Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-07-26
CONTINUED
CHAPTER II.


ed at table were gathered in agi-
tated groups about the hall. This was
what l first noted. Not till afterward
did l realize my own situation. l was
lying on couch in remote corner of
this same hall, and beside me, but
not looking at me, stood my lover, Mr.
Durand.
How he came to know my state and
find me in the general disturbance ]
did not stop to inquire. 1t was enough
for me at that moment to look up and
see him so near. Indeed, the relief was
so great, the sense of his protection so
comforting, that involuntarily stretch
ed out my hand In gratitude toward
him, but, failing to attract his atten
ton, slipped to the floor and took my
stand at his side. This reused him.
and he gave me a look which steadied
me In spite of the thrill of surprise
with which l recognized his extreme
pallor and a certain peculiar hesitation
in his manner not at all natural to it.
Meanwhile some words uttered near
us were slowly making their way into
had raised the first alarm was endeav-
oring to describe to an importunate
group in advance OF us what he had
come upon in that murderous alcove.
81 was carrying about u tray Of
ices" he was saying. "and, seeing the
lady sitting there, went up. 1 had ex-
pected to find the place full of gentle
men. but she was all alone and did not
move as l picked my way over her
long train. The next moment ! had
dropped ices, tray and all. l had come
face to face with her and seen that she
was dead. She had been stabbed and
robbed. There was no diamond on her
breast, but there was blood"
A hubbub of disordered sentences
seasoned with Mortified cries followed
this simple description. Then a gen
eral movement took place In the direc.
ton of the alcove, during which Mr..
Durand stopped to my ear and whis-
pered:
Eve must get out Of this. You are
not strong enough to stand such ex-
element. Don't you think we can es-
cape by the window over there?'
What, without wraps and in such a
snowstorm? protested. Besides, I'M
Gle will be looking for me. He came
with me, you know"
An expression OF annoyance-or was
it perplexity ?-crossed Mr. Durand's
face, and be made movement as if to
leave me.
81 must CO." he began, but stopped
at my glance OF surprise and assumed
a different air, one which became him
very much better. Pardon me, dear,
I will take you to your uncle. This
this dreadful tragedy. interrupting so
gay a scene, has quite upset me. | was
always sensitive to the sight the smell.
even to the very mention of the word
blood"
So was l, but not to the point of cow
ardice But then l had not just come
from an interview with the murdered
woman Her glances, her smiles. the
lift of her eyebrows We're not fresh
memories to me- Some consideration
was certainly due him for the shock he
must be laboring under. Yet did not
know how to keep back the vital ques-
ton:
"Who did 1t? You must have heard
some one say"
II have heard nothing" was his
somewhat fierce rejoinder. Then as
made a move: What. You do not wish
to follow the crowd there?"
81 wish to find my uncle and he is In
that crowd"
Mr.. Durand said nothing further, and
together we passed down the hall. a
strange mood pervaded my mind. In
stead of wishing to fly a scene which
under ordinary conditions would have
filled me with utter repugnance, felt
desire to see and hear everything
Not from curiosity, such as moved
most of the people about me, but be
cause of some strong instructive feel
ing l could not understand. as If il
were my heart which had been struck
and my fate which was trembling IL
the balance.
We were consequently among th'
first to hear such further details a,
were allowed to circulate among thu
now well nigh frenzied guests. No on,
knew the perpetrator of the deed, no
did there appear to be any direct evi
dence calculated to fix his identity
Indeed the sudden death Of this beauti
full woman in the midst OF festivit!
might have been looked upon as sui
eide /, the jewel had not been missing
from her breast and the instrument o
death removed from the wound. S
far the casual search which had bee
instituted had failed to produce thi
weapon. But the police would be her
soon and then something would b
done
AS to the means of entrance employ
r ed by the assassin. there seemed to b
but one opinion. The alcove containe