Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-12-22

anu CaQle OCC1-
slonally fancied that if he had been less
perfect IN walk and conversation he
might have been more lovable and less
irritating. But though she thought this,
she took very good care that Godfrey
should remain in ignorance of the fact.
de was accustomed to a considerable
amount of respect and attention, both at
home and abroad. His mother and sister
never dreamed of contradicting or
thwarting him in any way. or of ques-
tioning the justice or expediency of his
decisions.
Sadie was looking unusually pretty.
She wore frock of gold brown serge,
with velvet sleeves and yoke, and the
color harmonized perfectly with her
bright hair and delicate complexion
Yes, she was very pretty, Godfrey
thought eomplacently He had not seen
face so fair since he had left Sunni
ford; and so, though he shook his head
at her, he smiled very indulgently.
impatient child! II isn't very pleas
ant news. l can tell you. This morning
one of the grange keepers was shooting
rabbits in the park. and while passing the
pond saw what appeared to be woman's
figure under the bushes ON the island, half
covered with snow. He got the boat and
rowed across, and found the poor crea-
ture lying partly on the bank and partly
In the water. He got her out with diff
Guilty, and took her to the gardeners
cottage, which, as you know, is the near
est house to the pond"
Poor creature! OF course, she was
quite dead?"
"She had been dead for days-buried
in the snow drift
Some tramp. L suppose" Mrs. Fen
wick said. who had died from cold and
exposure"
"She was no tramp, poor thingl I dare
say you all know her-Sadie did. at all
events. 1t was that pretty, bold looking
girl from the mantle shop in the High
street-Miss Stretton, or some such
name. She has been missing ever since
the day of the ball. The manager of
the shop had given her notice that day :;
and as she had been very impudent and
declared she would leave at once. her alb
sence did not occasion any alarm or sur
prise at the shop. Further, that morning
she had informed the person where she
lodged that it was probable she might be
called away for a few days, so that no
alarm was felt there either"
II remember her-a tall girl: very
bold looking, as you say, Godfrey but
handsome after fashion," Mrs Fen
wick said, Sadie once pointed her out
to me. You remember, Sadie?"
yes"
The girl had turned her back on the
company and was looking out of the
window, apparently watching with deep
interest the rocks who were holding a
noisy debate in the elm trees opposite.
Her heart was full of compassion and
horror for the pretty girl whom she had
last seen skating gaily on the pond. She
spoke so quietly, and in such an absent
tone that Godfrey was little piqued at
her want of interest in his news.
'How did it happen? Was it an acci.
dent, Geoffrey?" Mrs. Fenwick asked
eagerly.
ut was thought at first that she must
have fallen, or had some kind of a fit,
and died of the cold and exposure; but
from all accounts there were a good
many people on the ice that night, and it
seemed improbable that she could have
escaped observation. They sent for Dr.
Carter, who made an examination and
pronounced that she had died not in a
fit or of exposure, but"-here he looked
round gravely at the ring of attentive
faces-"had been murdered-stabbed to
the hearth"
Dreadful" ''Horrible!" "Impossible!"
These EXPLANATIONS fell simultaneously
from the lips of Mrs. Fenwick and her
daughters. Sadie did not speak, she
gave queer little gasp, and every trace
of color died out of her cheeks and lips
She felt powerless to move or speak: her
gaze was still fixed, apparently with as
much interest as ever, on the cawing
birds in the trees. In reality she was
gazing at a very different scene. Clearly
and wildly it rose before her-the sheet
of ice, the snow-covered park, the silent
river, all cleaning mysteriously in the
mystic moonlight; the two dark figures
standing together by the island-again in
fancy she heard the cry which had star
tied her, glanced back, and saw the girl
falling on the ice.
"Murdered She was murdered. and |
saw i'll, and no one else" she said to
herself incredulously. She was conscious
that Godfrey was wondering at her 81
lence, and with an effort she forced her
self to murmur something scarcely
knew what-some expression of sym
pathy and horror. But to her own ears
her voice sounded strange and unnatural,
and she was thankful that in the waning
light her pallor passed unnoticed. In
deed, Godfrey was too full of his views
to take much notice of her.
81 am afraid, poor girl, she was far
from what she should have BEEN" he
went on unctuously. 1t appears that
the manager engaged her without a ref
erence. She told him she had been living
with a relative who had died suddenly
leaving her penniless. and spun a pitifuI
yarn. Milton, the manager. is a soft
hearted fellow, and as she was unusually
pretty and stylish. and just the figure
to show off his goods, he somewhat i'm
prudently waived the question of ref
erences and engaged her; but lately her
conduct has been far from satisfactory.
l need not 60 into particulars
rev exchanged a meaning glance with