The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1905-02-08

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
q key to the remarkable tragedy before
us.
Meanwhile her lips had opened with
tho cry:
"Hiy sister! Where is my sister,"
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 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 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 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 whittier 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 it's end she
cringed in such apparent anguish that
we looked to see her fall in a swoon or
break out into delirium. We We're cor
respondingly startled when she sud-
denly burst forth with this word of
stern command:
Unite that knot! Why do you leave
I fuat drsaSffui fhihg fasf e ner! IN &
tie it, say! 1t is killing me. 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; I'VE 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 a right to the
same privilege. We expect him any
4 moment
The beautiful head of the woman be
fore us shook involuntarily, but he.
lips made no protest. doubt if she
possessed the power of speech at thai
moment A change, subtle, but quite
perceptible, had taken place in hel
emotions at mention of her sister:
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, sh
rose impetuously, and then we saw
how tall she was. how the long line
of her cloak became her and what ;
glorious creature she was altogether
ut will kill him." she groaned in
deep inward voice. Then, with a Ger
tain forced haste and in a tone of sur
prise which to my ear had not quite
natural ring she called aloud OH he
who could no longer either listen or an
swer:
ooh, Veronica, Veronica. What caus
had you for death? And why do w
find you lying here in spot you s.
feared and detested!"
Don't you know?' insinuated tn
captain, with a mild persuasiveness
such as he was seldom heard to use
'Do you mean that you cannot accoun
for your sisters violent end, you, VIII
have lived with her-or so l have beel
follower since her marriage with MI
jeffrey"
Eyes"
Keen and clear the word rang out
fierce in its keenness and almost to-
clear to be jim keeping with the hal
4 choked tones with which she added
III know that she was not happy, tina
ahe never has been happy since TIL
shadow which this room suggests fel
upon her marriage. But how could
30 much as dream that her dread o
the past or her fear of the future
would drive her to suicide, and in thi
place of all places! Had done so
had Imagined in the least degree tina
she was affected to this extent-do yol
think that ! would have left her 70
one instant alone? None of us knew
that she contemplated death. She hat
no appearance of it; she laughed whel
r.
4 What had she been about to say
The captain seemed to wonder, an,
after waiting in vain for the compile
1 ton Of her sentence, he quietly sug
Nrested:
XsYou have not finished what you hat
tn ay, Miss Tuttle."
started and seemed to come bncl
frd some remote region Of though
int ehe had wandered. II don