The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-14

i DoCtOI, NY uuBDAuu WkS y BIeat buIH
ferer from an acute nervous disease,
He contracted the habit Of using laud.
anum and opium some months since;
/ he must have taken an overdose! Yes"
she added, thoughtfully, in an UNDER
tone-her eyes dropped to the still.
dead face before her-"he must have
taken an overdose!"
Her head was bowed again as though
she was weeping violently. But at
last she arose.
There will be an inquest, I pre-
sume?" she questioned, timidly.
The coroner bowed respectfully.
in a short time, madam" he re-
| turned.
II will tell you," she faltered This
gentleman-Mr. Barton Chadwicke, Of
Chadwicke Hall. Westchester County,
Maryland-was my husband. He left
home two days ago. intending to go
West on some business. But he was
not well. and IL was so troubled in
regard to his health-fancied that his
mind was becoming affected, that when
he had gone determined to follow
him on the next train. ! did SO, and
when I arrived at the hotel, the first
intelligence that crested me was this:
l felt dreadful conviction that the
dead man in this room was Barton
Chadwicke. l FASTENED here, and
identify him as my husband. That is
ALL"
She burst into violent, hysterical
sobbing, and some of the lady guests,
full Of pity for the strangers affection,
bore her away to room, where she
could give way to her awful sorrow
without the annoyance of curious pry-
ing eyes.
"Humph!" thought DR.. Dudley to
himself, when she was gone; there's
one odd circumstance about Mrs. Chad
| wicke. She says that she followed
her husband on the next train, but he
arrived yesterday at shutdown, and the
next train gets in three hours later.
But the madam makes her appearance
here at noon the day following. Now,
where was she during the interval?
And there's something else crooked,
too; Notwithstanding all the time she
was weeping and wailing, and sobbing,
she hadn't tear In her eyes!"
And the astute doctor shook his head
sagely.
"A man never commits suicide with
out cause!" he observed, aloud, "and
pretty good reason, too, I should
imagine! Gentlemen, as l remarked
before, believe that there's woman
in the easel"
The inquest was held few hours la
ter, but ELECTED nothing satisfactory;
and no verdict could be rendered, for
the jury did not agree, there being
divided opinion in regard to the matter
some advocating suicide, and others
accidental poisoning. So the matter
rested; and Barton Chadwickes body
was prepared for the grave, and placed
in metallic burial case, to be removed
to the family tomb. The heart-broken
widow, arrayed in deep mourning gar
ments, entered the train, and with its
sad burden it steamed away to Mary
land and Chadwick Hall.
1t was sunset, lovely spring even
ing, when the train paused at the near
est station, and Mrs. Chadwicke
alighted. A close carriage awaited
her. and hearse was in readiness
to convey the body to the home which
he had left so short time previous,
in life and usual health. 1t was Just
at the lonely twilight hour, when the
sad little procession wound its way
up the long avenue leading to the hall
"a fine old gray stone house, built in
an irregular fashion, and half covered
with clinging ivy.
The servants, a weeping train, re-
ceved the body OF their late master,
with loud lamentations, but the widow
went straight up to her own chamber.
An hour later she was aroused by the
old housekeeper, her eyes red and swol-
len with weeping"
Miss Lurline,' said the old woman,
laying her hand gently on the widows
shoulder "Mr. Ruthven is in theli-
brary; he says will you, can you see
him?"
Mrs. Chadwicks arose.
Yes" she faltered. Mrs. Perry,
tell him will be down in few mo-
mpnts He Is a relative nv marriapa
you know; l think l had better see
him."
Fifteen minutes later, the widow
traled her black robe down the broad
staircase to the library, great, gothic
sombre apartment, lying in gloomy
shadow now, lightGG only by a single
gas-jet. A handsome dark-haired
man stood before the fireplace leaning
one arm upon the marble mantel, a.
look of Impotence Oh his face, which
vanished as the swish. swish of her
trailing garments sounded on the mar
ble-paved floor of the wide hall with
out The door opened and she en-
tered the room. She went up to him,
and laid both her little hands in his.
But he caught her in his arms, and
strained her madly to his heart.
my own! my own!" he painted,
hoarsely. "Lurline, there is nothing
in the world to part us now!"
CHAPTER II.