Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-29

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SER 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 a
glorious creature she was altogether
1T will kill him." she groaned in a
deep inward voice. Then, with GER
tain forced haste and in a 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:
"Oh, Veronica, veronical What cause
!! had you for death2 And why do we
find you lying here in spot you so
feared and detested?"
bort you known insinuated the
captain, with mild persuasiveness,
such rs 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..
jeffrey"
Eyes.
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 l
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 1t; she laughed when
| r.
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. * don't
know--I forget" she s;am'0ered, with
"a heartbroken sigh. Poor Veronica.
Wretched Veronica! How shall ever
tell him? How, how can we ever pre-
pare him?"
The captain took advantage Of this
reference to Mr.. Jeffrey to ask where
that gentleman was. The young lady
did not seem eager to reply, but when
pressed, answered, though somewhat
mechanically, that 1t was impossible
for her to say; Mr.. jeffrey had many
, friends, with any one Of whom he
might be enjoying social evening.
but 1t is far past midnight now"
remarked the captain. rs he in the
habit of remaining out late?'
Sometimes" she family admitted.
1.-TWO or three times since his marriage
he has been out till L.
Were there other causes for the
young BRIDES evident disappointment
and misery besides the one intimated?
There certainly was some excuse for
thinking so.
Possibly some one Of us may have
shown his doubts in this regard, for
the woman before US suddenly broke
forth with this vehement assertion:
mfr. Jeffrey was a loving husband
to my sister--a very loving husband, :"
she emphasized. Then, growing des-
perately pale, she added. II have never
known a better man." and stopped.
Some hidden anguish In this cry.
some self consciousness In this pause.
suggested to me a possibility which I
was glad to see ignored by the captain
In his next question.
when diq you see your sister last?'
he asked. hWere you at home when
she left her husbands house?"
..Alasw she murmured. Then. see
ing that more direct answer was ex-
pected Of her, she added with as little
appearance of effort as possible: II
was at home, and heard her go out.
But / had no idea that it was for any
purpose other than to join some social
gathering"
Dressed this way"
The captain pointed to the floor, and
her eyes followed Certainly Mrs. JET
frey was not appareled for an evening
company. AS Miss futile realized the
trap into which she had been betrayed
her words rushed forth and tripped
each other up. .
81 did not notice. She often wore
black. 1t became her. My sister was
eccentric"
Worse, worse than useless. Some
slips cannot be explained away. Miss
Tuttle seemed to realize that this was
one of them, for she paused abruptly,
with the words half finished on her
tongue. Yet her attitude commanded
respect. and for one was ready to ac-
cord it to her.
Certainly such a woman was not to
be seen every day, and if her replies
lacked candor, there was nobility in
her presence which gave the lie to any
doubt. At least, that was the effect
she produced on me- Whether or not
her interrogation shared my feeling 1
could not so readily determine, for his
attention as well as mine was sudden