The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1891-12-18
THE FATAL PROPHECY.


give your friend. Melville. the blues.
Indeed he has lost much OF his old
time vivacity within the last few days
1don't believe in family legends. you
know. Mr.. Herndon. and am panied
20 see Melville Blauvelt the gentle
man that he Is under what he calls
the shadow OF portending evil"
These words to me from the lips OF
Therese Thrane fell upon my ears In
the spacious garden to which we had
retired from the heat OF the ballroom
and while she talked she pulled a yell
low rose to pieces and was scattering
the fragments over bed of violets-
Therese was beautiful. but no one
loved her. She had come from the
far South, with the hot blood Of the
tropics in her veins and with eyes
aglow with the passion which GIBBS
and flows under tho luscious lines
It was said. no one knew by whom.
that her father was a Cuban insurrec-
ZIONIST who had fallen before q file of
Spanish soldIery; but this If true. did
not particularly prejudice US against
her. One of those bastard letters with
out a name had spread abroad q rumor
20 the effect that Therese was a mere
adventuress, and with the report fairly
awning there were many ready 70 be-
lieve all that was said
had heard nothing OF my friend
BlRuTelts dependency previous to
my ballroom companions words In
fact had not seen Melville for sew
eral weeks owing TO my absence. and
when / expressed establishment at
Therese's information she repeated her
request with emphasis
We went home together that night
Blauvelt and L More than once on
the way / approached the delicate sub
ject in my thoughts. but as often re-
Trained from questioning him
Il want you to go TO my room be-
fore We separate" suddenly said he
looking sharply at me Il have found
something which unaccOuntably af-
fects me. There, don't ask any ques-
tions. Claude Let me tell you all"
Once in his room Blauvelt opened
the drawer OF n dressing case and took
out q piece of parchment-like paper.
which be handed to me without a
word.
Read for yourself" said he. in re-
ply 70 the mute questioning OF my
eyes Yes. it is will and a curse
And 1t affects my very existence"
4
glanced at the broadly written name
~ the beginning:
IGNACIO MENENDEZ,
HIS WILL AND HIS CURSE.
Blauvelt who had discarded his
GOAT for the night was warm. leaned
against the mantel and a CHASTITY
Whiteness enthroned on his handsome
face i read:
In the Sacred Presence, /, Ignacio Nenen-
der, make this, my last will l bequeath
10 the children OF my chief enemy, the
American Captain Blauvelt, the curse OF
my house. 1 have been reduced to wretch
edness by the Vaccinations OF this man,
and solely because l won the love of Incz
de Castro. / bequeath TO his descendants
eternal ruin through my blood My
daughter will marry; she will have chill
dren. These will marry in time. keeping in
beat the hot tropical blood Of my revenge
Several generations will pass away, but
the descendant OF Captain Blauvelt who
shall love my blood kin shall receive the
benefit Of this curse Done the ship
Isabella. the last OF my possessions, this
the 9th day OF June, 1909.
IsxACTo MENExDEz.
looked up at Blauvelt and smiled
The statute of limitations operates
against that foolish curse" said l.
The house of Menendez may have
been blotted from existence years ago.
Is this the thing which has rendered
yon despOndent7'
Blauvelt came forward and took the
paper from my hand
This has pierced me like q sword "
answered he Il am the only living
descendant of the Captain Blauvelt
mentioned In the Spaniard's will
Aa T.,
whose veins flows the blood of Menen-
dez- The curse has blighted my
whole life What did she say to you
tonight Anything about the curse?''
TO whom do you referg' cried L
forgetting In the excitement of the
moment my interview among the flow
ers with Theresa
Where Is your head. Claudes'' He
had my arm in his hand and his grip
was Vise-like in its intensity. Il can
mean but one WomAn-ThereSel"
VA speedily conscious that my
look had become 4 stare
Where did you find this dOcu-
mentH" 1 asked holding up the old
paper.
1T crossed my path like . serpent
of evil Ny father died twenty years
sgo leaving among certain papers the
one you have just read found 1t by
the merest accident but I Sc In il the
hand OF fate coming out Of the past to
blight the love and the Iife Of the de-
sesadant Of Captain Paul BIauvelt."
But Thereses Are you sure"
was interrupted By the lifting Of
ahAnd
she i the right person. -" Goa