Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-11-07


into the corridor
at the end OF that broad oak pass
age was Lady Penrirh, standing
there motionaess by long uncovered
window, the moonlight streaming
around her. She looked like figure
of stone in her straight white drap-
cry, to which the rays of the ghostly
moon had lent such an unearthly cod
orEng. Mrs. Ounce, in grotesque dis
habille, was with her mistress, hold
ing out to her warm wooden shawl,
and dumbly entreating the poor lady
to return to the bed she had left.
Alicia, choking down the cry of dis
may which rose 80 her lips, ran noise
lesssly toward her grandmother The
girl had not anticipated this calamity
when she parted from her but a few
hours before. Lady Penrith had
seemed unusually tranquil then, and
Alicia had reckoned on peaceful
night.
"Oh, lor, my DEAR now YOU skeered
me!' whispered Mrs. Ounce, her very
nightcap frills bobbing with fright as
Alicia softly approached. "But there,
I'm very thankful for your company
She's worse tonight than I've ever
knowed her afore. i can't do nothing
with her. that l can't. | want to put
this shawl on her, you see, only I'm
half afraid of waking her. Poor dear,
how cold her feet must be on these
bare skivery boards
Isis she asleep, then ~ asked
Alicia, in low tone.
I'm never quite certain, my dear"
breatled Mrs. Ounce, trembling Wis
IDLY. Sometimes, thinks | ito myself,
she is; at other times | fancieS she
amt ! don't know what to make of
her now-and that's the truth. She's
been wringing her hands, and-and
talking of murder"
Lady Penrfth turned her gray head
slowly, and looked at them with the
moonlight on her face Her eyes We're
open, but dull and glazed. One or
two Of those Whispered worlds, it
would seem, had pierced the thick
shadows about her haunted brain.
Her pale hips moved with difficulty.
MURDER" she said in deep. agon-
lied voice Yes, it was murder true
enough. Bm WHO said ahut killed
Alicia Leigh with-with what they
cab malice aforethought? 1t is false
false, say. 1t was not thus
Heaven knows itthat killed Alicia
Leigh"
She twisted her long, thin hands to-
sether until the bones cracked dis
tinctly. Tears, one after another,
rolled down the burrows Of her
cheeks, The owl was hooting again;
Il scudding mouse squeaked behind
the wainscot.
AFTER ALL" said Mrs. Ounce, anx-
iously, IL think you ought to go
back to your bed Miss Penrith. Kind
as it was of you to come out here, l.
| think you'd be best away. Her
strange talk ain't for you to hear, my
dear"
Alicia, with gesture of impatience,
took the shawl from the housekeeper's
hands. The old servant was terrified.
but the girl was finn
''She will catch her death Of cold,'
she said, reproachfully. Her mind
is wandering. ] do not believe she Is
asleep.
Eenderly and most carefully, with
infinite tact Indeed, Alicia placed the
wooden wrapper about the shoulders
of her grandmother; then very quietly.
by almost imperceptible degrees pos
sessed herself Of one Of those restless,
worn, white hands.
ut is late for lis to be out, grand
mother" she said, brayely, her young
voice low, clear, penetrating. speaking
close to Lady Penldth's ear, ignoring
the signals of dlsapproyal and alarm
which Mrs. Ounce was making so
wildly. Let us go home; the mistS
are rising"
Yes, down BY the river, Lady Pen
rith said In the same heavy, anguish
stricken kind Of way. '.rhe mists are
always there. That might they Were
dense. | remember saw her walk
ing in the twilight along the river
path, but in that moment Heaven
knows | had no intent of murder in
my heart that came afterward. All
day long | had been brooding on the
boys obstinacy, on the promise | had
given him in order to gain time. l
had sworn that Alicia Leigh Should
never he his wife and | meant to keep
my vow. ! meant to get rid Of her IN
some way or other-but did not wish
to do SO by killing | went out that
might to think Ito think to think over
IL ALL" moaned Lady Penrith.
slowly lifting to her forehead the
hand that was free, and met Alicia
Leigh in the mlsts ON the river bank
| asked her TO give up my darling. but
she refused Again and again did |
ask her. reason with her, but each
time with the same result: and then
ana then Ii was that. in my pride and
passion | forgot there was Heaven
above us can see the deSpairing