The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1895-09-28 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

CHAPTER XXXIX. NINA PORGIVIS TALBOT. ",01i, Aunt Druid's, you must find nay bus. band for Ins now. I cannot die without seeing him again. He loves me, and only think how be would feel if he came back again after long months and years had passed, and they told him what a terrible death I had died," exclaimed Nina, cassionately, the day after her sentence of death had been pronounce. A very madness of despair had taken possession of the wretched young creature. She was drowned in bitter tears of woe and pain. "Until I knew that Talbot loved me could bays borne to die," she said. "But now, oh, cow, it is too hard to bear. Oh, if my life could be spared to me, how happy I should be when my husband came home again I There would be no more sorrow, nor regrets, nor misunderstandings, but only heavenly peace and happiness. And then perhaps, after awhile we might finW ,out the rail murderer of Sibyl St. Alban. I would igive half my fortune to find out who murdered ',the poor lady that Talbot once loved. Perhaps, It was some jealous lover, goaded to madness by her open flirtations," she added, little dreaming how near her fancy had hit the truth. The whole passionate plaint of her heart was to see her husband again before the awful enteuoe of the law was carried out again et her. Something told her that Talbot would not let them kill her for a crime that she MO never committed although the jury men had add that she had. "I am innocent, and Talbot wit/ nob let them murder me in cold blood," she said, passionately. "Oh, Aunt Drusala, send some one to bring him to me before it is too Intel" "Oh, my darling, if I only knew where to send for him how gladly would I do so," sighed the poor old lady, whose heart was nearly broken by this dreadfnl tragedy. "I have beard that money will do almost anything. I will give all that I am worth to any one who will bring Talbot to me before that fatal 25th of July," shuddered Nina. It seemed as if neither love nor money could do anything in this ,case. Talbot Strangemore's whereabouts were . wrapped in the densest mystery. If UN mirth or the sea had opened and closed over-him he could not have remained more silent to the appeals that went abroad for him. Everyone agreed that it was simply dreadful that Strangemore's young wife should perish so miserably while he remained abroad in utter ignorance of her fate. Mr. Davenport advised that a detective be sent in search of him, Nina sprang eagerly at the suggestion and desired that two should go. So they sent two men across the sea In search of the exile, but the slow days dawned and we and no tidings came to hint at their success. Meanwhile hope began to fade in the hearts of those at home. The pale young prisoner grew hailer and whiter daily, until life seemed- to hang upon a thread so slender, that her friends doted if she would survive until that fatal 25th of July. They brought her books and flowers to beguile the weary time. She only wept over the sweet blossoms that recalled to her the daya when she was free and happy. Of the books she chose only the sweetest and saddest love-stories, and the most melancholy poems. Minnie Fielding came to see her just as often as they would admit her. To this gentle woman, her old friend and teaoher.,Nina showed the sadness of her heart as she did to no one else. "I have read all the books and the .stories, but I cannot find &smog them all a single story as sad as mine," she said, "I cle not believe that any woman's love ever had as sad an ending as mine. I loved my husband for five long years tenderly and •kuly, and all the while he was far away from me and hating the fetters that bound him to me, his heart given to another woman. At last when he came home and I learned the truth, Fate played me one of her cruelest trioks. Be learned to love me, and I missed the knowledge until all too late. If I die upon the scaffold it will not be because / am a stupor, for my hands are clear of Sibyl St. Alkisn's blood. It will be because I loved so deeply, and because my jealous pain drove me momentarily mad." She opened one of her books of poems, and read aloud :