The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-06-28

WOULD say OF 90 II ne once nedru OF MS
pretensions. With man of Ramon's
type absolutely constituencies - the
next idea was simply to get George out
of the way. Once get rid Of the uncle,
and what was there to hinder his max
ing off with Teresa and her money?
Undoubtedly he instilled these ideas
into Teresas mind, and she, her sullen
temper already afame at the hint of OPP
position, was soon ripe for any mis-
chief. Whether this precious pair had
already concocted any definite plan
don't know, but that they were only
waiting a chance what follows will
prove:
On this particular evening Teresa had
dressed earlier and gone down. For
some reason, don't know what, she
went to the study and opened the door
A French window was open, and in the
moonlight which had already succeeded
the dusk she caught sight of something
moving through it, undulating in rus
thing coils up from the grass beyond.
Terrified, she closed the door and
stood an instant painting with fright.
What was it?
Suddenly it flashed across her. She
had Just before seen from her window
the men bringing in her uncle's spoil,
great anaconda, or water boa, the lar
gest and most powerful constructor in
the world. This was its mate. Her
chance had come. Always, before din
ner, her uncle would go to his room to
fetch the cigar he lit Immediately din
ner was over He would go once more
for the last time.
How I can imagine her stealing quiet
ly away from the door back with
stealthy footsteps up the stairs to her
room and sitting there watching the
clock, counting every moment till the
gong should summon her uncle to his
fate behind that closed door
Closer and closer crept the hands to s
o'clock, and still she sat and watched.
Suddenly, in the hall below, sounded
footsteps across the polished boards
Unnaturally loud they seemed as they
passed slowly down the passage beneath.
There was the sound of turning latch,
an instant's pause, and then-one long,
horrible sound, half shrek, half yell,
which grew shriller, then mutfied, and
then abruptly ceased.
That shrek heard with almost equal
distinctness away at the other end of
the house. To this day can sometimes
hear it, and it comes back to me in
dreadful dreams
/ heard my husband rush from his
room and his flying feet down the stair
way. Other sounds | heard-cries of
terror and alarm, hu1rying footsteps and
slamming of doors. Then l summoned
strength to follow. As ran through the
hall two shots rang out in quick sue
cession. A frightful pounding, like a
dozen sledge hammers going at once,
ensued, and next l heard a scream of
maniacal laughter, and Teresa rushed
by me and out into the night.
The next thing l remember is Georges
voice, in tones of strong command:
Keep back, Mariani' ~ he called. cit
is no fit sight for you
stood there in the middle of the
passage, while around the open study
door stood a little knot of our black
servants. Their faces were ashen with
terror, and the whites of their eyes Cog
gled horribly. A thin smoke foated out
of the room, and the keen smell of gun
powder filed the air. The throbbing
beat had almost ceased, and George
passed into the room, while staggered
back, and sinking into a chair ia the
hall, tainted dead away.
need hardly explain what had hap
pened The wretched Ramon had come
in earlier than usual to dinner; had,
contrary to his usual custom, gone to
the study, evidently to leave the pass
book for the day, and had walked
straight into the trap set for another.
Those horrible coils had crushed him to
death long before even George could
reach the spot, while the great snake,
in its terrible death agonies, had rent
the wretch's body in shocking way,
leaving it an unacceptable mass.
That was what Teresa had seen. The
shock no doubt had crazed her When
she ran out, she went straight to the
river, at least we suppose SO, for we
never saw anything Of her again. There
are alligators in those waters.
Since then my husband and have al
most forgotten the tragedy. We are very
happy alone together i'll our sunny tropic
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