The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-03

fighting, and they say he did his share
of 1t n man-fashion. I saw him after
he returned. He had received orders to
start again next day on scouting e1pe-
dition up In the mountains. To my sur
prise he seemed very much depressed
and spoke as II he had a gloomy pre-
sentiment Of some sort He told me
about his family here in the East; and
then he told me about girl with whom
he had been in love during that fishing
trip. According to his description, she
was rarely beautiful girl, but quite
uncultivated and, he rather intimated,
with a fine temper OF her own
''Of course asked him no moro than
he chose to tell me. and don't know
to this day whether even then he was
in love with her or not, and 1 am pretty
sure he didn't know either. It was one
OF those things coming under the head
Of unfinished business
"Curiously enough, while we were
talking about It. an orderly came in with
letter for him. 1t was from her.
think he said it was the only one he had
ever received from her. He read me
parts Of it was not a model OF good
literature. but thera;swas no ambiguity
about 1t She called him down in good
shape for his absence and silence. Then,
woman like. she seemed to thaw out to-
wards the end. and finished by saying
mat she enclosed a lock Of her hair
He did not show me the letter or the
hair; but he placed both in his bosom
and said with the first show of emotion
that he had displayed. I'm afraid. doc
tor. | didn't treat that girl squarely. II
the Tagals get me tomorrow, and you
ever see her, tell her 1 did as she bade
me and Wore this next my heart
didn't then know her name, and
might never have known it had not
examined his body when they brought
it in two days later It was unnlutilated
and apparently without wound that
might be called mortal. A spent N1auser
ball had smashed into the breast Of his
tunic and shirt. breaking an ivory card
case and penetrating the folds of letter
which lay close above his heart. AS I
cut away his shirt bosom and removed
the leaves of paper, I found a curl of
hair lying upon his cold breast-and such
hair! 1t was blood-red, fame-red, red
as the cardinal flower which seems to
light up a whole river bank with its
crimson blaze 1t looked as though his
hearts blood had leaped out at its kiss;
for the flesh all around 1t glowed like a
living coal on a bed of ashes.
There was no address on the letter.
Adams'-and, as you see, it could not
have been this Lilith. with her midnight
name. though the temper part seems to
be there all right
Why don't you ask her about
the young MANI" queried Har-
vey. THAT is one way of finding out.
It's unconventional. Of course: but we
are in the woods. where inquisitiyeness
may pass for police interest"
foor he &c a little Ha1j.
cate for even fashionable impertinance.'
said the doctor. cat any rate. I should
not like to try It with such a temper as
this Lilith seems to enjoy"
.'All the same continued the artist.
"she ought to change her name, or her
hair, or. at least her father. I can't
say that any of them quite satisfies me-
I'll speak about it to her in the morning
But that is not what he spoke about
in the morning.
The silence OF the early dawn was
broken by a cry which brought the two
men to their feet Harvey and the doc
tor slept in the front of the house, up
stairs. Mrs. Lane and Elsie had gone
to bed in the back room. from which
that terrible scream SO suddenly rang
out. There is no other sound like it
in all the voice Of nature. the cry of
mother bereft OF her Cnaid.
Adams heard It, and rushed upstairs,
half-clad as he was. He snatched a rife
from the wall. as he 1ostled the doctor
out of his way and climbed a. rude lad
der to the attic. Even in his confusion
the doctor wondered dumbly at this.
for the cries came from the room in
the rear. Suddenly the door of that room
was flung outwards. Harvey by this
time had lighted a lamp. BY its f1tful
glare they saw Mrs. Lane standing in
the doorway. MY God. where is Elsie?"
she gasped.
why, is she not there with you?"
asked her brother
mo. She is gone. She lay in the cot
beside me. I awoke from a horrible
dream just now, and she was gone! Oh,
fear she is dead"
AS she spoke. the ladder creaked
heavily, and Adams came down, bearing
a chastity burden. It was the body of
little Elsie. dead and cold.
He laid it with rude tenderness on the
couch. The mother gave one look. and
fell back insensble.
Doctor Greene stepped forward. He
felt the little ones heart. It was life
less.
does-this-mean?' said he
slowly and sternly. fixing his eyes on
Adams.
The old man did not answer for a mo-
ment- He looked at his questioner va
cantly: then at the body; then on the
rife which he still held mechanically
in his hand The doctor. following his
last glance, would have uttered a threat
or a warning, but the old man lifted
his hand:
1T means" he said grimly. pausing
before the next word-"murder! And
1t isn't the first; but it is the last she
will ever do
do you mean that this child has been
murdered? and by whomc"
Lock at her throat replied Adams.
1T don't need to. I know the sign too
WELL
He opened the neck of the child's night
dress. The throat was girded with a
band OF vivid red. a hands breadth all
around The doctor examined it care
fully. There was no wound, but the blood
seemed to have oozed from every pore,
and the flesh was infiamed as If stung
by a thousand minute whips.
What does 1t mean?' asked Doctor
Greene again This is not the work
oe 80, ~, hea ct TIE could think IF