Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-06-15

ence on the part of the sole remaining
Moore, an Indifference which did not
appear quite natural even in man of
his morbid eccentricity, resolved to
know more of this old man and, above
all, to make myself fully acquainted
with the exact relations which had
existed between him and his unhappy
niece.
Meanwhile Miss futile had stepped
within the circle of light cast by our
lanterns.
1 have never seen finer woman or
one whose features displayed more
heartrending emotion. This called for
respect, and 1 for one endeavored to
show it by withdrawing into the back
ground. But soon stepped forward
again. My desire to understand her
was too great, the impression made by
her bearing too complex, to be passed
over lightly by one on the lookout for
n key to the remarkable tragedy before
us.
Meanwhile her lips had opened with
the cry:
My sister! Where is my sistcr?"
The captain made hurried move
ment toward the rear and then, with
the laudable intention doubtless of
preparing her for the CHASTITY sight
which awaited her, returned and open
ed a way for her into the drawing
room. But she was. not to be turned
aside from her course Passing him
by, she made directly for the library,
which she entered with a bound.
Struck by her daring, we all crowded
up behind her and, curious brutes that
we were, grouped ourselves in semi
circle about the doorway as she faltcr-
ed toward her sisters outstretched
form and fell on her knees beside it.
Her involuntary shrek and the fierce
recoil she made as her eyes fell on the
long white ribbon trailing over the
floor from her sisters wrist struck me
as voicing the utmost horror Of which
the human soul is capable. 1t was as
though her very soul We're pierced.
Something in the fact itself, some
thing in the appearance of this snowy
ribbon tied to the scarce winter wrist,
seemed to pluck at the very root of
her being, and when her glance, in
travelling its length, lighted on the
death dealing weapon at its end she
cringed in such apparent anguish that
we looked to see her fall in a swoon or
break out into delirium. We were cor
respondingly startled when she sud-
denly burst forth with this word of
stern command:
'Untie that knot! Why do you leave
that dreadful thing fast to her? I'm
tie it, say! 1t is killing me. I cannot
bear the sight" And from trembling
she passed to shuddering till her whole
body shook convulsively.
The captain, with much considera-
ton, drew back the hand he had i'm
pulsively stretched toward the ribbon.
mo, no." he protested; 1--WE cannot
do that. We can do nothing till the
coroner comes. 1t is necessary that he
should see her just as she was found.
Besides, Mr.. Jeffrey has right to the
same privilege. We expect him any
moment"
The beautiful head Of the woman be-
fore us shook involuntarily, but her
lips made no protest. doubt if she
possessed the power Of speech ut that
moment. A change, subtle, but quite
perceptible, had taken place in her
emotions at mention of her sisters
husband, and, though she eXerted her
self to remain calm, the effort seemed
too much for her strength. Anxious
| to hide this evidence of weakness, she
rose impetuously, and then we saw,
how tall she was, how the long lines
of her cloak became her and what q
glorious creature she was altogether.
ut will kill him." sne groaned IN a
deep inward voice. Then, with a GER
tain forced haste and III u tone of sur
prise which to my ear had not quite n
natural ring she called aloud on her
who could no longer either listen or an
swer:
ooh, Veronica, Veronica! What cause
had you for death? And why do we
find you lying here in q spot you so
feared and detcsted"
"Don't you knowY insinuated the
captain, with mild responsiveness,
such as he was seldom heard to use.
"Do you mean that you cannot account
for your sisters violent end, you, who
have lived with her-or SO l have been
follower since her marriage with Mr..
JeffreyY
"Yes."
Keen and clear the word rang out,
fierce in Its keenness and almost too
clear to be in keeping with the half
choked tones with which she added:
II know that she was not happy, that
she never has been happy since the
shadow which this room suggests fell
upon her marriage. But how could I
so much as dream that her dread of
the past or her fear of the future
would drive her to suicide, and in this
place of all places! Had i done So
had imagined in the least degree that
she was affected to this eXtent-do you
think that l would have left her for
one instant alone? None of us knew
that she contemplated death. She had
no appearance of it; she laughed when
p
What had she been about to say?
The captain seemed to wonder, and
after waiting in vain for the compile.
ton of her sentence, he quietly sug.
gested:
"You have not finished what you had
to say, Miss Tuttle"
She started and seemed to come back
from some remote region of thought
into which she had wandered. 81 don't
Miss futile
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