The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-03-12

ing Vernon and Jem led her TO a
chair, and Sophia sat down beside
her, her starved mind feeding with
ayidity upon the unwonted sensa-
ton.
And SO you actually saw her yes
terday, / should think you are prob
ably the last person who had any
tax with her, Did she strike yo"
as looking ill?"
She did not look well, certainly;
and | thought her depressed, too,
as is only natural II one suffers from
mountaineering so wearing 10
health and spirits. She did not stay
long"
No; she went straight to Yeo-
minister and back, and bought this
stuff. The police are gone already
to find out what she bought, and the
hauffeur with them, TO point out
the shop"
There is no suggestion-no suspi
cion-of suicide, is there?" asked
Mrs. Bardsley anxiously.
"Oh, none at al. 1t was 10 all
appearance quite unpremeditated She
eft everything just as she expected
to put it on next day, she had her
usual book beside her bed, and her
reading lamp. She had ordered the
car to drive her here today, and
spoke to her chauffeur of having
been unpunctual once or twice, say
ing she did not wish to arrive late
today. Had she meant to kill her
self she would have left some sort
OF note of farewell ,one supposes,
for her husband, or have burned her
correspondence, or something of that
kind. But so far as one knows,
there was no reason al all why
she should kill herself 1t seems a
clear case of death by misadven-
ture."
The terrible news was the one sub
ject OF discussion. The whole neigh.
borhood buzzed with it. Everyone be-
slowed upon Laura, dead, the sym
pathy which they had so coldly with
held from her living Since she couN
never trouble them again, they could
afford to think of her kindly. The
deepest pity was expressed for her
husband, who had no doubt been
devoted to her he was said to be
carrying on like a madman."
Poor chap, he's brute of course,
but honest, as dealers go. | would
as soon buy a horse of him as any
man | know" remarked Lord Bun
bury to Jem, as they strolled to.
gether through the exhibits. He
made a fool of himself over this
woman, and | fancy she led him a
life of it. But you mark my words,
this loss'll break him down. He's
an older man than you think, for
all he's such a strong one; and he
won't get over this"
Jem thought it very likely. He
was quite stupefed by the news. To
his idea. there was little doubt that
Laura's death had been intentional.
1t was easy to see that she would
wish to conceal the fact. But, some
months ago, when he was in her con-
fidence. he had gained an insight
into the state of affairs at Barrow
End; and though one could not
have anticipated this end, one could
not feel it unlikely.
His mind was plunged in dark
labyrnths of gloomy reminscence
and disturbing thought: and he came
back to the present with a start up
on hearing that his lordship was
making some kind of proposition to
him.
when he grasped the nature of it.
he was so surprised that he had
no word to say. Lord Bun was offer
ing him the agency of his Scottish
property at Dunglen. 1t was good
appointment, and his lordship re-
marked that as they lived there
themselves for great part of the
year, it would be pleasant to have
an agent of their own class, who
could he an intimate friend of the
family. He went on to say that he
had heard it pretty broadly hinted
in the neighborhood that Jem's anx
iety TO leave Carronlea was caused
by a little complication at Wishfield.
for which he was responsible. He did
not want to be thought lax. but it
seemed to him people were too strait
laced in these matters. He heard
that Jem had made proper provision,
and as far as he was concerned,
there was an end. But it seemed a
sensible thing to leave the neigh
borhood.
Jem was almost suffocated with
surprise and rage. He stopped, turn
ed upon the poor old lord, and ad-