The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-21
CHAPTER *.
A DARK MYSTERY.

"Dead?"
Gabrielle st. Cyr stood staring into
the girls face with eyes full of wild
despair.
"Dead!" she repeated, bleakIy. MY
child-deadl"
And she would have fallen to the
floor but the servant supported her
trembling form, and led her up the
stairs to the door of Adele's room.
She glanced pityingly into the
mothers face.
"Shall I go for the doctor?' she
asked.
Gabrielle did not answer.
She pushed open the door, and en-
tered the pretty chamber.
Leave mel" she cried, sharply.
Eyes, go for a physician if you wish;
but fear that it will do no good. Oh.
my child! My child!" she walled, as
her eyes fell upon the white, upturned
face upon the pillows of the bed be-
fore her.
The kind-hearted servant girl had
scarcely left the room when Gabrielle
few to the door and locked it behind
her.
The she went back to the bed; and,
stopping, gazed eagerly into she beau
tiful, marble-like face.
"How perfectly it Stimulates DEATH"
she muttered softly to herself. "Who
would imagine for moment that Adele
st. Cyris no more dead than I am? 1t
is deep scheme. Adele must be dead
to the world! The pretty ballet
dancer must die, and disappear from
the face OF the earth; and from her
ashes, like the fabled phoenix, the
heiress and beauty-Adele Lawrence
will arise!
"Whata fortunate thing that she was
never known to the public by the name
of st. Cyr! She was alwavs billed as
La Belle, and introduced into the little
society in which I permitted her to
mingle as Adele Madison-my mothers
maiden name. All, yes, have played
q deep game from first to last, and
from first to last I have builded better
Chan 1 knew! How corpse like she
looks as she lies there!" went on the
mother, with sharp pang of anxiety
at her heart. "But I know that she has
only taken the preparation furnished
by good old DR.. Karl. ,.
@For forty-eight hours she will lie In
trance he said, after which resusclta'
ton will be easy. But he will keep
our secret-never fear! I have hard
part to play, and much ALSO" she went
On. slowly, "but it is worth it all. Adele
St. Cyr shall lie down in her coffin,
and arise Adele Lawrence, the beauty,
the heiress! No one will dream OF the
metamorphosis.
"The-e will be possible remarks as to
her strange resemblance to the late
danseuse, but no one has ever con.
nected me with the ballet-dancer, and
no one will ever connect us with the
Lawrence fortunel And now for the
next move in the camel"
Quite an excitement prevailed In the
city when the announcement was made
of the sudden death of La Belle.
She had contracted ysllow-feVer dur
ing her late Southern tour. 1t had
suddenly developed itself, and had
made short work of its victim.
Of course Adeles late admirers, after
this announcement, were content to ex-
press their sorrow, and mourned her
loss at safe distance.
The newspapers paid tribute to her
memory, and quantities of floral offer
ings appeared.
Arthur Wynne read the announce
ment in the evening papers with strange
interest.
He had admired her, but his admira-
ton was not strong enough to prompt
him to make intimate acquaintance with
the pretty danseuse.
But somehow q memory Of the dead
girl clung to him and would not leave
him.
II believe 7 am haunted" he mutter-
ed, as swift vision of her beautiful
brunette face arose before him.
He had emerged from his lonely vigil
in the library with Gilbert Lawrence'a
body, and, pale and anxious, had left
the house.
An hour or 80 later he entered the
police headquarters downtown.
Chief Ludlowe was alone, seated at
a huge desk covered with papers, busiy
writing.
He glanced up with look of inquiry
upon his plain, kindly face at sight Of
Arthur.
sAnything newt" he asked, swiftly.
"You look excited, Wynne.a
i Arthur Wynne sank into CHAIR near