The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-02-07
CHAPTER K

soever he goeti.
When Dr. Bruce ard the bishop en-
tered the Sterling mansion, everything
in the usually we'll appointed household
was in the greatest confusion and ter
ror The great rooms down stairs were
empty. but overhead were hurried foot
steps and confused noises One of the
servants ran down the grand staircase
with a look of horror on her face just
as the bishop and DR.. Bruce were start
ing to go up.
Miss Felicia is with Mrs. Sterling,
the servant stammered in answer to a
question and then burst into hyster-
ical cry aud ran through the drawing
room and out OF doors.
At the top of the staircase the two
men were met by Felicia
She walked up to DR.. Bruce at once
and put both hands in his The bishop
laid his hand on her head, and the three
stood there moment in perfect silence
The bishop had known Felicia since
she was a child He was the first to
break silence
1.-The God of all mercy be with you
Felicia. in this dark hour Yoar moth
er"-
The bishop hesitated Oct Of the
buried past he had during his hurried
passage from his friend house to this
house of death irresistibly drawn the
one tender romance Of his young man
, hood. Not even Bruce knew that. But
there had been a time when the bishop
had offered the incense of singularly
undivided affection upon the altar Of
his youth to the beautiful Camilla
Rolfe. and she had chosen between him
and the millionaire. The bishop carried
no bitterness with his memory. but 1t
was still a memory.
For answer to the bishops unfinished
query Felicia turned and went back
into her mothers room. She had not
said a word yet. but both men We're
struck with her wonderful calm. She
returned to the hall door and beckcaed
to them. and the two ministers. with a
feeling that they were about to behold
something very unusual, entered.
| Rose lay with her arms outstretched
on the bed; Clara. the nurse. sat with
her head covered, sobbing in spasnls of
terror. and Mrs. Sterling. with 1.-The
light that never was on sea or land
luminous on her face, lay there so still
that even the bishop was deceived at
first. Then as the great truth broke
upon him and Dr. Bruce he staggered,
and the sharp agony of the old wound
shot through him. 1t passed and left
him standing there in that chamber OF
| death with the eternal calmness and
strength chat the children Of God have
a right to possess. and right we'll he
used that calmness and strength in the
days that followed.
The next moment the house below
was in u tumult. Almost at the same
time the doctor. who had been seat foi
at once. but lived some distance away,
came in. together with police officers
who had been summoned by the fright
ened servants. With them were four OF
five newspaper correspondents and sev-
eral neighbors DR.. Brace and the
/ bishop met this miscellaneous crowd al
the head Of tie stairs and succeeded IL
excluding all except those whose pres
ence was necessary With these the two
| friends learned all TIE facts ever known
about 1.-The Sterling tragedy, as the
papers in their sensational account:
next day called it.
Mr. Sterling had gone into his room
that evening about 8 O clock. and thai
was the last seen Of him until in hall
an hour !. shot was heard and y servant
who Was in the hail. ran into the roon
and found the owncr OF the iouse dea"
on the tioal. killed by his own hand.
Felicia at til" time WAS sitting 10y hel
mother Rose was reading IN the u
brary. She ran up stairs. saw her father
as he was being lifted upon the coucf
by the servants and then ran screamin1
into her mothers room. where she flung
herself down on the foot of the bed II