Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-23

allowed her friends to draw her into that
round of amusement. They sympathized
with her as every woman who marries an
old man is sympathized with-and they
gave her what pleasures they could. Alas!
that such a clanship between women so
often proves fatal to domestic happiness.
Judged from a logical point OF view, It was
merely natural that young Mrs. Courtenay
should, after a year or two with an invalid
husband, aged and eccentric, beat her wings
against the bars. She was a pretty woman.
almost as pretty as her sister, but two
years older, with fair hair, blue eyes and a
pink and white, almost doll-like. com
plexion. Indeed, I knew quite well that
she had long had a host Of admirers and
that DUST prior to her marriage with
Courtenay it had been rumored that she
was to marry the heir to an earldom, a
rather rakish young cavalry officer up at
| York.
To restore her to consciousness was not
a difficult matter, but after she had re-
quested me to tell her the whole OF the
CHASTITY truth she sat speechless, as though
! turned to stone.
Her manner was unaccountable. She
spoke at last, and to me It seemed as
though the ~fainting fit had caused her an
utter loss of memory. She uttered words
at random, allowing her tongue to ramble
on in strange, disjointed sentences, Of
which / could make nothing.
MY head! OH my head!" she kept
on exclaiming, passing her hand across her
brow as though to clear her brain.
docs It pain your" l inquired.
at seems as though a band Of iron we're
round 1t. l can't think. Il can't remem-
bert" And she glanced about her help
lessly, her eyes, with a wild strange
look in them. her face so haggard and
drawn hat 1t gave her a look Of premature
age.
"oh! Mary, deari" cried Ethelwynn.
taking both her cold hands. "Why. what's
the matter? Calm yourself, dear" hen
turning to me she asked, "Can nothing be
done, Ralph? See-she's not herself. The
shock has unbalanced her brain"
Ralph! Ethelwynn!' gasped the unfoT-
tunate woman, looking at us with an ex-
preston of sudden wonder. What has
happened? Did l understand you Alright.
My poor husband is dead?"
Unfortunately that is the truth" 1 was
compelled to reply. at is a sad affair.
Mary. and you have all our sympathy.
But recollect he was an invalid, and long
ago his life was despaired Of"
l dared not ct tell her the terrible truth
that he had been the victim Of foul play.
ut is my FAULT" she cried. my place
was here-at home. But-bu why was I
not hcre?" she added with a blank look.
Where did l go?"
Don't you remember that you went to
London with the Hennikers?' / said.
"Ah! Of counsel" she exclaimed. How
very stupid Of me to forget. But do you
know, I've never experienced such a
strange sensation before. My memory Is a
perfect blank. How did l return here?'
"short fetched you in a cab
Short? IL don't r~ecollect seeing him.
Somebody knocked at my door, and said I
was wanted, because my husband had been
taken worse, so / dressed and went down.
But after that l don't ~recollect anything"
Her mind is a trihe affected by the
shock" l whispered to my love. BEST take
her downstairs into one of the rooms and
lock the door. Don't let her see the police.
She didn't notice the constable at the
door. She'll be better presently"
l uttered these words mechanically, but
truth to tell, these extraordinary symptoms
alarmed and puzzled me. She had tainted
at hearing Of the death Of her husband, Just
as many other wives might have tainted;
but to me there seemed no reason what
soever why the swoon should be followed
by that curious lapse of memory. The
questions she had put to me showed her
mind to be a blank. l could discern moth
ing to account for the symptoms, and the
only remedy l could suggest was perfect
quiet. l Intended that as soon as daylight
came both women should be removed to
the house OF some friend in the vicinity.
The scene of the tragedy was no place
for two delicate women.
( Notwithstanding Mrs. Courtenay's deter
mination to enter her husbands room, l
! managed at last to get them both in the
morning room and called the nurse and
I cook to go in and assist in calming her,
for her lapse of enc had suddenly been
followed by a fit of violence.
81 must see him!" she shrieked. 81 will
see him! You can't prevent me. am
his wife. My place is at his side!"
My love exchanged looks with me. Her
sisters extraordinary manner utterly con-
founded us.
You shall see him later promised.
endeavoring to calm her. "At present
remain quiet. No good can possibly be
DONE, by this wild conduct"
Where IS Sir Bernardo" she inquired
suddenly. Have you telegraphed for
himG 1 must see him."
"As soon as the ONCE is open l shall
wire"
Eyes, telegraph at the earliest mo-
ment. Tell him OF the awful blow that
has fallen upon u.s."
Presently. by dint of much persuasion,
we managed to quiet her. The nurse re-
moved her hat, helped her out Of her fur
lined coat and she sat huddled up in a big
grandfather" chair, her handsome low cut
gown crushed and crumpled. the flowers
she had worn in her eorsage the previous
night dropping and withered.
For some time she sat motionIess, her
chin sunk upon her breast. the picture of
detection, until. Of a sudden. she reused
herself, and before we we're aware of her
intention she had torn OFF her marriage
ring and cast it across the room. crying
wildly:
at is finished. He is dead-deadl"
And she sank back again among the
cushions, as though exhausted by the effort.
What was passing through her brain at
that moment l wondered. Why should a
repulsion of the marriage bond seize her SO
suddenly and cause her to tear on the
golden fetter under which she had so long
chafed? There was some reason. without
a doubt. but at present all was an enigma
all save one single point.
When l returned to the police to urge
them not to disturb Mrs. Courtenay, !
found them assembled in the conserva-