The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-03-01

White and trembling she stood on the
threshold in white neglige wrapper,
looking Ike veritable ghost.
Cleo sprang forward and caught her,
as she reeled dizzily toward the wall.
@Oh, Cleo" murmured the pallid lips,
"hold me fast am 50 horribly afraid"
A gAsping breath and she lay uncon-
scioas in her cousins arms
Brain fever set in and it was weeks be-
fore Doris Linden swoke to reason.
Cleo watched her through all. She
would allow no one save the doctor to
enter the room, fearing lest the wild in
coherent words which fell from her
cousins lips should reveal that terrible
secret, the clew to which she only held.
Doris talked ofthe grove, the broken,
tangled shrubbery, and blood, blood
everywhere.
at is on my hands - she would shrek
gazing with horror-stricken eyes st her
fingers.
And then Cleo would soothe her with
gentle words until she fell asleep once
more.
When finally Doris Linden drifted
from the gates OF death back to this
world, the first fall Of snow lay white and
pure over the grave Of Hamer Wylde.
No clew had been found to his assassin,
and the village had subsided into its ac-
customed calm once more.
Marc Vancouver kept his promise, but
Cleo writhed under the conviction that
be believed her to have murdered her
old lover.
Never mind She would bear all for
Doris Lindenis sake.
And this reflection strengthened her
fainting spirit
Doris, since her eonysleseence, had not
mentioned Hamer Wylde's name; but
she had marked her cousins altered |
looks, and drawn her own conclusions
Have you broken with Marc, Cleo ?" |
she asked listlessly one day.
And Cleo's sudden pallor, and involun-
tary start, as she answered "Yes," gave
her all the information she needed.
The dext day she sent a message to
Marc Vancouver.
The next night be called at the Dale |
cottage and Was ushered into the pArlor,
where the cousins sat alcne.
Cleo, who was at the piano, gave low /
cry at the sight Of her lover-the lover l
who in his heart believed her murder /
ess, but Doris mOtioned him 10 a seat !
near herself, and plunged nerYously into
the task before her.
@Marc," she said TREMENDOUSLY, have |
sent for you that l may rectify fatal |
mistake. You believe that Cleo-killed |
-Hamer wylde."
Her voice wsvered and broke overthat |
name; then she continued more sseadi- !
ly;
"She is innocent Of the crime. L"
Doris cried Cleo in agony.
Il know who committed that muder,
Marc" went on Doris. "It vas"
'No, Doris-noF implored her cousin,
throwing her arms about her slight form.
at was his maniac wife" finished the
girl, with shudder at the remembrance.
Cleo's arms fell to her sides Her di-
lated eyes turned upon Marc Vancouver's /
pale countenance.
But he was hanging breathlessly upon
Doris Linden's every word.
at was | whom you saw hurrying
from the grove resumed Doris Il 1
dropped Cieo's jacket, which had bor-
rosed when went to meet HaIner at
the tryst. He WAS Just telling mellow
mueh-he loved me-" with a catch Of 1
her breath, when she came and drove a
knife-into heart. Oh, il was hor-
ri5lei horrible, He struggled with her,
but she plunged the knife again into his
heart. The blood spurtted over my jack
ed, and turned and fled from the spot.
| went straight to my room. l wanted to
be alone-tO think. II thought low
ed him l never knew ne had wife
until she stabbed him and he cried:
Lydia, my wife and fell down st her
feet. l meant to tell Cleo al when
heard your voice and came downstairs.
Then came my fainting fit and subse-
quent illness.
"And the stains on Cleo's dress -
queried Marc, huskily.
Were splashes Of crimson dye whisp-
cred Doris, falling back in her chair in
dead sxoOn.
The stain had been too much for her
and Cleo and her lover bore her tender
ly to her oEn room.
Can you forgive me, Cleo ?" asked
Marc and they stood together in the par
lOr half an lour later.
Il have nothing to forgive. The cir
cunstaHtiai evidence was very strong"
answered the girl with rare smile.
And she laid her head on his breast
and had good cry"
The wound in Doris heart soon healed
over, and year after her cousins mar
riage she, too, welded good and truly
noble man.
The body Of Hamer Wylde's unfortu-
nate wife was found, a month after his
death, floating in the river near Ashland.
1t was the knowledge of his former mar
rage which had ended the engagement
between himself and Cleo Dale. There
was none to mourn over his untimely
death, for Hamer Wylde was an unmiti-
gated william, in word and deed.