El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-08

fered until then. I felt that II l could
not kill you my brain would burst.
rushed forward blindly, stumbled
over the trunk Of a tree, and came to
the ground, where I lay stunned for
few moments. When I rose. you
had gone.
Il went back to my bed. slept for
some time, and awoke at dawn with
the murderous fever on me fercer than
before. I stole into your room. Paul
Il, your wife, the nameless daughter
of a mad mother. who had deceived
you basely, robbed you Of peace, hap
piness, honor and love, yet who had
received nothing in return from you
but countless benefits. infinite forbear-
ance. noblest patience. I leaned over
you as you slept, a razor pressed to
your throat. Tie touch Of the steel
Or the fire Of my murderous breath
awoke you. You looked at me calmly
and 1 skunk away cowed, loathing my
self, cursing the day that gave life to
such a wretch as I.
Cali that morning 1 knelt by your
pillow in an agony Of shame. of re-
morse. laying for strength ave
you before you would guess my hor'
rible secret. Strength seemed to come;
rose to go when you were driving up
the avenue with her. I went to the
window to take my farewell look; you
were standing in the porch together
whispering eagerly, her hand was
claspipg yours. 1 struggled fercely for
moment, but passion overmastered
me again. I ran quickly down to your
study, unlocked a drawer where l had
seen you hide packet of verm1n-
poison one day, and poured it into the
glass Of wine you asked for. You took
it unsuspiciously; and when it was
half way to your lips you turned with
a smile and a kind word to me-and.
thank Heaven, 1 was able to dash it
from your hands-thank Heaven.
thank Heaven!
And now 1 go from you, Paul, for
ever, with a prayer on my lips and
in my guilty heart for your peace and
welfare. Be happy with her you love,
and forget the wretched woman who
deceived you. Put her from your mem
DRY and your life as if she had never
been. Now, I can write no more-my
hand shakes; strange lights are burn
ing before my eyes; torturing thirst
ing of cool water everywhere around.
I must go-oh, love, love, how can
write Farewell?"
The paper fell from my hands. I
turned wildly to Mrs. Murray.
Where is she, where is she? Let
me go to her at once. I tell you. she
is desperate. maddened; there Is no.
a moment to 1ose!"
Mrs. Murray, with her hands to ne
eyes, answered with a weak whimper
I rushed toward the door, and then
became aware for the first time that
the room was full of familiar faces
my Uncle Gerard from Kibton, my two
cousins from bennington. General
Stopford, Doctor Finlay, and some
others I had not the power to recog-
nize.
MY dear boy, wait a moment, just
moment" pleaded my uncle, his hand
grasping my arm 1--WE will give you
all the particulars we have Cleaned.
Don't-don't be afraid. Unfortunately
up to the present we've have no re-
liable clue to your wife's whereabouts
more than the letter has probably
given you; but we hope"
ways wears in the garden; it looks all
wet and muddy-she must have drop
ped it in the grass Give it to me
give it to me! Finlay, what on earth
have you 11ngling there? lit looks
II don't know what it is; do you
recognize it, Mr.. Dennys?" he an
swered, holding up a block Of bruised
metal from which hung a light rusted
chain entangled in a rag of blue rib
bon.
THAT rubbish no. At first in the
shade there thought it looked not I'M
like steel girdle and chatelaine my
wife wears-one that I bought her at
the Palais Royal last spring. IL don't
know what put it into my head. Give
me the hat. Where was it found? An
swer me, answer me! Are you all
struck dumb?'
Then they told me, two or three of
them taking up one another nervous
ly, that the hat was picked up the
morning before by the children of the
Grange lodge in bed of rushes down
the river; that the chain and mass OF
metal had been found twisted round
the big wheel of the Red Mill, and that
it was recognized by Carter, my .wife's
maid, as part of the chatelaine She un-
doubtedly wore the day she disap-
peared.
"You-you wish me to understand
that my wife went down the river I'M
der the mill machinery like the girl
long ago? You-you want me to be-
lieve that? Great heavens!'
MY dear boy-no, no: AS long as
there is no further confirmation, of
course we've must hope for the best;
you see. unfortunately the
night was dark, and the river unusual
ly swollen; it is so dangerous down