San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-09-26

or unsolved.
While they were thus lovemaking the
first OF the dinner gongs sounded. and
they had TO hasten away to dress.
Then at dinner an incident happened
which disturbed Lola profoundly and
marked the beginning of the end.
They had only three guests-Mrs. DE-
Witt, Beryl LEICESTER and Pierre Tur-
rian-and st dinner Lola saw that the
Frenchman was taking a good deal Of
wine The conversation turned on what
each Of those present had been doing
during the past few weeks, and present
ly Lola saw him set down his glass with
an expression which she knew well
BODIED mischief to some one and look
in her direction furtively out of the COR
ner of his eyes Then he broke into the
conversation in tone which drew the
attention of all to him:
my faith, but / have had an ex-
perience, or rather have heard of one.
which is, if you like, uncommoni"
About fiddle strings?" asked Mrs.
De Witt mischievously.
'No, madame; about human lives
and about something which am sure
you could not omprehend-woman's
faithlessness.
81 have heard of It," said the little
woman innocently, but if 1t is any
thing too dreadful don't spoil 1t by tell
ing US too hurriedly-keep it for by and
by, in the drawing room."
"Out with ii, man." exclaimed the
baronet
1T is the story of a friend of mine"
said the Frenchman, pausing moment
to emphasize his next remark. do you
know the DEVILS rock in the Swiss
mountains? Do you, Lady Walootea' he
asked when the others said nothing.
Something in the tone made Beryl
Leycester look up, and she saw that Sir
Jaffray's wife was ON the defensive.
1.-The DEVILS rock, the DEVILS rock"
replied Lola, repeating the words as If
waiting for the name to strike some
chord of recollection and speaking very
naturally. II seem to have heard of il,
and yet-you know how ones memory
will play tricks--I really can't say"
And she smiled very sweetly.
1T is we'll named at any rate" said
NJ. Turrian. Imagine semioircular
background Of rough, steep crags, with
here and there thick, dark frs and pines
on them, and in the middle sharp pin
nacle rock standing sheer and grim and
solitary, Joined to the background by q
narrow path, each side of which il
precipice stretching down hundreds OF
feet to the bottom of the gorge. That is
the DEVILS rock, and the precipice
might be called in ruth the mouth of
hell"
"But what has the devil to do with
woman's faithlessness?" asked Mrs De
Witt. with smile.
More than usual" returned the
Frenohman, laughing dryly. There
was murder done ON that very spot
murder, so far as intent was concerned.
and my friend was the victim. went
to the place last month with him."
'I'm getting a bit mixed, professor. "
said the baronet.
my friend was married to woman
who seems to have got the idea Of FREQ
ing herself from him. She took him to
that place one day, told him she had
ceased to love him and that she meant
to leave him."
"What very conventional creaturer'
exclaimed Mrs De Witt. "She was. Of
course, woman of the middle Glasses. "
Scarcely conventional. madame"
said M. Turrian. "She goaded him with
some hot, bitter words-that was con-
ventional, Of course-and when be
caught hold of her to take her away
from the place she struck him in the
face with the parasol she was carrying.
and he stumbled back and fell over"
"Oh, that's not murderi Much moro
like suicide" said Mrs. De Witt "H
he knew what sort Of woman she was,
he might have known what to expect IL
he tried force ON such spot.
"Wait," resumed the Frenchman.
"In falling he caught hold Of point Of
the rock with one hand and would have
saved himself, but she, seeing what had
happened, stamped ON his fingers with
all her strength. bruising and crushing
them and causing him to lose his hold.
That was murder"
"But you say he didn't die. - said the
baronet.
ST say it was murder in intent What
think you, Lady Walcote?" And he
stopped and looked boldly into Lola's
eyes
ST should think your friend was ro-
mancing, M. Turrian, though i can