El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-13

! much daZed TO notice anything III heaven
| above or the earth beneath. The door
| opeaed into an clubhouse, roughly paved
| with round stones, where barrels, slaves
and divers lumber had been put away.
There was straw in the further END
of it, ont of which Il yellow cat raised
| two cleaning eyes, and then flew up a
ladder against the wall and disappeared
| among the rafters. In the middle of the
floor lying Il little apart. We're three fig
ures with sheets over them. Instructive
| ly we felt that we We're in the presence
of death. 1 looked back at Charles and
Ralph who were still standing outside
in the falling snow. Charles was bare
headed, but Ralph WAS looking absently
in front of him, seeming conscious ~
nothing. The inspector made me IL ssn
He had raised one of the sheets, and now
Withdrew it altogether. Ny heart seem
ed to stand still.
1t was Aureli;, Aurelia changed in
the last great change of all, but still
| Aurelia. The fixed artificial color in tin.
cheek consorted i'll with the bloodle>s
pallor of the rest of the face. which WAS
set in look of surprise and terror. She
was altered beyond what should have
been. She looked several years older,
gloved hands. tightly clinched. were the
same which she had held to the library
/ fire as we talked the day before; even
the dress was the same. Alas, she had
been in too great a hurry To change it
| before she left, or her thin shoes Poor
little Aurelia.
And then-I don't know how it was,
but in another moment Ralph was
kneeling by her, bending over her
taking the stiffened hands in his trem-
bling clasp, imploring the deaf ears to
hear him. calling wildly to the pale lips
to speak to him which, had done with
human speech. L could not bear it, and
turned away and looked out through
the open door at the snow falling. The
inspector came and stood beside me. In
the silence which followed we could
hear Charles speaking gently from time
to time, and when at last we both turned
toward them again Ralph had flung
himself down on an old bench at the
further end of the clubhouse. with his
back turned toward us, his arms resting
OH n barrel and his head bowed down
upon them. He neither spoke nor moved.
Charles left him and came toward US,
and he and the inspector spoke apart for
a moment. and then the latter dropped
on his knees beside the dead woman and,
after looking carefully at dark stain
on one of the wrists. turned back the
sleeve. Crushed deep into the round.
white arm CLEANED something bright.
1t was emerald bracelet which we
both knew. Charles east Il hastv glance
at Ralph, but he had not moved. and he
drew me beside him so as to interpose
our two figures between him and the in
spector. The latter quietly turned down
the sleeve and recomposed the arm.
Il knew she would have them on her.
if she had them at all" he said in low
voice We need look no further at
present. Not one will he missing They
are all there.
He gaZed long and earnestly at the
dead face. and then to my horror he sud
denly unfastened the little hat. I made
an involuntary movement as if to stop
him, but Charles laid an iron grip upon
me and motioned To Inc to be still. The
stealthy hand quietly pushed back the
fair curls upon the forehead. and in an
other moment they fell still further back,
showing a few short locks of dark hair
beneath them. which SO completely al
tered the dead face that could hardly
recognize it as belonging to the same
ptTSoh- Inc Inspector TsllSeu his neau
and looked Significantly at Charles.
Then he quietly drew forward the
yellow hair over the forehead again, re-
placed the hat and rose to his feet
Charles and l glanced apprehensively at
Ralph, but he had not stirred. AS we
looked a hurried step came across the
yard. hand raised the latch of the door
and some one entered abruptly. 1t was
he -,
doorway; for one moment his ewes rested
horror struck on the dead woman. then
darted at us. from us to the inspector,
who was coolly watching him. and-he
was gone! gone AS suddenly as he had
come. gone swiftly out again into the
falling snow. followed by the wild bark
ing of the dog.
Charles, VINO had had his back to tn.
door, turned III time TO see him. and he
made Il rush for the door, but the in
spector flung himself in his way and held
him forciblv.
Let me go, Let me get at him.
painted Charles. struggling furiously
Il shall do no such timing. sir 1t can
do no good and might do harm. He is
armed, and you are not. and he would |
not be prescriptions if he We're pushed. |
Besides, what can you accuse him Of |
Intent to rob: For he did not do it. If |
you have lost anything remember you |
have found it again. If You caught him |
a hundred times you have no hold on |
him. | know him of old"
YOU"
Eyes; | have kn/wn him by sight
long enough. He is not new hand by
any means-nor she either, as to that.
poor thing