Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-13

she has no right to wear. Let her remove
herself to France. She takes her illegiti-
mate offspring with her-you can make what
provision you like for them-and you sign
confession of your crimes, which will be
used against you If you see them or hold
communication with them again.
"And if refuse?" said DIR. Jaquet, with
q return of his old manner.
"Then am free from my oath, answered
Philippe, "and you will have only yourself
to blame when the facts that your own COLI
science testi6es to are sworn to in open
court"
"And how do 1 know that when have
been coerced into taking the course you in
sist upon, that you viii not still pursue me
with your malice?"
because 1 have given you my word,
said Philippe, proudly drawing himself up
to his full height "and because am the
son of Claire Benoit"
And at that answer DIR. Jaquet shrank
back in his chair, cowed and shivering be-
meath the resolute glance of his son, in
whose eye he read no trace Of pity.
81 must have time to think" he re-
marked.
Philippe would have refused to make
any concession, but as he felt Doggett's
touch on his arm, it exercised humanizing
influence.
"How long do you want?"
"Give me week, " was the reply.
''Too long, ] will give you a day"
"Then call in four-and-twenty hours and
you shall have my decision"
y
Madame Jaquet-to give Lucie st. Hill
laire the title BY which she was known in
the West End society Of which she was
reckoned one of the ornaments-wondered
what was keeping her husband, that he had
not come upstairs to dress. She had heard
the bell of the consulting room ring when
Philippe and Mr.. Doggett took their leave,
and though more than an hour had elapsed
since then, there was no sign of his appear
anee. A dinner party was arranged for
that evening, her own toilet was completed,
and only few moments were left before the
guests would begin to arrive.
She sailed down the broad staircase in her
sweeping robes, which clpng gracefully
round her superb form, her diamond neck
lace flashing forth its tremulous light, as it
rose and fell on the ivory whiteness of her
breast, and passed into the consulting room.
Suddenly there rang through the house
the piercing shrek of horror-struck and
terrified woman. The servants rushed into
the room and found DR.. Jaquet lying pros
trate on the floor, with their mistress in
and carried her to a couch, while Hobson,
the butler, bent down over the body of the
physician. An odor of bitter almonds still
hung round the dead mans mouth, and
Hobson, rising with grave face, pronounced
Two words with significant emphasis
Thosetw words were: Prussic acid.
\ \ \ \
The suicide of the great physician created
an enormous sensation and provoked much
speculation. None of the witnesses exam
ined at the inquest could throw any light
upon the matter. DR.. Jaquet was known
to be in good health and af1uent circum-
stances. He had not exhibited any signs of
care. The clew to his inexplicable suicide
was known only to three' men--Philippe
Jaquet, Mr.. Doggett and DR.. Crosby-who
sat in Philippe's sitting room in Cornwall
road. gravely discussing the matter after
the inquest had closed.
"WeIl. have kept my OATH" Philippe
was saying. ST have not injured him. I
only insisted that he should give up his
guilty paramour who had usurped my
mothers name. Less than that would have
been less than was due to my mothers
memory and her love-"
"And DR.. Jaquet has kept his secret"
said Doggett, who was disappointed that
the pleasure of reading DR.. Jaquet's con-
fessfon, to which he had looked forward,
had been frustrated by the physicians un-
timely end.
81 am not so sure of that" said DIR.
Crosby. ''In the light of the facts you have
been good enough to communicate revoke
my former opinion. I should say that some
agent was employed to terminate Madame
Jaquet's life"
"And that agent was chloroform," Phil
ippe remarked.
"Quite impossible to say without post
mortem," was the abrupt reply.
Philippe frowned darkly at this sugges-
ton and the subject dropped.
From the time that Philippe learnt the
secret that oyershadowed his mothers life,
a subtle change began to creep over him
which became more manifest as the days
passed by. He became morose, silent, cyni-
cal, with much brooding over the dark fate
of his parents. He was troubled, too, that
that he had pressed his father so closely He
had kept the letter Of his promise, but he
was not satisfied that he had been true to its
spirit.
But what troubled him most was the
secret that DR.. Jaquet had carried with
him. In the mazes Of differing conjectures
that were open to him, he lost all sure foot
hold. He was never able to rid himself OF
the feeling that the air he breathed in his
rooms at Cornwall road was tainted with
the ghostly memories of the by-gone crime.
But the secret of Madame Jaquet's
death was buried in the grave of the sui
eide.
Philippe left England soon afterward,
broken in health and hope, with mind and
spirit diseased by exclusive meditation on
the secret that he was never to fathom.
Whenever his name is mentioned in Mr..
Webber's hearing, that gentleman always
he was fine fellow, but spoiled by burden
that was too heavy for him. He is an illus
tration Of the old saying: The fathers have
eaten sour grapes and their children's teeth
are set on edge"
The END.