The Morning herald., 1877-10-05
P2riisij2nDetectly'Ie ii Y
q,
DESPERATE DEEn
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81 Z
A. 1RsK1NE BOYD, :"
~4i.- 70
CHAPTER Xiv.
NOEL GERDY'S END

pavement oscillated beneath his feet, and
that the houses and people around hin,
were whirling round and round in sort
of mad waltz. His mouth was parched
and dry, his eyes smarted as though he
had been weeping, and every now and
then he felt so sick that he was forced to
lean for support against some doorway or
amp-post; but at the same time, strange
ly enough, he felt a sort of relief.
Everything was known-fnished- over!
He had played his game, and had losu
No more anguish now. All was ended
the fear-the hope-the horrible suspense.
He had played his terrible part out, and
could now take off his mask, and once
more breathe at ease.
An overwhelming and irresistible sink
ing of the spirits succeeded the nervous
excitement which had supported him since
the day Of the murder. The burning fe-
yer which for the last eight days had gal
vanized him into an unnatural sort of life
had left him, and he felt an imperious de-
sire for rest and quiet, accompanied at the
same time by an aching void and an in
difference for everything that took place
around him.
This insensibility upon his part resern-
lied that Of persons overwhelmed by sea-
sickness, whom nothing affects-to whom
all things are perfectly indifferent-who
have neither the strength or the courage
to think, and to whom the imminence of a
great danger-nay, even death ITSELF
cannot rouse from their sad detection.
II he had been arrested whilst in this
fame of mind he would not even have at
tempted a denial, but would have yielded
without a murmur.
At last, after wandering through the
Paris streets without any aim or end in
view, reaction came against this weak
ness and exhaustion of mind and body.
vivid consciousness of his fearful situa-
ton and the imminence of his danger
rushed back on his memory, and the
thought of the scaffold came stross him
as when in flash of lightning one sees a
fearful abyss yawning at ones feet.
Little by little night had crept on, and.
with the darkness, Noel felt return Of
his old courage an6 audacity.
81 have money! he thought. "Ill go
to America-lIl change my name-I'll
commence new life; and, with my en-
ergy and AZ ilities, it will be my own fault
If dor't make a fortune! I've ready
money, and that, after all, is the principal
thing. Besides, can always draw upon
my father. He hates publicity, and the
honor Of the family must be maintained
at any price"
He laughed a bitter laugh at this last
reflection, when suddenly the thought of
Nelly Nicholson dart1d across his mind.
Was he to leave without her2-never to
zee her again9-never to speak to her
more' What! was he to fly, like a hunt
ed BEAST before the police, and she re-
nam in Paris, in comfort and luxury
she, for whom he had sinned2-she, for
%hom he had committed the crime2 Who
had reaped the benefit Nelly, and Nelly
sl0ne; and wasn't it just that she should
1aKe her part in his punishment
ne walked on till he came to q cab
sand; and, getting into a four-wheeler,
gave the number Of the house in the Rue
a., ae Province, that street which had already
been so fatal to him.
CIrouching back in corner Of the cab,
,al1 glddy with its rumbling and jolting,
Noel forgot all about the future; the
present became blank. Even Nelly was
1l91igotten. The past rose before him; and,
IKE spectator at theatre, he reviewed
'ne tragedy of his own life.
ne saw how his love for Nelly Nichol-
soh o had lured him into debt. He saw
"ll'pselt on the brink of ruin, when
enahce made him the possessor of the
IWLlyate IW,te correspondence of the Count de
nAs5 nnaleourt not only of the letters read by
Daddy Tabaret, and communicated to
tlu tNllDert but of others still, when the Count
Wy IMouSnt the substitution had been ACCOM-
r"Shed, and all fear of detection at an
L.; me reading of these letters had turned
Mn ns nead He felt delirious with excite
0a .''etl ~ ana JOY. But he was soon awaken
w. w. lrom his brief day-dream by his moth
"; nhe told him the truth-proved it to
nm1 nm1 ny letters written to her by the Wild
v% ,rT Aerouge-made him call on Claudine,
@ WHY corroborated his mothers assertions,
I'u I"u showed him the scar which her hus-
,h n"''u made on that memorable night at
'Ne village inn.
:, but drowning man does not choose the
prank that is to save him. Noel determin-
onoa u W use the letters, and to exert his in
rroence roence over his mother to write to the
tnHn' ttuan1' and swear to him that the substi-
'''rGa rb; had really taken place.
with ",s proposition his mother repudiated
tha"horr th'an horror-and it was then that the
m III OF the murder entered his mind.
ratroe oe unhappy man was stopped in his
;n"ospectlve IN" review by the sudden pull
it's it's dappn dup ol the cab, which had arrived at
thrnato ue,ong down the front window, he
ononoI "s' some silver into the drivers hand,
rta;n' tti,ea the door himself. and was up the
h,"'is hsoI before the man had time to turn his
as,r.s - my one calls" he said to Jeanette.
ttino. .nat al. your mistress is out-say any-
NesMg1 but. as Nau wilma .za... ,,l.~. 80