The Lamar register., 1901-01-02

Drawing back against the heavy
plush curtains In the hall. she watched
with beating heart as it came glimmer-
ing nearer, not exactly frightened, but
with a curious awe and dread, feel
ing that something was going to hap
pen. A moment later. and madame
lamp in her hand, strange. dazed
glitter in her great black eyes-swept
noiselessly past her and went straight
to the study.
The girls first thought was to steal
up stairs again, her next to creep
across the dark hall after madame, and
look in at the half-open door, and so,
unthinkingly, she witnessed sight
that froze the blood in her veins ans
that she never forgot. For had she
followed her first impulse and gone
upstairs, neither she nor Kate would
have been alive when daylight dawned
that Easter day. On such slight things
as this do great events hang.
Madame put the lamp on n table
close by, and then stole with cat-like
step to the back of the chair before
the writing table. where the detectives
said that Mr.. Barlowe must have been
sitting asleep at the time of the at
tack Suddenly she raised her arms.
holding them as If she had some heavy
weapon in them, and went through the
motion twice OF bringing it down with
terrific force on the back of some ones
head
1t was awful to see her face as she
stood there. wild. fierce, watchful. her
features working convulsively as she
eyed the empty chair as if it were oc-
cupied. her dark hair streaming down
the light dressing gown she wore, her
breath coming in heavy gasps. After
minute she began muttering to her
self, and leaned over as if to examine
what was in the chair: then she went
to the table and turned over the papers
in a strange, troubled manner, her eye
ever returning to that empty chair
1T is only what you deserve-what
you deserve,' she muttered in a harsh.
strained voice, addressing the chair.
You are a hard. bad man. | begged
to you for mercy for my child-my
son. my beloved-and you only laugh
ed. What if he did forge your name:
1t was not for much. You are rolling
in wealth-your wretched wifes money
and we are poor. and Henri is young
and extravagant. But you shall not
punish him. | helped you in the past.
but that goes for nothing with such as
you. You have only yourself to blame
that | have taken the law into my own
hands. | would die a thousand times
rather than that you should expose my
boy. Now you cannot say word. and
| take the proofs of his guilt and burn
them,"
She went through the motions
phantomwise, yet strangely real-oi
taking papers and thrusting them into
the crate, apparently holding them
down with the weapon she thought she
held, doing it all in a strange, dull
calm, which her twitching face belied.
For some minutes she crouched over
the empty CRATE moaning and wiring
ing her hands; then, when she EVIL
IDENTIFY thought the papers and weapons
destroyed, she rose. appeared to drag
what was on the chair to the window
which she threw wide open-and,
before Mollie could move. she came
swiftly out of the room, and, lamp ia
hand, went towards the kitchen.
To describe the feelings of the hor-
ror-stricken girl watching her would
be impossible AS one act after an
other of this terrible drama was played
out before her she felt powerless to
move. almost to think. All her senses
were bound up in the effort to keep
her trembling knees from giving way
under her, for well she knew that to
make the least sound might cost her
her life! No need to ask again who
killed Leonard Barlowe. She had been
how 1t was done; she had seen every
thing-knew it was by his own sisters
hand that the blow was struck.
Yet frightened as she was Mollie's
courage did not desert her. She de-
termined to see what took this wretch
ed woman, whom she felt persuaded
was mad, to the kitchen; so, with chat
tering teeth, she gathered her skirts
together. and crept silently through
the dark passages after her.
The lamplight guided her to the but
ler's pantry, and there stood madame
holding her hands under tap which
she had not turned on, and muttering
necessarily to herself. AS she wrung
the imaginary water off them and
rubbed them on her skirt. it occurred