Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1890-08-02
THE RED FLAG.
M. Z. BRADDON.
Author OF "Lady Audiey's Secret"
etc. etc. etc.

Ticades. But you are not half the woman
you were, Madame Michel; the air of your
present abode cannot agree with YOU"
He wished her good-evening and trotted
away, lingering his bunch Of KEYS. Two
minutes afterwards she met Philip Durand
face 10 face.
ayes, she was changed The woman OF
the people, the amazon, the petroleuse, was
curiousiy subdued and softened. Some
Christening influence had subjugated her ye-
hement nature, and altered the expression
Of her countenance to a degree that was al
most a transformation
Monsieur Durandr' she exclaimed, with
a startled look; and then she said quietly. II
am a stranger In this neighborhood now. 1t
Is like coming back TO an old life. How Ia
your wifep'
'She is very we'll"
"And her slster-Madame MortemarP'
'She is-dying."
"Dyingl That is a strong phrase"
III Is the trith. We have done all that
care and love could do, bat she Is slipping
away from US. have no hope that she will
last 10 the end OF the month";"
what is her malady?'
"A broken heart
"Ah, that Is more common than doctors
believe. Has she never got over the loss 81
her hushand?n
Suzon had turned 10 accompany Philip,
and they were walking side by side towards
the Rue CT le Ceur.
Never"
u suppose, though, she Is glad that Seri.
zier was taken the other day2'
) h was CAD; it was her own work. She
only lived 20 bring the murderer 10 justice
and that being accomplished, it seemed as
II the handspring OF her life was broken"
"Ste brought him to justice = cried Suzou.
what do you meang'
"Simply what / say; Serizier's arrest was
brought about solely by my sister-in-Iaw;
she watched and waited for him, day by
day, for three months. 1t was she, and she
only, who brought him 10 his DOOM"
~ read IN the papers that il was a wo-
man, but / thought it was a Jealous woman
some discarded mistress, perhaps. And
you say that il was she-ihat lily-faced girl
-shc who tracked the murderer TO his holeY'
'She, and no other"
And she Is dying?'
Eyes, she Is dying. The task weakened
the sources of life; body and mind were
alike exhausted by the long patient effort
unshared, unknown by those who loved her
land now a broken heart has done the
rest"
'She hal not der cried Suzon, with a
voice so loud that IL startled the passers-by,
who turned and stared at her; mo" she
went on hurTiedly, breathlessly, "if there is
a God in heaven she shall not die. If there
Is no God, well, then this earth is a sham
bles, and the innocent have no friend. She
shall not die!'
What can you do TO save her?'
give her something 10 live for, give her
80 strong a reason why she should live that
the tide OF life will flow back TO her veins,
the weary heart will beat strong with hope
and love"
"You are madlp
mo. / am not mad. Go and get a fy.
Can she be moved, do you think? Could she
bear 10 be driven a little way?'
God knows. She is as weak as an in
fantv'
20, only go and get the carriage. We will
manage 1t, we will carry her. Go; | have
but TO whisper in her ear, aud she will have
the strength of a lioness. Bring the car
riage u the door yonder; | will run on aud
see your wife"
Durand thought she must be mad; but her
earnestness.- her energy MeIe electrical. aud
some secret 10 be told, some revelation
coming. He scarce asked himself what. but
hurried of 10 engage the first proving fly
he could find.
Suzon ran upstairs TO the third floor. She
listened at the door of Kathleen's sitting
room. There was a faint murmur of voices
within, and she entered without knocking.
Kathleen was lying on the sofa near the
fireplace, her wasted cheek white as the
pillow on which 1t rested. Rose sat by her,
bending over her, talking TO her in low mrv-
murs. The room was dimly lighted by q
lamp on the mantelpiece.
Suzon went across the room and knelt by
the invalld's side.
ut is I, Suzon Michel" she said. 'the wo-
man who once hated you. but who has since
learnt to pity you, and who now honors you.
Is Ii true that You tracked that wild beastto
his lairp that when all the police In Paris
had failc1 to find him, you hunted that tiger
down?'
Eyes, / found Serizier. They say he will
DO shot
"Sdcre nom, yes, he shall be shot. The
women of the Place d'Italie-the people
who lived in fear and dread of him. to
whom his name was q terror-they will not
let him escape, now the law has got him.
Madame Mortemar, viii you come with me?
want to take you TO my home, yonder,
close to the spot where your husband FELL"
Kathleen started up intoa sitting position.
It was like a sudden awakening TO life, as
II some magic wand had been waved over
her, magnetislng the feeble clay
"What?' she cried, ''you live there! I
thought il must be so. that night. Yes, yes,
take me to thes spot where he fell. Let me
see ftonce more-once before l die. To me
IL Is as sacred as a grave. ! cannot go to
his grave" she added despairingly.
"Deer love, you are too weak to STIR"
pleaded Rose tenderly, with her arms about
her sisters wasted form.
"She is not too weak TO come with me.
She should come IL she were In her grave
clothes. You can come with us-you can
help me carry her downstairs. Your hus-
band viii have a fly ready. Yesp cried
Suzon, running to the window, at is there,
at the door below. Bring some brandy in
q bottle-wet her lips with a little tirst. A
warm shawl, So" wrapping II round her as
" she had been a child. You are not afraid
tocome, are you, my little one? I have
good news for you at the end Of the jour
ney."
Her i~mpetuosity evolved q corresponding
energy In Kathleen, who was tremnlons
with excitement. Rose understood that
there was new life at the end Of this sudden
journey. Yes, there was q revelation at
hand, about CASTOR. She kept herself calm
n steady while those two others were on
fire with excitement. Between them she
and Suxon Michel carried Kathleen down.
stairs ~ the fly, the three women got inside,
Kathleen wrapped In thick shawls. Philip
got on the box beside the driver; In Q crack
or so Of his whip they were rafting into the
Boulevard ST. Michel.
1t was a longish drive to the Place
dItaiie; but urged by Suzon, the man got
over the distance very quickly. The dull
side-street looked ~unspeakably dreary In
the wintry gloom. the lamps burning dimly,
the windows showing little iight-signs Of
failure and poverty on every side.
The fly stopped before that empty house
which Kathleen had noticed In the summer
cleaning. The board was still hanging
above the door, the windows were all blank
and dark but Suzon opened the door with
her key, while Durand lifted Kathleen out
OF tho vehicle.
Garry her upstairs, following me-" said