Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-23

left his wife. in her own boudoir But he
could not have had much to say to her
this time. for he presently came out again
and ran hastily down stairs and out al
most without stopping to catch up his hat.
AS it was Mary's business, and not the
witness, to make Mrs. Jeffrey's bed in the
! morning, Loretta could think of no ex-
cuSe for approaching her mistress room at
this moment; but later, when letters
came, followed by various messages and
some visitors. she went more than a dozen
times to Mrs. Jeffrey's door. She was not
admitted nor were her appeals answered,
except by a sharp GO awayt
Nor was Miss Tuttle received any better.
though she tried more than once to see her
sister, especially as night came on and the
hour approached for Mr.. Jeffreys return.
Mrs. jeffrey was simply determined to re-
main alone; and when dinner time arrived,
and no Mr.. jeffrey, she could be induced to
open the door only wide enough to take in
the cup of tea which Miss Tuttle insisted
upon sending her.
The witness here confessed that she had
been very much excited by these unusual
proceedings and by the effect which they
seemed to have on the lady just mentioned:
so she was ready to notice that Mrs. JEFF
frey's hand shook like that of an old and
palsied woman when she reached out for
the tray.
Gladly would Loretta have caught one
glimpse of her face, but 1t was hidden by
the door; nor did Mrs jeffrey answer a sin
gle one of her questions. She simply closed
her door and kept 1t SO till toward mid
night, when Miss Tuttle, coming into tho
hail. ordered the house to be closed for the
night. Then the long-shut door softly
swung open, but before any one could reach
it. 1t was again pulled to and locked.
The next day brought no relief. Miss
Tuttle, who had changed greatly during
this unhappy day and night. succeeded no
better than before in getting access to her
sister, nor could Loretta gain the least
word from her mistress till toward the lat
ter part OF the afternoon. when that lady,
ringing her bell gave her first order.
"a substantial dinner she cried: and
when Loretta greatly relieved brought up
the required meal she was astonished to
find the door open and herself hidden to
enter. The sight which met her eyes stag
gered her. From one end Of the room to
the other were signs of great nervous I'M
rest and of terrible suffering. The chairs
were pushed into corners as II the wretched
bride had tramped the floor in an agony of
excitement Curtains were torn and the
piano cover was hanging half on and half
OF the open upright as IL she had clutched
at 1t to keep herself from falling. On the
floor beneath lay several pieces of broken
china-vases of whose value Mrs. jeffrey
had often spoken. but which, jerked on
with the cover, had been left where they
fell; while Immediately in front of the fire.
place lay one of the rugs tossed into q heap,
as IL she had rolled in 1t on the floor or
used 1t to smother her cries of pain or
anger.
So much for the state in which the wit
ness found the boudoir. The adjoining bed
room was not In much better case. though
1t was evident that the bed itself had not
been lain In since 1t was made up the day
before at breakfast time. BY this token
Mrs. jeffrey had not slept the night before,
or II she had laid her head anywhere II ha6
been on the rug already spoken Of.
Go be continued tomoryoRl