Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-08-05
CHAPTER xIx-tContinued.,

er, crleu MISS Hit, In CONSERVATION
then, seeing the French maid. who had
been drawn thither by the piercing
screams, standing In the hall, she add
ed
"Ma'amselle Fifne, IL that is your
name, Colonel Greville has been In his
dressing room for the last hour. Go mt
once to your lady's chamber and see
what has happened there
The French maid either did not dare
to disobey this peremptory command,
or else she might have been moved by
curiosity TO know the cause OF the out
cry. or both motives might have acti-
ated her at once, for ut any rate, she
also FASTENED up the stairs; but soon
rushed down, her face blanched with
horror.
..'Now. Ma'amselle. no screams nor
Mysteries, If You please. l won't have
them. Tell me at once-is 1t the Vene-
tian mirror or the Etruscan yase?'
Madame IL est mortr' screamed the
girl.
"What?" echoed Miss Hit, in surprise.
ut is death! 1t Is m-u-r-d-e-rr'
answered the French woman. throwing
up her arms and prolonging the last
word to a perfect howl of terror.
At the same instant. also, Mandy
found her voice, and began TO shrek:
"Oh, my missus! my poor young mis-
sus! AS ebber | should lib to see de
day. My poor murdered young mis-
6us!'
But no one attended to her. With
one impulse Of horror and alright all
rushed up stairs and into the brides
chamber!
And there, In that fatal room. a
scene met the eyes that battles all lie
scription-a scene calculated to turn
each gazer into stone. Yes, the cham
Der bore the dreadful signs of murder.
and of that awful struggle for LIE thar
must have preceded the murder. The
bed had not been occupied. 1t was un-
disturbed, neat and smooth, as when
its draperies had received the finishing
touches of Mandy's neat fingers. But
every piece Of furniture bore the marks
of a violent contest. as though the vic
tim, flying through that circumscribed
space for dear life. had caught at each
article in turn TO make 1t a shield or n
weapon. Everything was torn, defaced
and blood-stained! The dressing table
had been wrenched from its place and
ITS lace valance, half dragged of. bore
the marks OF CORY fingers. The easy
chair had been thrown down, and on its
white cover glowed the prints of Grim
son hands. The lace curtains Of ore
window were stripped off. and its folds
partly glued together where they had
been clasped by bloody fingers. And 50
with every other article in the room.
"Oh, heaven OF mercies, what Is the
meaning Of all this? Where Is Astrea?
Where Is Colonel Grevllle" cried Miss
Hit, in wild alright. as she hurried to
the open window from which hung the
rent and spotted curtain. The window
opened upon the upper porch. from
which steps led down into the shrub
berries. Miss Hit. followed by all the
domestics, hastily passed through IT.
and looked In turns around. half-f sa"-
ing to discover the body Of the MR.
dered body Of the victim bride. Size
found the window sill. the tioor OF the
porch and the steps leading down TO
the strawberries. all thickly-spottcd with
blood. The Strawberries themselves
were beaten and trampled down, AMI a
furrow ran through them from the foot
of the stairs toward the waters edge.
as though some inanimate body had
been dragged along! aud. oh. worse
than all, hanging on the thorn bushes
con either side, were shreds of muslin.
as tx torn. i'm passing. from some w0-
mans dress! Fearing to pursue this
should be blasted by some sight OF ever
greater horror, the appalled, woman bur
ried. as fast as age and fat would per-
init her, up the porch stairs again, call
ing wildly on the name Of Astrea. and
calling In vain. On reaching the cham
Der, she rushed through all it's signs of
crime, TO the back door. connecting II
with the lady's dressing room; but this
she found, was fastened On the same
side; this scarcely surprised her at the
time. she so quickly unlocked 1t and
passed through. hurrying on toward the
gentleman's dressing room. whose door
was also fastened on this side. Quickly
shooting back the bolt. she rushed into
the presence OF Col. Greville. who was
quietly in the act of receiving n fresh
pocket handkerchief from the hands OF
his valet. He turned in some surprise
to meet the horror-stricken c%ountcnance
of the old lady, exclaiming
"What is the matter. Miss Hitt Are
any of the maids in hysterics?"
"Oh. Colonel Greville. Oh. Fulkc.
Where Is Astreaf' gaspcd Miss Hit.
"Astrea. my wife! what about AS
trea?' exclaimed Colonel Greyille. in
sudden alarm, striding toward the com
municating door of their apartments.
"Stop. Fulke Greville. she is no.
there. as you must know too we'll.
ask you where she is? Cain! where Il
thy sister? Murder. where Is thy vie
thy sister. Murderer, where is thy vie
timy"
Miss Hit! murderer Are You mad
or what Is the meaning Of all thisT
cried the colonel. sweeping her from hi,
path and striding through all the suite
of rooms until he stood. the center of q
group Of affrighted servants. in the
midst OF the defaced and blood-staincc
chamber.
I'm the name of Heaven. what Is al
this? My wife. where is my wife, ex
claimed the shocked and terrified hus
band. as with a face white as one OF
death. he gazed around upon the bloody
tokens of guilt.
where? we ask you where. murder
err! ~hypocrite. monster! that you are
where have you hidden her gdcaf
body 2" shrieked Miss Hit, frantic will
rage. grief and despair.
But without needing her wild appeal
M AZ - 49,