thirty-five years before. There they
were as she had placed them the day
she had left the house, the house of
her husband who had wronged her
Egbert hamilton skinner, the hand
soonest of all his family, there he
wasl His blue eyes, his smooth face,
his laughing, treacherous, debonair
mouth. The widow looked at them
all. And then the face of Martha,
his cousin. All, yes she had been
fair, too, Martha, with her innocent
face aud her lips that were like ripe
roses and all her golden curls that
fell upon her white neck. And as
treacherous, as false as hel Well
had she placed them side by side and
locked the door upon them-locking
them out, as she had locked the man
and woman who had wronged her,
out of her life forever.
When Hannah, the hours passing
without sound from above crept fear
fully up the stairs and to the open
door, she uttered low cry. On the
floor, in the heavy gloom of the
room, lay her mistress senseless. In
her hand she held faded paper.
Hannah, lifting the unconscious
head, looked about her in the gath
oring, deepening darkness. A tall,
quaint piece of furniture, with many
drawers had been opened. One of
the drawers stood out, with scat
tered confusion of papers, Hannahs
memory was very vivid She had no
need to look at that piece of furni-
ture twice to know it. Often had
she seen in the days when the mas
ter and mistress of the house and
Miss Martha and she, too, had been
young, the master stand before it
and lock away his private papers.
The green shutters were open now
in the old white pilastered house in
Westchester county. Tho doctor
won't in and out every day.
He shook his head; he looked at
the old maid-servant grunly, suspi-
ciously.
There are infallible indications
Of mental shock"
II know nothing" was the old
woman's cool answer.
The doctor with an impatient click
of the tongue, went rapidly down the
white tagging and back to his gig at
the gate. Hannah, immovable in
every feature as always, went back
TO her mistress side.
you told him2n the white lips
would frame.
mo, Mrs. Skinner. You know I
wouldn't was the only answer
One day the invalid looked up
nHnpnob y
Hannah crossed the room and stood
by the bed. sit DOWN.
Hannah obeyed. oTve been think
ing, thinking great deal" the once
strong, peremptory tones said. "You
know what l meanP"
Hannah nodded.
dive been thinking that perhaps
you knew"
A swift change went over the old
woman's face.
"Oh, Mrs, skinner, don't ask mel"
"a shall ask you'll" Strength
seemed to have returned to the doc
tors patient Forcibly she raised
herself on one arm. Imperiously she
stretched out the still handsome
hand in the old, firm, commanding
gesture. Tell me everything you
knoww
"Then-none of it was true. Miss
Martha never cared-never, never.
1t was some one else. But she knew
you would not have liked it, ma'am,
for he was poor and not much in the
way of family, and since Miss Martha
lived with you she was" The old
woman's voice sank.
afraid to let me knowP She was
afraid of me. Go on"
"Well, yes, ma'am. But Mr.. Skin
ner he found it out and she told him
all, Miss Martha. And he was trying
to get Miss Martha's sweetheart into
some business, ma'am. And then,
when that was done, the two OF them
would have told you. But they did
not dare before. And it's that, so
help me God Almighty, Mrs. Skin
ner, ma'am that they were SO much
together. OF anything else"
Again the old woman stopped. This
time d color came into her strong,
controlled, withered old face
There never was on all this earth a
wife that was loved more faithful
than you, Mrs, Skinner, ma'am."
Her voice rang out on the silence
''And you never told meP" The
tones that came from behind the bed
hanGings seemed to have grown
strangely old.
There would have been no use,
ma'am-and you know that" came
the firm answer.