Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-03-28
The Shattered Idol.
By THE AUTHOR OF DORA THoRhE."

room, ! think; | packed 1t myself. so
! carefully, for fear 1t should be
broken"
And she left the room, undeterred by
her guests polite remonstrances. who
Immediately afterward turned to Sir
Lionel, He was looking over some
music on the stand.
/ Presently in the midst of q speech
he started suddenly and paused; for
at that moment, ringing down the wide
! galleries-the great staircase-came
a sharp cry-a cry of such horror and
agony as brought CONSERVATION and
terror to every face and made the
! blood rush with an almost uffocating
throb back TO the heart OF Lionel Stan
hope, ms he sprung forward. .4lnging
wide the door and bounding up the
stairs. four steps ut time. 1t was
/ Clare's voice he had heard utter the
cry: he waited not one second to think.
but followed instinctively the sound.
which still seemed to ring out on the
air. The frightened guests, with won
der and awe, crowded into the ante
chamber, the men following the mas
ter
Lionel never paused till he had
had gained the dresSing-room, and then
for one second he almost staggered
back at the picture upon which his
eyes fell
Baptiste lay stretched upon the floor,
dark stream of blood dycing the car
pet and staining Clare's velvet robes
as she knelt beside him, striving to
staunch a deep wound in his breast.
The window was wide open, the can
dies fiared wildly in the draught, the
curtains had been wrenched aside, and
the delicate lace about the toilet-table
had been torn and hung loose from
its fastenings. All this Lionel took In
at glance. With quick words he
sprung to Clare's side.
Glare, you are safe? You are not
hurt?"
No" she answered, looking up with
for surgeon quickly. oh, Lionel. it
has been my fault"
Hush. childr' he said quickly
don't think Of that now"
He turned to Lord Tregaron and the
others, who, with Mortified looks, stood
on the threshold, each exclaiming,
wondering:
What is it: Who is hurt-not Lady
Stanhope?"
While the servants, alarmed by the
unusual disturbance, came hurryinc
up in wild confusion. But Lionel
Stanhope's calm, clear voice stiled the
tumult.
There has been robbery, and,
fear murder, | know nothing more yet.
Saunders"--to the butler-''ride off at
once to Doctor Marchmonth. and
bring him back with you, remember.
John, give the alarm to the keepers,
and have the grounds searched
Morton Davenant stepped forward
eagerly.
II will go down to the police-sta-
tion," he said.
Guest and servants sped away
quickly upon their several errands; one
of the upper men-servants who under
stood something Of surgery. knelt
down by poor Baptiste, and as well as
he could, to some extent, stopped the
flow of blood, while Clare stood with
locked hands and compressed lips
looking down on him.
"All Of YOU" said Lionel to the ser
wants, go downstairs except Hartford
and Grey and Mrs Lyle; will sum
,,,n,, x+o,, II x-ot1,< no 1.-ap+oJ :;
None dared disobey, although they,
with the morbid curiosity which is not
peculiar to the lower classes, one and
all longed to linger on the spot and
gather up every little of news. They
filed away, however, discussing the
event in low tones; and, as soon as
the room was clear save for those Sir
Lionel had specified and the then re-
naming guests, he turned and bent
over the PROSTATE form of his faith
full servant.
81 think he lives he said. "Ah!
what is this?"
A revolver, silver-mounted, and of
somewhat peculiar make, was lying
Just near the window-probably
dropped In the flight of the robber.
Sir Lionel paused moment, his brow
stern and grave, his lips set with al
most repellent severity; then he spoke
to Clare, whose attitude had never
changed, and who looked up with
fleeting glance when he addressed her
gently.
"Do you know anything Of this,
Clare?"
Nothing" she said, in low, quiet
tones.
II found the room as you see 1t
now. Eugene might have put the
jewels away"
Eugene was summoned, but pro-
tested with tears that she had not ell
tered the room since she had dressed
madame for dinner and, as she evil
IDENTIFY spoke truth, she was dismissed
kindly.
"Here comes Doctor Marchmont,'
said Blair leighton, and the physician
entered.
Lady Stanhope felt intensely re-
lieved when the doctor pronounced
+haf thnt4ph tho mar was dangprouSly