Morris tribune., 1904-06-11
THE
FMgree Ball
BY Anna Katharine Green
[Contined from page FL

"Believed?"
believed it we'll enough to keep q
watch on your young mistress to see
if she were happy or not?"
"Oh, STRIP
''It was but natural" the coroner
suavely observed. every one felt in
terested in this marriage. You watch
ed her, of course. Now, what was the
result? Did you consider her we'll and
happy?"
The girls voice sank, and she cast
a glance at her master which he did
not lift his head to meet
81 did not think her happy. She
laughed and sang and was always in
and out of the rooms like butterfly,
but she did not wear happy look ex-
cept now and then when she was seat
ed with Mr. Jeffrey alone. Then have
seen her flush in a way to make the
heart ache. 1t was such contrast, sir,
to other times when she was by her
self orr
COR what?"
COR just with her sister, SIR"
The defiance with which this was
said added point to what otherwise
might have been an unimportant ad-
mission.
ssYou refer to Miss Tuttle?" observed
the coroner.
Mrs. Jeffrey's sister? Yes, sir"
The menace was gone from the voice
now, but no one could forget that it
had been there.
"Miss futile lived in the house with
her sister, did she not?"
eyes, sir, till that sister died and
was buried; then she went away"
The coroner did not pursue this topic,
preferring to return to the former one
$50 you say that Mrs. Jeffrey showed
uneasiness ever since her wedding
day. Can you give me any instance
of this-mention, mean, any CONVEX
sation overheard by you which would
show us just what you mean"
81 don't like to repeat things l hear,
but if you say that l must can re-
member once passing Mr.. and Mrs.
Jeffrey in the hall just as he was say
ing: You take it too much to heart!
l expected happy honeymoon. Some
| how we have failed That was all
I heard, sir. But what made me re-
member his words was that she was
| dressed for some afternoon reception
| and looked so charming and so-and
so, as if she ought to be happier"
"Just So Now, when was this? How
long before her death?"
tf0I, uyoo1r ar woo uorU coop
after the wedding day"
"And did matters seem to improve
after that? Did she appear any better
satisfied or more composed"
81 think she endeavored to, but
There was something on her mind.
something which she tried to laugh
off, something that annoyed Mr.. JEFF
frey and worried Miss Tutt1e, some
thing WHICH caused a cloud in the
is
house for all the dances and dinners
and goings and comings. l am sorry
to speak of it, but it was So"
Something that showed an unsettled
mind?"
almost. The glitter in her eye was
not natural; 1sNither was the way she
looked at her sister and sometimes at
her husband"
did she talk much about the catas-
trophe which attended her wedding?
Did her mind seem to run on that"
''Incessantly at first; but afterward
not so much. think Mr.. Jeffrey
frowned on that subject"
did he ever frown on her?'
"No, sir-not-not when they were
alone or with no one by but me. He
seemed to love her then very much"
what do you mean by that, Loretta;
that he lost patience with her when
other people were personalities futile.
for instance"
eyes, sir. He used to change very
much when-when-when Miss Tuttle
came into the ROOM"
"Change toward his wife?'
eyes, SIR"
"HOwP
'He grew more distant, much more
distant; got up quite fretfully from
his seat, if he were sitting beside her,
and took up some book Or paper"
"And Miss Tuttle?'
'She never seemed to notice. BUT
"But?
"She did not come in very often after |
this had happened once of twice. |
mean into the room upstairs where |
they used to sit"
Loretta, | regret to put this ques-
ton, but after your replies l owe it
to the jury, if not to the parties them.
selves, to make Miss Tuttle's position |
in this household thoroughly under
stood. Do you think she was a well
come visitor in this house?"
~ can only repeat what once heard
said about this by Mr.. Jeffrey himself.
Miss Tuttle had just left the dining
room and Mrs. Jeffrey was standing in
one of her black moods, with her hand
on the top of her chair, ready to go,
but forgetting to do so. l was there.
but neither Of them noticed me; he was
staring at her, and she was looking
down. Neither seemed at ease. Sud
6an1u no Sn0yn on1 oly |