The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-02-05


knows"
"Mary, how can you bear this wom-
ans insolence?n cried the excited
husband. But Mary, pale, mute, press
ing herself tightly against the far wall,
made no reply. He was helpless, as he
admitted to himself. There was moth
ing to do but to 90.
81 will come back for you to-mor-
row." he declared.
s.Au plaisir,'' rejoined Madame
1 Olympic, TRANQUILITY. "Madame will
consult her own dispositions tomorrow,
as today
! Major Elphinstone did return on the
morrow; but neither then, nor the next
day, nor the day after that could Mary
be induced to go home. Always the
same scene was repeated-appeal, pro-
test, command on his part; denial and
a shuddering avoidance on hers, deep
ening into wild excitement at any at
tempt at coercion. DIR. Boulan went !:
Mrs. Aske went. All was of no use.
She would not listen; she would not
respond; she would not talk about her
baby. All of her attention seemed
concentrated upon Madame Olympic,
whose slightest movement she watched
with the fascinated gaze of bird which
hovers before the jaw OF slow-moving
snake. That it was fascination min
gled with terror was only too evident
but none the less did it hold it's victim
with spell too potent for resistance.
| So fortnight passed, three weeks,
four, and the situation remained I'M
changed. Once and again Major
Elphinstone was on the point of cutting
the Gordian knot by the strong arm of
law, carrying off his wife perforce, and
putting the Channel between her and
the evil influence which held her in
thrall; but DR.. Boulan counseled pa
tience and prevailed.
"Elle est ensorcelee," he said. "She
can not help nor resist. If you put the
Channel between, she will be in the
Channel before you know. Wait. Be
patient. Our hope is in Olympic herself.
She can undo as she has done; and she
only. 1t are not case for strong meas
ures. 1t are very critical, very delicate.
You must tread softly or you lose all"
1t was a wretched waiting. By the
Doctors advice, they saw Mary but sell
dom. Each time she seemed to them
thinner, paler, more enfeebled, and alas
stronger than ever in her purpose to
remain where she was. Once her moth
er, seeking the Quarter st. Michel at
an unusual hour and finding the door of
Madame Olympe's apartment aiar,
heard loud, angry words and the sound
of blow, and entered, to find Mary
weeping, with red mark on her cheek.
The poor lady went home overcome and
took to her bed. Another fortnight
passed. July was at hand and the heat
had become intense. The baby dropped,
and the problem of what to do and how
best to do it became more complicated
than ever.
1t was just then, as they sat one
morning at breakfast, that quick peal
at the bell announced DR.. Boulan, in a
blaze of excitement.
"It has come, he cried-s'our chance,
the chance L bid you wait for. That
beast, that creature, she is arrest, since
the afternoon before yesterday, for sell
ing poison preparation as philter to a
lady. CeSt une affair de qnara'ite .jOurs.
And now we must act.''
where is Mary? What has become
of herp" cried the other two
"Oh! she are left behind in the lodg-
ing. She prayed them to take her to
prison with Madame the Beast, but was
refuse. Now, 0oyoras, we must be wise,
We must make no mistake. You must
stay away from her at present. will
60"
doctor, that is hard" pleaded Mrs
Aske. "Surely, her own mother"
"Yes, yes, chere madame, know all
dat; but she is enSorcelee | tell you
she is not able to experience the natural
emotion. If she see you to-day, she will
brace herself to resist; but with me she
will be more pliable, plant. l sail tell
her that Olympic is lock up, and she can
not alone stay there. And will offer
to find place for her, and then | lead
her to-let me see-not to here-nO to |
my own house. There you will all be |
with Baby. You will kneel, entreat !
Olympic will be further off-and per-
haps, perhaps-we sail see. Move not, !
stir not till you sail hear from me-
All that day and half of the next was
spent in suspense. Then the little Doe
tor came back, triumphant.
81 have succeeded he cried but,
sapriStt, twas a struggle! She is to
come to my house on this afternoon;
only that she do not know that it is my
house. And there she is to wait for
Madame the Beast. Now, at three you
must come, with the petit, and be there
when she enter. l sail noting say.
1t will be what you call a surprising.
She are i'll, unhappy in her mind. We
Sail move her. | am insured"
There was something theatrical in
this scheme, which did not commend it
to sober English sense; but Mary's rela-
tives were in too desperate plight to re-
ject any plan which gave hope of sue
cess. The little Doctors programme
was carried out in full; and when Mary
wan, feeble, and detected
DR.. Boulan's salon, that after
noon, it was to find herself in the pres
ence of those who loved her best-her |
husband, her pale, anxious mother, and
the little child, whom she had not seen
for nearly two months She started, on
seeing them, and looked wildly about, as
If for escape-a movement which cut |
her husband to the heart. -.
{" You are not afraid of us, dear?'' he
said, in the gentlest of voices. 50 Sure
ly, you know that we love you, and only
wish to make you happy"
The sacred look died gradually out of
her eyes. She let him take her hand
and lead her to chair. Her mother
kissed her softly, and laid
the baby in her lap. The little thing
had been asleep; but Just at that mo-