The Irish standard., 1901-08-31
edgment from you in the hands Of ,
witness, wife-or murderess. die

Killed man Tor you last nlght! AS
she uttered this confession her face
grew pale as DEATH the pistol was low
cred, and she stood shiyering in abject
terror. "Iou have not heard Of it?"
she whispered. care not the papers
full of it?" Her form, which had been
erect, seemed to shrink; she looked
over her shoulder towards the door,
listening. The man strobe forward and
wrenched the weapon from her cold
hand. Then he forced her into chair.
Louise! Louise!" he groaned; and
then in awe he said: "Insane!" She
made no resistance. A tide of memories
had swept over the new issues.
"No," she moaned, mot yet. Would
to God 1 were! You do not believe me.
Raymond. Listen. l found out where
you were stopping in the city. 1 found
the street and number. had de-
termined to go in and bring the horrid
uncertainty to an end, for you had not
answered my letter-you had not
come!'
"But you did not go in" he said, ter.
rificd. Surely, you did not"
mo. l walked by again and again.
| went around TO the side street and
looked into the garden; but said: I
will see him first; Raymond cannot
mean to be so BASEL Still you did not
come. Will you believe it, went back
at night, hoping to see YOU? l could
not stay here alone in this room-I
slipped out! Two men entered that
gate, and one of them l would have
sworn was you. I followed and saw
them enter the wing room. While I
waited there, wondering if you would
appear again-it was but a few min
| utes. think-one of the men came from
the wngroom. passed me, and. going
out, locked the gate. ! was prisoner,
for the fence was tall with spikes of
iron. Then went and stood under the
window, thinking the room was yours,
and l might attract your attention;
and heard your voice and woman's
in there
at is a liza lie! the room belongs
to Frances. ] was not in the city,"
"Frances? Who is Frances? But no
matter. they were there all night; and
+. crazed and abandoned. wept and
ragged outside"
"You are simply daft. Louise; you
don't know what youar saying"
''They were there, tell you. Once a
match was struck. and | could hear o
woman pleading; and-there 1 was,
lying upon the ground, the window
just out of my reach. Then I found
myself climbing the ivy and clinging
to the shutters; and I saw you sitting
there, this woman with curly golden
hair kneeling in her night dress before
you, her hand upon your shoulder,
saying good-by to her lover while she
held a lighted match above his face"
Louise, this is unbearable!" Hol-
bin was beside himself.
II thrust your pistol between the
shutters, took aim at you and fired;
my aim was true; the man fell for
ward into the darkness, and I back
upon the wet grass. Look! See the
stains of the crushed ivy! see the soil
upon the gown! see the blistered
hands! look at your pistol! The ham,
mer is upon an empty shell! I got
up and ran for the gate, but man
was entering and his carriage stood
opposite Crouching in the shrubbery
1 saw him come back"-her voice sank
to whisper-"with dead man in
his arms. I got here-how, do not
know-and locked myself in. When
you came thought it was your spirit
What will they do with me? Will
they lock me in gaol? Will they hang
me? Why don't you speak to me-
Raymond? Why do you look at me
that way? Raymond! Raymond!-l
did not know what I was doing!
was insane, jealousl had lost my
child-oh, they ought to know that
Raymond, before they judge me too
harshly. Raymond, Raymond, answer
me-answer!" He mastered his emo
ton by powerful effort.
"You have had your revenge!" he
said, hoarscly, his lips parting in a
soundless laugh. "The shot went to
the mark!" He sank in his chair by
the table and gazed helplessly upon
her agitated face, his thoughts else.
where.
"But I do not understand" she said
"My revenge, if you were not the
man"
"Why, it is incredible!" he cried, an.
grily. "Give me the key! the keyl
the key! Quick! the clock is striking
ten-the key!"
"You will not give me up, Raymond
the mother of your child!-you will
not"
"Ah-no, no, Louise. You are safe
while live. Quick! the key!" She
gave it to him, and, passing out, he
said, sternly: "Stay here! Don't lei
your face be seen outside this door
Change your dress, remove every stain
upon it, and be ready to leave the
> city at moments notice. Courage!
will save you if can" AS he stepped
into the hallway he muttered to him
self: "Now for the will! Long live
the nightmare! and yet" He added
pausing in doubt: Suppose it were
truc" He unbreached the pistol
"One cartridge is gone! the muzzlt
stains my finger! Louise! Louise
He turned, locked the door and van
ished.
"The woman in 49," he said to thu
. clerk, "has escaped from IN asylum
: Keep a watch in her hall until re
turn, and let no one enter"
eve thought so," said the function
3 airy behind the desk.
CHAPTER
Facing the sun on the same morn