The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-12-22

The captain made a 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 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 bound.
Struck by her daring, we all crowded
up behind her and, curious brutes that
we were, grouped ourselves In a semi.
circle about the doorway as she falter.
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 voiclDg the utmost horror of which
the human soul Is capable. 1t was as
though her very soul were 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
crlnged in such apparent anguish that
we looked to see her fall in a swoon or
break out into delirlum. We were cor.
respondlngly startled when she sud.
denly burst forth with this word OF
stern command:
unite that knott Why do you leave
that dreadful thing fast to herr Tn
tie II, say! 1t is killing me. I cannot
bear the sight" And from trembling
she passed to shudderlng till her whole
body shook convulslvely.
The captain, with much consldera-
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 II she
possessed the power of speech at 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
g. I~., 80,
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 II
glorious creature she was altogether.
at will kill him." she groaned in a
tain forced haste and in tone of sur
prise which to my ear had not quite II
natural ring she called aloud on her
who could no longer either listen or an.
swer
"Oh. Veronica, Veronica What cause
! had you for death! And why do we
find you lying here in spot you so
| feared and detestedY"
Don't you knowW insnuated the
| captain, with n 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 hcr-or so | have been
told ever since her marriage with Mr.
jeffrey"
"Ycs."
| Keen and clear the word rang out
| fierce in lis keenncss and almost toe
clear to be in keeping with the halt
| 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 fel
upon her marriage. But how could
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 | done so
had imagined in the least degree tina
she was affected to this eXtent-do yor
think that | would have left her fol
one instant alone? None of us knew
that she contemplated death. she hat
no appearance of it; she laughed wheI
| ~
What had she been about to say
The captain seemed TO wonder, nn(
after waiting in vain for the compile
ton Of her sentence, he quietly sug
gested:
"You have not finished what you hut
to say, Miss Tuttle."
She started and seemed to come bacl
from some remote region of though
into which she had wandered, II don
know-I forget" she stammered, wit
a heartbroken sigh, Poor Veronica
Wretched Veronica! How shall eve
tell him? How, how can we ever pre-
pare him."
The captain took advantage of thl
reference to Mr.. jeffrey to ask wher
that gentleman was. The young lad
did not seem eager to reply, but whe
pressed, answered, though somewha
mechanically, that it was impossible
for her to say Mr. Jeffrey had man
friends, with any one of whom h
might be enjoying a social evening.
But 1t Is far past midnight now
remarked the captain. rs he in I'll
habit of remaining out later"
Sometimes" she family admitted
1.-TWO or three times since his marrlap