Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-04-04

CHA PIER VIII.

Inc young man remained Mortified
ne stood beside the chair like one in a
trance for several minutes; then, rous-
ing himself, he looked round the
room. The was no trace of disorder;
evidently she M ust have died as she sat
In her chair. She was evidently alone
in the house. Where then was Lena ?
He must find out before he returned to
Fladgate to make his discovery known
to proper authorities. He left
the room and found his way to
the kitchen, where he lighted candle
and went upstairs. Then he examin-
ed the four bedrooms, but found no
one.
He then came downstairs again
and searched the dining-room, where
all was in the same perfect order, but
there was no sign of food or fire. Cliff
lord was no coward, and he determin-
ed to find out all he could. He re-
membered his presentiment of evil
and his dread OF arriving at the Mill
House, which he at the time attribut-
ed to his failing health; but he now
believed he had been specially sent to
throw some Light upon this sudden
and mysterious death, and to succor
his darling in her hour of trouble. At
any moment LIE ma might return. Who
could tellP Thu reasoning, he reso-
lutely entered The drawing-room once
more, and lighted two candles from
the one he carried Then he partially
closed the door. and went forward to
examine the corpse of the unhappy
woman hu n al ea, s,~Lx
SO, he stepped back with cry of hor-
ror, for her lips were purple and
swollen, her IA e was becoming dis
colored. and a faint but perceuaible
odor pervaded the air about her. The
terrible revolving truth was now clear
ly revealed. Madame Dumasque had
been poisoned!
The moth rose and flew headlopp
into one OF the candles, where it stuck
fast and was burnt. Bewildered and
Mortified as he was, Clifford suddenly
realized the perilous position in which
he was placed by remaining there, and
that, far from giving notice of the
crime, he must lose no time in leaving
the place and avoiding remark. He
was about to effect a speedy retreat
from the hateful scene, when a blow
from behind felled him to the floor and
he became unconscious.
After Gustav Dumasque left the
Mill House on his way to seek for
Lena in London, madame sat for some
time bordering her plans. She had
no fear OF being left alone in that DESC
late spot, and after a while occupied
herself in arran ging the rooms accord
ing to her own fancy and in trying
over some music. She ate some lunch
con, previously prepared by Judith,
and drank with it some lemonade. In
the evening she took tea, and waited
for telegram from Gustaxe; but none |
came to her; and so, after reading till |
late hour, she retired to rest. She
was courageous woman, although |
her daring led her into evil, and she
slept soundly i'm her solitude, unaware
that a man had come providing round |
the house and had hastily made off at |
the sound OF the closing OF the win
dows.
The postman's knock reused her in |
the morning, and she went down to |
lind a letter from Judith saying that
Lena was in Abbotsford, but that there
was no news FRI pm Gustave. Madame
Dumasque beca me angry.
"Why does he not keep his wordp"
she cried aloud. why does he not
telegraph or W riteP"
Still she waited hour after hour.
fancying he might come back, and
then, as he gave no sign, her temper
rose against him.
"Idjot!" she muttered; and Just then
boy came with telegram in his
hand; but the message was from
Judith to say that she had discovered
mat Mr.. Peregrine was in Abbotsiord.
and this news still further angered
Dumasque. She sent a tele-
gram to Gustave at his hotel in town
1y the boy who had brought up
Iudith's, and paid for an Immediate
'eply. Then, pacing up and down
ike and enraged tigress, she waited
again until the messenger returned.
md she went down the path to meet
Inn. She took the telegram from his
land and read it.
mo reply" she said very calmly, /,
tuo Weut Duck 10 the house. She was
lot calm when its walls sheltered her, 1
ne was almost mad with passion, for
he reply to her message was not from s
'ustave, but from the hotel manager, I
aging that Mr.. Dumasoue had not ar.
lived but rs soon as he came the mes {
age should be given to him.
linen he has cheated me again. she s
rled; ''but l will cheat him too" {
The then drew out OF her pocket-book |
he cheque she had received and tore |
into fragments, which she dropped c
INTO the kitchen fireplace and burned. s
NOW how will you save YOURSELF" I
he said aloud, vindictively. you G
hall not decei We me without paying /
ne penalty OF your deception, Gus a
ave." and yet there was such an ex-
ression OF agony on her face that v
ven Gustave himself would have been i
ouched by it had he been there TO
ee. q
Having destroyed the cheque and n
ut away the pocket-bOok, madame 1
rumpled up and ihrew aside the tele- t
ram from London, and then began to q
asten Wy he doors and windows Of b