oned, and the verdict returned was: "Died by the
_accidental_ discharge of a pistol, in the hands of Bernard Wilkins."

The sincere and unaffected sorrow which Bernard evinced, served to
corroborate this statement, and if any _guessed_, none _knew_, the real
truth.

Della was sent for, and came hastily. Though almost overwhelmed at the
terrible death of her favorite, she spoke no word of reproach, uttered
no sentence of reproof, to that husband, who, it was plainly evident,
suffered immeasurably. Della's own hands prepared Minny's body for the
tomb. She robed her in one of her own dresses--an India mull, of
spotless white, and folded the tiny hands below the exquisite bust,
clasping a few pale flowers. The fatal ball had left the face uninjured,
and the wound beneath her chin was skillfully concealed. The eyes were
closed perfectly and naturally. The lips, yet red and full, slightly
parted over the pearly teeth, as if with a smile, and the long black
curls floated gracefully down the fair neck and bosom. To have looked
upon her, one would have deemed her sleeping. As long as it was
possible, Della kept the body unentombed. The news of the fearful death
had spread over a goodly portion of the city, and hundreds came to look
upon the corpse, and turned away with wet cheeks, declaring it the
loveliest sight they had ever looked upon.

The day of burial arrived at last, and, bending over the coffin, Della,
with raining tears, pressed her lips for the last time upon the brow of
that being, who had been faithful to her, even to death. The long
concourse moved slowly away. Guly walked at Wilkins' side. As the boy
glanced upon that pale face once more, before the tomb closed upon it
for ever, the memory of the first time he ever saw her, came back upon
his mind--the time when, with the wild glitter in her eye, he had seen
her strike Wilkins that fearful blow, and rush shudderingly past him
into the darkness.

On returning from the cemetery, Wilkins found General Delville's
carriage at the door, and its owner within, conversing with his wife.
She had not gone out to the burial on account of her child, who was not
well. The General seemed overjoyed to find Della the happy wife and
mother, which, under such sad circumstances, she appeared. He told them
how eagerly he had searched the city over, in the hopes of finding them,
since their marriage, but had signally failed, until the papers, in
recording the fearful event which ha