Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-28
MNT, 4. elSI jJE.T y,
copYHmu 1907. by !. 6. MuUH

CHAPTER KEI1.--DJSCISSES SIEVE
RAJ MATTERS.
Reader. know that what have mar
ra;e6 is astounding. It astoundee me Just
IS il astounds YOU.
There are moments when ones brain be-
-o-3cs du!led by a sudden bewi.derment
81 sight q the absolutely impossible
I'd certainly seemed beyond credance
tba1 the man whose fatal and nys-
+e-!ous wound / had myself examined
should be there. walking with his wife
m Iover-like attitude And yet there
~as no question that the pair were there.
small aush separated US. so that they
passtd Tn-ia-arm within three fee, Of
he As ] have already explained. the
-raaa was 50 bright that could see 10
-eas therefore shining full upon their
fares K vas impossible TO mistake the
sastGres Of two persons whom knew so
gel
Fortunately they had not overheard my
frvo'uutary. exclamation Of establishment.
or Z they had. both evidently believed it
te hc one o. the many distorted sounds
Of tfa night. Upon Mary's face there was
REVEALED g calm expression OF perfect
con eat. different indeed from the fearful
oa1uttnauce Of a few hours before while
fs- husband. gTey-faced and serious just
as he had been before his last Illness.
asI her arm linked n his. and walked
7 her whispering some low indistinct
~5s which brought to her lips a smile
e.. perfect felicity.
CIV had | been q SaperStitious nlen I
81 5gld have promptly declared the whole
ta.ng 10 have been an apparition. But as
io not believe in borderland theories.
any more than I believe that a man
7.a1se heart IS nearly cut in twain can
zrasn breathe and live. / coulo only stand
aEaast. .hewildered and utterly dumb
f5n1ed.
hidden from them by low thorn bush,
stood there in silent stupefacti as
hey passed by. That It was no chimera
Il The imagination was proved by the
tact that their footsteps sounded upon
tic path and just as they had passed I
1agrd ~ourtenay address his wife by
zane The Transformation Of her coun-
seaance from the ineffable picture of grief
snd sorrow 10 the calm. sweet express
;l5n of content had been marvellous 10
tsS The Ieast-aIl event stranger indeed
an any had ever before witnessed.
n the wild writings of the old rorlancers
Ne dead have sometimes been resuscftat-
lz bur never in this work-a-dav world OF
mrs There IS a anality in death that is
decisive
Yet. as I here write these lines stake
~ professional reputation that the man
saw was the same whom ! had seen
lead in that upper room in Kew knew
lis gait his cough. and his countenance
% wcll to mistake his identity.
That nights adventure was certainly
ne most startling. and at the same time
II : most curious. that ever bef.Il a man.
thus became seized with curiosity. and
II risk OF detection crept forth from my
hI6inE-place and looked out after them.
TO betray my presence would be to bar
from myseu any chance of learning the
secret OF II all: therefore. I was COM
PEELED to exercise the greatest caution.
Nary r1ourned the loss Of her husband
towards the world. ard get met him in Sc
cr5t at night--wanderihg with him by that
solitary br-path along which no villager
eveT passed. and lovers avoided because
OF the popular tradition that a certain IN
tartunte Lady OF the Manor Of century
ego walked" there. In tn. fact Of the
Mourning so well feigned detected the
c0rceaIment Of some remarkable secret
The situation was. without doubt. an
extra ordinary one. The man upon whose
body I had made a post-mortem e2arnina-
foa was alive and well. walking Wit.
his wife. although for months before his
eszassination he had been a bed-ridden
rralid Such a ling was startling, in
,resibIe, Little wonder was it that at
t-sl I could scarce believe my own eyes.
la;v when I looked full into his face
md recognized his features, " II all their
sa-iIea peculiarities. cid the amazing truth
1enome impressed upon me.
around the bend in the river I stole
ztaaltnily after them. in order to watch
their movements trying TO catch their
conversation. although. unfortunately. il
vas In too low an undertone. He never
Telaased her arm or changed his aHec-
tomato attitude towards her. but appeared
70 bg relating to her some long and In
tevasting chain Of events to which she lis
tened with rapt attention.
Along the rivers edge. out in the open
moonlight it was difficult to follow them
without risk of observation. Now and
Lhan the elder-busEes and droopsng VIII
Icws afforded cover beneath their deep
shadow, but in places where the river
wound through the open water-meadow
nv presence might al any moment be
detected Therefore the utmost ingenuity
and raution were necessary.
Having made the staggering discovery,
I was determined 10 thoroughly probe
rtc ystery. The tragedy OF old Mr..
CoGrtenay's death had resolved itself into
romance Of the most mysterious ana
startling character AS I crept forward
over the grass, often on tiptoe. SO as 10
avoid The sound Of my footballs. tried
10 forn some theory TO account fer the
t.ygl!dertrE circumstance, but could dis
n5!n absolutely none,
Mary vas still wearing her mourning,
BIZ: about her head was wrapped white
silk shawl, and on her shoulders small
fu- cape. for the spring night was chilly.
Her husband had on a dark overcoat ana
soft felt hat, OF the type he always
wore, and carried In his hand & hght
walking stick Once or twice he halted
when he seemed TO be iHlpresslns ms
words the more forcibly upon her, ana
.hey. 7 was compelled TO stop also and 10
conceal myself. ] would have given 1aucti
20 ovtrhear the trend Of their converse
tloy, bit strive how | would I was IN
zt}e They seemed to fear eaVesotop-
pcrs. and only spoke in low halt WASP
ers
I noticed how old Mr.. Courtenay kept
from time to time giancing around faln,
as though in fear Of detection; hence =
aas IN constant dread lest he should looh
behind hin and discover me sinking
along their path. / am by no means an
adept at following persons, out IN ti..s
case the stake was SO great-the Iese-
latfon Of some startling and unparaiieieo
IA ste~y-tglat ] strained every nerve
and every muscle TO concea. my pres
ence while pushing forward after 1hen.
Picture TO yourself fer lnomens my
,,oef-to,, THE whole OF my future harpl-