SELF-CONDEMNED.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 1373, 20 August 1895, Page 7

SELF-CONDEMNED.

It was a cold windy night in March. At the edge of the lake situated in the grounds of The Cedars, Sir I'eter Clifford’s estate, a woman, oirather girl, was standing, evidently waiting fof someone. When the wind blew aside her :loak, it disclosed a slender graceful figure, and the face, partly hidden by the hood of the cloak, was pretty and refined-looking. This was no ather than Letty Mason, half maid and half companion to Madge Clifford, only daughter of Sir Peter. Presently the tall figure of a man, with a dark, sinister face, emerged from the Drees. It was Leonard Manners, one of Sir Peter’s guests, and reputed to be the intended msband of Madge Clifford. “ Well, Letty,” lie said, coldly, as ho baited at her side, “ what ' is it you wish to see me about so particularly, iliat you sent me Mich a peremptory note by my man.” The girl laid her hand on his arm ind looked up earnestly into his face, saying in igitated tones, “ 1 want to know if it is the truth that I have heard to-day for the first ! time ?” “ What do you mean ?” lie demanded I irritably. “Why, that you arc going to marry 1 Miss Madge. Oh, Leonard, say that it is not 1 true. You could not do us both such a cruel ' wrong,’’and she looked pleadingly at him as she i spoke. “ Toll mo,- is it the truth ?” “ And if it is,” he said, as he faced her, shaking her hand from bis arm, “ what then.” “’Then it shall not be,” cried Letty. firmly. “ I will not I stand by and see Miss Madge wronged. 1 will tell her all.” “ You will not dare,” he hissed between his set teeth, his face white with fury. | “ I will dare,” she replied boldly, “I will tell her all this very night.” “ Curse you,” he cried in his blind rage, “ curse you,” and lifting his hand ho struck her full in the face with his clenched fist. She fell to the ground withnut. a B’iund and lay on the grass at his feet, her white face upturned to the sky. For a moment ho was stunned, then he fell on his j knees at her side and nailed her by her name, 1 softly at first, then louder as he received no reply from the motionless, form. He laid bis hand on her heart, it had ceased to beat—the I poor girl was dead. “Dead,” he cried, “dead,” as he realised the truth, “ and I have murdered her. It will be found out ; what shall I do.” Suddenly a thought struck him. He glanced hastily around him, then taking the dead body in his arras, ho went to the edge of the lake and, exerting all his strengtu, he flung it as far as he could into the water. He watched it sink and the waters close over it, then he returned to the house unseen and joined the other guests in the drawing-room, listening to Madge Clifford’s sweet voice, and turning over the music with • hands that were stained 'with blood. Miss i Clifford was greatly surprised at the absence of her maid next day, and when two or three days 'passed and she failed to appear, she became alarmed and a search was instituted. The lake was dragged and the body of poor Letty found, her face and hair covered with weeds and mud. Madge wept bitter tears over the corpse of the poor girl, for she had been sincerely attached to her, and had treated her more as a companion than a maid. Leonard Manners was present when the body was brought from the lake and laid almost at his feet, yet his face betrayed nothing, and be agreed with the general opinion, that poor Letty had fallen in by accident and bad been drowned.

Three months later. Again a party of guests are assembled in the drawing-room of The Cedars. Sir Peter Clifford, a tine-looking old man, is paying great attention to a dashing young widow, who hopes to be my lady before long. Madge is talking to a tall distinguished looking man, with a dark clever face, a face which denotes firmness and an unbendable will. Leonard Manners is regarding the pair gloomily. He hales Gilbert Gordon, who just then says something to his companion which brings the rich to her pale cheeks and a light to the soft brown eyes that he, her betrothed husband,has no power to do. “Come, Mr. Gordon,” said Madge, “ will you not give us a specimen of yourpower.” Then turning to the rest of the company she said, laughingly, “ Mr. Gordon says that he can mesmerise or hypnotise, and I think that we should like to see him practice on some one.” There was a chorus of “Oh, yes do, please,” from the ladies. Gilbert Gordon bowed and smiled as he replied, “ 1 shall only he too pleased to mesmerise any one in the room who is willing then turning to Leonard Manners he said coolly, “ Will you allow me to experiment on you ?” “ Thank you, I would rather you choose some one else,” replied Leonard, stiffly. “ Ob. do, Leonard, please,” cried Madge, ns she laid her hand on his arm, “ just to please me.” He yielded at once then, and declared himself perfectly will, ing. Mr. Gordon placed his subject in a chair, then seating himself exactly opposite, be fixed Ids eyes steadily on Leonard. He then made a few quick passes with his hands, while the audience looked on with breathless interest. Leonard Manners’ face had a white strained look on it, and his eyes seemed looking into vacancy At last Mr. Gordon broke the silence, speaking iu a tone of command. “ You know something of the death of Miss Clifford's maid, Letty Mason ?” he said in a clear cold voice “ Yes,” came the answer mechanically from the lips of Leonard Manners. “Was it murder or suicide?” was the next question. “Murder,” was the startling reply, in the same mechanical voice. “ Who murdered her,” continued Mr. Gordon in the same tone of command. “ I did,” came the reply. Madge rose from her seat, her face like marble, bat no sound came from her white lips, for Mr. Gordon raised his hand with a warning gesture, and the rest of the guest were too horrified to move or'speak, “ What relation existed between ypq and Letty Mason,and why did ypq mqrcler her ? ” “ She was my wife and she threatened to tell Miss Clifford of our marriage, so I killed her in my mad passion and then threw the body into thp lake.” As the last words fell from his lips Madge sank back into her seat with a low cry, while the horrified guests stared at each other in dismay. Gilbert Gordon made a few passes before this subject. With a long drawn sigh the wretched man returned to consciousness and gazed found the room, to meet the look of horror, with which he was regarded. The I truth came to him like a flash ; he understood lit all. Mr. Gordon pointed to the door, and in j a stern voice said, “ Go, you have condemned ! yourself by confessing your crime. I will give 1 you to-night ; to-morrow the. officers of justice will be on your track.” The unhappy man cast one despairing look at Madge, who fumed away I with a shudder of horror, then he rustled from the room. He was fouud the next day by his servant lying on the floor of his bedroom, with a bullet through his brain. I In less thap six months there was a pretty wedding at The Cedars, the bride being Madge 1 Clifford, and the bridegroom Gilbert Gordon. E. Hart,