Catoctin clarion., 1897-09-30

"Murdercdi MY God, this Is trtghtf'tl"
term was applicable. for though she
possessed a charming face she could be
called neither handsome nor beautiful
Small, we'll ohiseled features, rosy,
pert little mouth, piercing black eyes.
chestnut brown hair and clear COM
plexion with considerable color. these
were the salient points in her favor. In
stature she was petite But 1t was her
manner more than her physical charms
that was her chief attraction. Viva
cious, impetuous. with powerful emo.
tions, loving and hating with degree
of intensity foreign to the American
born, 1t was easy to detect that Alice
Marvel had French blood in her veins.
Her father had chosen his bride In
Paris and continued his residence In
that city until Alice WAS Is. Then he
returned to America with his family,
which included Walter, who was two
years older than his sister, and immedi-
ately thereafter settled in Lee. Thus
Alice was now in her twenty fifth year.
Startled from her meditations by the
abrupt entrance Of her friend, Alice
stared at her moment in silence and
then suddenly exclaimed:
"Is he dead2"
lis who dead7" asked Virginia,
amazed at the question.
"Your uncle Mr.. Lewis" replied
Alice, at which Virginia was go bewil-
dered that she stood speechless. Know
ing that the fact Of her unole's death
had been SO recently discovered and also
that Alice had not left her own room,
Virginia was at O loss to understand
how she had become aware Of the true
state Of affairs. 1t occurred to her that
perhaps, after all, tho maidservant had
informed Alice, but IN that case 1t
should have been known also by Mrs.
Marvel, whereas that lady had acted in
way which precluded the supposition
that the news had reached her ears.
Recovering somewhat from the first ef-
fects of her surprise, she asked:
"How did you know that he is dead3"
Alice started at this question, and
then, as though awakening from a
dream, replied:
II don't know what I have been
saying. I think was dreaming when
you came in and-and--and / must
have continued aloud what was passing
through my mind
Your dream, then, Is wonderfully
near the truth. for my uncle was found
dead this morning. and he has undoubt.
edly been murdered.
"Murderedl My God, this is fright
fulp' With oonvulsive tremor, which
passed over her whole frame, Alice lay
back and buried her face in her pillow.
Virginia gazed at her. not knowing how
to construe her agitation. A moment
later Alice, with one bound, leaped
from the bed and, rushing up to Viz.
ginia, exclaimed excitedly:
''You say he was murdered. How do
you know it2 Who can prove it' Did
any one see it? Who did it2 Who did 1t,
say? Tell me-
"Hushl Do you know what you are
saying? II any one heard you, It would
be suspected"-
what would be suspected? What is
suspected? Tell mel Imust knowi !
will knowi p
"Silencel Are you still in dreamf
You must stop this wild language. Stop
iti Stop It instantlyr' Taking Alice by
the shoulders, she shook her, and by
her words and manner Virginia at
length subdued somewhat the intensity
of her friends excitement Then OCCUR
red the inevitable reaction. Alice threw
herself on the bed and abandoned her
self to wild paroxysm Of tears. Vir-
ginia endeavored to calm and soothe
her, but for a long time her attentions
only aggravated the hysterical sobbing.
After awhile, however, she became
more quiet, and Virginia sought an ex.
planation.
"Now, Alice" said she, "you must
tell me how you knew that my uncle Is
dead.
"Hushl cannot tell you. I cannot.
cannot"
"But you must. Evidently you know
something about this. and you must
tell me-"
''It is impossible
"Can you not trust me9 Come, Alice,
you must be reasonable. We are vast
ing time that is most precious. Do you
know who is or will be suspected Of
this crime2"