Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-09-15
d'lp;lpter VII.

'lIttIICcl IL
Mr. Eyre locked himself in his study
on his return, and though lie had not
tasted food since his arrival at noon
none burst disturb hinl-not even Mad
cap, who forced herself to eat, having
on hand Il nights work that would re
quirc almost SupCrhuman courage and
strength.
How do Inspirations, desperate re
solves, come into Il human soul? Are
they born of need, agony. or prayer?
But to Madcap Il Divine message seem
cd TO have come, as, while the house
hold sank to rCSt, she kneclcd in the
darkness outside the door Of her moth
er'S room, waiting for The moment to
arrive when her daring experiment
should he put into practice.
The door was locked against her;
Mr.. Eyre's hand had turned the key
when, two hours ago, he had assembled
by the private staircase and approach
ed that cabinet about which for seven
teen years his brain had held some
secret knowledge that delied.
MHdcap heard him open Il drawer
and then followed a long and profound
silence, III which, for the last time,
the one half of his brain struggled
with nhc other. and rs he had Wrung
the truth from Lord Lowell and Hester
that day. SO now he forced the lock of
that sealed chamber which had dcficd
him. and saw. All was clear to him
noW-the seated figure by the window
| in Syngeiane that he had desired to
kill was Hester, the figure that he had
actually killed in Il fit of madness
of which he had no memory was his
wife. and he had put the knife in the
cabinet as the woman described. he
remembered now that the cry for help
| that night had arousd him from a
dream Of appalling vividneSs in which
he was in the act of stabbing Hester to
/ the heart. and how he was possessed
! of Il passionate feeling of eNultation
that he was rid of her, and that his
Wife'S happiness was now secure.
| 4 dressing communicated with
Mr. EyreS bedroom, the outer door
of which was always kept locked and
( the key withdrawn, and this key had
been in her hand during the past
hours, when, frozen even in the mid
summer heat. she had waited with
out. and she shivered as the key turned
harShly and she went in.
! She locked the door behind her, open
/ ed the next. and in the dim, faint light
that came through the window seated
{ herself in her mothers chair, and with
4 prayer on her lips closed her eyes
eyes and waited. Half an hour passed
an hour-She grew colder and colder in
her thin white gown. and hope began
TO leave her; but at last she saw the
zigZag light of a candle showing on
the corkScrew staircase, and her father
entered. the light wayering over his
fixed face and wideopened eyeS-O
Heavens. in his sleep? Almost alouj
she prayed it. as at sight of her he
stopped short. then advanced with vic
lence toward her, feeling in his breaS
as for a weapon: then, turning as by re
memberei instinct to the cabinet near
opened drawer, in imagina ton
Snatched knife. and stabbed at her
once, twice. eNclaiming:
Die. die.' in 4 voice of fury. Then
making as though he replaced the wea
pom, turned. and went down the stair
case. holding the light steadily, ant
with no sign of either hurry or dis
compoSure on his features.
, She followed him down, loves worl
: being not completed yet, and saw hin
seat himself at the table, but when
: trembling, she stole nearer she saw b,
his wide opened fixed eyes that b
: WAS still asleep, though his foldet
/ arms rested on the edges of a larg
book that he had opened and set be
+ fore him.
l Then Madcap sank down beside hin
knowing that her prayer had bee
E granted, and that loves miracle ha