Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-15
CHAPTER XXI.
Contains the Plain Truth.

. - lNth OCCuIAcu u anu
acted Instantly upon its impulse. There
was a second entrance through the morn
ing room, and 1 dashed round to the other
door, which fortunately yielded.
The sight that met my gaze was abso-
lutely staggering. l stood upon the thresh-
old aghast Sir Bernard, his dark eyes
starting from his ashen face. stood. hold
ing a woman within his grasp, pinning
her to the wall, and struggling to cover
her mouth with his hands and prevent her
| cries from being overheard.
The woman was none other than Ethel
wynn.
At my unexpected entry he released his
hold, shrinking back with a wild, fierce
look in his face, such as had never before
seen.
Ralph" cried my love, rushing forward
and clnging to my neck. Ralph! For
Gods sake save me from that fend! Save
met"
put my arms around her to protect her,
at the same instant shouting to Jevons,
who entered as much astonished as myself.
My love had evidently come to town and
kept an appointment with the old man.
The situation was startling, and required
explanation.
Tell me, Ethelwynn," said, in a hard,
stern voice. What does all this meant"
She drew herself up and tried to face me
firmly, but was unable. l had burst in
upon her Unexpectedly, and she seemed to
fear how much OF the conversation I had
overheard.
Noticing her silence, my friend Jevons
addressed her, saying:
| /"Miss Mivart, you are aware OF all the
circumstances Of the tragedy at Kew.
Please explain them. only by frank ad-
mission can you clear yourself. remember.
To prevaricate further is quite useless"
She glanced at the cringing old fellow
standing on the further side OF the room,
the man who had raised his hand against
her. Then, with sudden resolution, she
spoke, saying:
"It is true that am aware Of many
facts which have been until today kept
secret. But now that know the horrible
truth they shall remain mysteries no
longer. l have been the victim OF long
and dastardly persecution, but now hope
to clear my honor before you, Ralph. and
before my Creator" Then she paused,
taking breath and drawing herself up
straight, with an air Of determined resolu
tion.
First let us 90 back TO the days soon
after Mary's marriage. I think It was
about a year after the wedding when
suddenly noticed a change In her Her
intellect seemed somehow weakened.
Hitherto she had possessed a strong we'll
defined character, but this suddenly de-
veloped into a weak. almost childish bal
ance of the brain. Instead Of possessing
will Of her own, she was no longer the
mistress OF her actions, but as easily led
as an infant. Only to myself and to my
mother was this change apparent. To all
,a,.N. 1ahn 4aaaf he
same. About that time she consulted this
man here-Sir Bernard Eyton, her hus-
bands friend-regarding some other all
ment, and he no doubt at once detected
that her intellect had given way. Although
devoted to her husband, nevertheless the
influence Of any friend Of the moment was
Irresistible, and for that reason she drtfted
into the pleasure-seeking set in town."
But the tragedy" Jevons exclaimed.
Tell us Of that My own inquiries show
that you are aware of all. Mrs. Courtenay
murdered her husband, know"
"Mary-the assassin!" l gasped.
"Alas, it is too true. Now that my
poor sister is dead, concealment lie no
longer necessary" my love responded with
deep sigh. Mary killed her husband.
She returned home. entered the house Sc
cretly, and, ascending to his room, struck
him to the heart"
But the wound-how was 1t tnhictedE
demanded. eagerly.
''With that pair Of long. sharp pointed
scissors which used to be on poor Henry's
| writing table. You remember them. They
we're about eight inches long, with ivory
handles and a red morocco case. The
| wound puzzled you, but to me II seems
plain that, after striking the blow, in an
endeavor to extricate the weapon she
| opened 1t and closed II again, thereby
| infiicting those terrible injuries that were
| so minutely described at the inquest. Well,
on that night heard a sound, and fearing
that the invalid wanted something crept
| from my room. AS / gained the door
met Mary upon the threshold. She stood
facing me with a weird fixed look, and in
her hand was the weapon with which she
had killed her husband. That awful mo-
ment is fixed indelibly upon my memory.
1 shall carry it's recollection to the grave.
l dashed quickly into the room, and to my
horror saw what had occurred. Then my
thoughts were for Mary-to conceal her
guilt. Whispering TO her to obey me led
her downstairs through the back premises
| and so out into the street. cab was
passing, and / put her into 1t, telling the
man to drive to the Henniker's, with whom
she had been spending the evening. Then
cleaning the scissors OF blood by thrust
ing them several times into the mold Of a
garden l was passing, crossed the road
and tossed them over the high wall into
the thick underground which fanks the
gardens. At that spot l felt certain that
they would never be discovered. AS quickly
as possible / re-entered the house, secured
the door by which ] had made my exit
and returned again TO my room with the
awful knowledge Of my sisters crime upon
my conscience"
"What hour was that?"
"'When l retired again to bed my watch
showed that II was barely half past l.
At o'clock Short awakened by his alarm
clock, made the discovery and aroused the
house What followed you know well
enough. I need not describe 1t. You car
imagine what / felt and how guilty was
my conscience with the awful knowledge
of it ALL"
"The circumstances were certainly mos'
puEZling." l remarked. 1T almost appears
as though matters were cleverly arranged
in order to bafie detection"
ITO a certain extent they undoubtedly
were. knew that the Hennikers would
say nothing Of poor Mary's erratic return
to them. l did all In my power to with
draw suspicion from my sister, at the riss
Of Il falling upon myself You suspected
ne, Ralph. And only naturally-after thai
| I.f4or x,o4t dfCcovarad