The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-10-17

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this money forced itself upon her-was
all gone. She had in her possession only
a few pounds, barely enough to carry
her at the very outside over a few weeks.
What would be her fate then? That she
was her aunt's sole heir did not occur to
her, nor the fact that the furniture Of
the house, whatever Il might be worth,
would eventually be hers. She only
knew that she was possessed Of 3 SOW
ereigns, and she was doubtful if she had
any right to use them. They had been
given to her the previous day by her aunt
for housekeeping purposes.
She had a fairly good knowledge of
the millinery business, but she was we'll
aware that situations were not to be
picked up at q moments notice; that
she might spend many and many q weary
week hunting for a place. And in the
meantime what was to support her?
What was to happen to her?
She had in Clayfelds no friends, 10
intimate, unselish friends who would
help her now in her dire trouble. She
was now in a morbidly sensitive condi-
ton about everything. and it seemed to
her that every one would shun her. The
ever shoWn her any real courtesy and
kindness was Mrs. Pcrcival, the doctors
wife. But that was before Maurice had
Guarrelod with DR.. PercivaL.
She loved and trusted Leclerc, but she
conld not repress the feeling that much
of his trouble8-his troubles apart from
this which would arise cut Of the pres
ent tragedy-had been caused by her.
Indirectly, If curse. But he had III his
eagrlness to make a home and position
for her got himself into difficulties from
which he o seemed unable to ~cxtricate
himself.
Ethel possessed no shadow of a suspi-
clon Of her lover in connection with the
CRIME which had been committed in the
room which was nov almost at her feet
that awful room which would haunt
her torevermore. 1t was terrifying to
think Of what had happened while she
had been asleep last night. what had
happened while sha was so very near il
all How was it she had heard no sound
during the night; that nothing had dis.
turbed her until the ringing of the bel
III the early morning had aroused hel
from sleep-the bell which had sum
moned her to behold the most awfu'
sight her young eyes had ever witnessed
She possessed a morbid horror of death
This morning, for the first time, sht
had seen a dead body, felt a dead body
the dead body Of her dear aunt.
Mechanically she had commenced t
pack a trunk which stood in her room
For hours she had occupied herself ar
ranging and re%arranging, packing an,
unpacking, her thoughts scarcely occu
pied with what she was doing, until a
last the waning light of the October aft
ernoon warned her that night was an
proaching-night which was to O Y
with its cloak the dark deeds Of wicke,
mcknight which now possessed ten
rors for her which had never befor
wandered into her troubled brain.
She croucbed over the trunk, almos
afraid to move. She could not even CO
lect her thoughts sufficiently to think {
striking a light. In a half conscior
way she remembered she had left HI
candle on the hall table. She could n.
60 down stairs past that hideous aot
inside Of which her aunt lay dead-mu
dered-in the darkness. She was a pri
oner in her oom Should she have
spend another night in this hous
Could she live through such a night?