Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-12-26

he would he could not md her. She
and her partner had disappeared as
suddenly and as myfterlously as. they
had evidently come. He haunted the
place TIL the last dancer had gone.
Then he rushed away. Wishing he had
never fallen under the fascinating
cruces OF Emma Hcrbershaw.
He gniiopcd furiousiy 10 the bar
racks strange. vague sense OF i'm
pending evil nliing his breast. HIS
sleep was disturbed with troublous
dreams. When he arose message
awaited him, He took the note and
read It's brief words Then. putting his
hand TO his head, he staggered against
the raiiinE u the verandnh, his face
as livid as death.
There had been an accident Just
without Slmla about midnight. The
vehicle, carrying Nerdp and her escort
back TO the house where her aunt had
chosen TO stop had been jerked down n
dangerous slope by the frightened
horses and was mass OF rulnA All
Ind escaped injury. except Verda.
who was picked dp IN mn unconscious
condition, which was pronounced death.
"Nerda deadt My God. how can I
bear this crushing blow? II she could
only have forgiven me-" cried the
young ofl.oor In agony.
Five minutes later he LEFT tho bar
rncks and rode mndly In the dlrentiQn
OF knlka, ON whose road the accident
had happened. His face was the typo
Of dumb, white despair A heavy
weight secmed to stupify his soul
The twltterlng OF the birds In the
trees, the boom OF the morning gun
from the summi, ~ the iutogh reli or
deaf ears, He swept by bcvioa OF
morning strn'lers. trNnns NJ trnuaArrd
Ama2ons, tinklng with cheap Jewelry
but he was blind to everything save
that dreadful gnawinE Mt his heart.
Verda was deadl The hoOfs OF his
horse striking the rocky road echoed
! II, shouted It into HIS ears, 10 dumb
to every other sound Even while hf
had been searching the groves and
pavilion for her the wild animals were
carrying her to n terrible death. What
n dreadful rctribuiion had fate taken
ON him for his folly In flirting with
Lady Herbershaw to the neglect OF
the only girl whom he truly, lovedl
] suddenly n horPeman Joined him
4 with n peculiar emotion DeorliuE rec
cgnized him as the handsome stranger
whom he had scon 80 attentive e
| NordR at the bail.
| you are Lieutenant Deorllng e
whom ! addressed n note this morn
ingG" asked the stranger
II nm" In n dry. unnatural voice
~ am Gordon Mnrdhurst---Verdn'v
cousin. have waited for you her,
among the trees"
"roll me-" cried nccrlng. suddenly
| laying n hot, trembling hand on youna
| Mnrdhuret arm. TEL me. did Verdi
believe mo faiihlcas TO her2'
Not at frat" nnewored Mnrdhurst
his heart full OF pity Tor the young
man riding BY his side. I'VE arrived
day earlier than we expected. but
atoppud without the city. at the dwell.
/ ing OF my mothers friend"
! why did not Norda let me know OF
| thlsf'
she was plqued because you hnI
not written her Tor almost two weeks
She was too proud TO write again
whom she heard OF your say life al
! Sinla."
! "My Godl' he said IN gaaplnr
rronn. Then she did hear those idl,
pturlos. aud thought was untrue tt
hcrf'
mot IN last night Lieutenant Deer
ling. My mothern triond arranged al
once for Ncrda and myself 10 nttent
the ball NJ the pavilion, Verdi meant
To surprise YOU But when she gnN
YOU so attentive to Lady Emma Her