The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-08-09

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There they dwelt as mu n alone as on
q deserted island TIE woman defied
her world, caring nothing, but the
man fe.t her position keenly, and per-
3 ,ded her that it was best to mig rate
10 the far West. To this she at last
very reluctantly consented.
Six months, then, after the cere-
mony that the villagers declared no
ceremony, Moa Barrios sat one night
by the fire in the almost empty house
from which she was to DEPART on the
morrow with the man who represented
all the sweetness and happiness she
had found in her life. She heard q
step on the path. the latch lifted, and
W.. may surely pity the unhappy wom-
an when, springing through the dusk,
she found herself clasped in the arms,
not of Albert Dawers. but OF Henry
Mercer. OF what passed between them
God alone was witness, and God alone
knows the truth. but when the man
she loved came in an b our later sne
was sitting by the hearth. with no
sign of excitement or anxiety about
her. She prepared the supper, ate
with him. and from that moment
he never left her until they rose
early next morning to be in time for
train that was to take them west
ward. SO much Dawers has said in
his preliminary testimony. most re-
luctantly given, but still more reluc-
family two damning pieces of evidence
against her were drawn from him. He
said they had arranged with a neigh
Dor to take over to the Hoosac station
the furniture they possessed, and had
sent on their small personal belongings
the day lefore: but there were sOme
few odds and ends t. be packed. and
he had brought in coil of stout rope
for binding them together. At start
ing the rope wa, missing, but his wife
could not account for its disappearance
moro than himself and did not fuss
about it, as most women would have
done under the circumstances. At
breakfast this was only dragged from
him bit by bit he noticed that she ate
very Little. but lurti1 ely collected food
on one plate, and set it aside as If for
an expected guest. He asked her why
she did this, and she said the neigh
bors would be all over the house the
she would crafty their curiosity as to
what they had for breakfast. He re-
| minded her that their landlord was
away for few days, and that no
one would know the secret place
hitherto az. eed upon, where they
were to hide the key OF the
house. She laughed strangely. and
said that, though you might lock peO-
! pie out, you could not lock them in.
! Then they collected their small effects
aud without God speed from a friend,
or kindly eye to follow them on their
path, passed from the home in which
they had been so happy. to start for
the one that had yet to be earned in
the uncertainty Of the future. Perhaps
the man looked behind, but at some
distance from the house the prisoner
did more-she affected TO have forgot
forward, ran quickly back. But he re-
luctantly admitted that she returned
emptyhanded; that she was pale as q
corpse, with wild eyes: that she gasped
for breath, stammcring and presenting
| every appearance OF a woman who had
! received some terrible shock, though
when he asked her ii she had met with
some insult from a passing neigh Dor,
she shook her head. but would give no
explanation o. her state. She showed
extraordinary eagerness to catch the
train, but did not utter one syllable on
the way.
Very soon after the outset of their
journey on the railroad a sinister Incl.
dent occurred. and thi, important cpl.
sode here the counsel turned and
looked steadily at the writer of this
story was witnessed by a gentleman
tion and mlsterly manipulation OF fact
and surmise was due the brilliantly
conclusive chain of evidence that has
brought her where she is to-day. He
was travelling through this region by
rail. BY chance he was in the cal
which the prisoner and her husband
entered. They took seat next in
front of him. He recognized them,
for he had once stayed a day or two a.
the tavern they former y kept at Hoo
sac He would have SPOKEN to then
but for the fact that Dave $ looked
e. troubled and parplexed, and the WON
an gave him the imp ession OF a nature
convulsed and shaken to its very core
He saw the fine hands clenched be
meath her shawl. the splendid eye!
blind to all save some AWFUL navarro
sight, and he recognized that a trag
edy had been or was to be enacted
He watched her, with entire uncon
seriousness to herself, for mile upol
mile. His vigilance was unexpectedly
searched her pocket for handker
} chief with which to wipe her DAM
brow and pulled out with it small
} box that fell into Dawers' lap. TIL,
blank horror in her eyes slowly quick
ened with some recollection. Sh,
, stretched her hand to take it
, but he drew back. and with astonish
, ment in his face lifted the lid an
, found the contents to he white pow
der. Into this powder he thrust hi
forefnger and instantly applied it t
his tongue. On the moment he erie,
: out that his tongue was burning. the
1 that his throat and stomach we're O.
fire. and violent nausea completed tn
symptoms of having tasted q strOni
} irritant poison.
, You have taken arsenic" cried tn
t stranger, whereon the prisone
8. shrieked out. snatched the box fror
Dawers' hand, and threw it far out c
: the window.
4 The stranger took the exact bea,
. ings Of the spot where it must hav
D fal en-. They were then close to ST
= finn Tharsa ho tvpf ont havipy Pol no