The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-15

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IN a~s
VHNMNCM apartment. This knock
l4NS0EM was several times re-
NMkISM peated and was each
|WNAyI time quicker and more
u.s. jerky. With q peculiar
WI smile that seemed to
indicate that no new
who knocked 80, Schelm pulled q rope n
opened the door.
Louise entered, pale, disheveled, hollow
eyed, crying;
"He is dead. II was ! who gave him the
poison. ] shall probably be punished. There
would be no justice wsre / not. But this
Count Lanin will go to the mines, to the
.Ralleys. The scoundEel had poisoned the
~drauRhtthat / gave VandIne."
''Brayov' murmured ScheIm. "You say
we'll, my daughter"
But Louise approached him and her eyes
shot forth menacing flashes AZ she won't on:
~ don'tknow who is to blame for all
this, Ihaye had no time to reflect. But il
you had any hand in this odious crime,
Father, y you, too, must beware. ] don't
KNOW how TO get even with you, but ! swear
u shall revenge Vandine."
"Wellsvell, my sweet dove" said s chelm,
VAR yssn1d ,! y1s, ,aSai T." 9 remember ~"
"Why did You defend yourself 30 ILL.,"
She seized his arm.s saying:
Don't banter me-"
'.Bah!' said he, I'VE shall find you a bet
ter husband"
piled, with Instructive dread and dis
trust"
He interrupted her with a peal OF laugh
THAT is Just the way l impress every
Eyes, but I do not fear you, and I toll you
again that il ! find that you had any hand
in this deed-do you know" she exclaimed,
giving his arm a forcible shake. that his
last thought was perhaps . curse!"
you forget" said Schelm camly, that I
am i'll and that by shaking me 80 you make
ms worse"
Louise let 90 his arm and said in his
ear: "If yon suffer, 60 much the better, for
something tells me that you alone are to
"Whyr, said schelm, ..'you arc going
grated window.
go to your roons" be continued, you
arc In a dangerous state of excitement"
A servant showed his face behind the
grating. Louise moved toward the door.
Having reached the threshold she turned
ADOPT, cast q black look at her father and
"Beware!"
hILeE LHlb bCeUe SCucIm IuI6bIy Iekl a6leBD
with a smile OF JOY upon his lips. When he
woke, very late next morning, he WAS in q
delightful humor and joked his wife less
bitterly than was his won That day the
baronss8 was happy.
do you know that Louise pc isoned a
man vesterday?' schelm suddenly asked
"You don't mean that"
eyes, she did"
But the baroness WAS soon treasured, for
she thought this WAS one of her husbands
tests.
.'You are very gay this morning, my
dear"
LENT it droll to have a prisoner in our
fsmilyY'
my dearw
But Schelm said with a wicked laugh:
''Perhaps you think I'm joking"
$40 be sure, ! do"
Nothing can DO moro serious. An officer
brought Louise here Yesterday. She is q
prisoner in this house."
OH! heavens" said the baroness, "is this
really true?"
Nothing can be more true
1T is not a crime, is it? Some careless
ness
"He! he! he.' laughed Schelm.
The baroness rose. white as n sheet.
"Bah!'' said Schelm, ''nothing will be
lone to her. Pray don't trsmbls. You
don't know what is going on in town or
even in your own house. You are ridicu-
lous. Count Lanin perpetrated the crime;
Louise was only the instrument"
Louise! Count Lanin!" faltered the
baroness i'll amaZcment.
eyes. 1t il 80, nevertheless. We have
entertained this ~scoundrel; for he came to
see us. didn't he? And you vent into
ecstasies before him."
Tho three measured strokes which in
formed Schelm OF Darine's arrival were
heard at this moment.
"Be of with you and don't cry. Nothing
Will happen to your daughter"
And he murmured as be pulled the rope:
lis there a creature on earth more stupid
than this woman"
Darine came in, gloomy and abstracted.
Schelm welcomed him cordially.
II know" said he, "your success. Have
yon evidence against him?'
"Tndeniable e~vidence.'
Bravo! But why do you look like q
funerai?''
~ have received from Ivan Koiok an or
der to present myself immediately ut the
phalanstery. We have despised the orders
OF our mysterious chiefs, I fear that must
be the reason. Even this morning."
"Baho'' interrupted Schelm, ''all will be
arranged. This lawsuit will be an excel
lent thing for our cause. The chiefs will
understand that. As president of the mys-
terry ] shall in a fortnight convoke tho CEN
to the meeting, | feel quite frisky.'' he
added with a joyous air. Tell Koiok that
/ shall explain myself. ! am free from
every anxiety and shall devote myself to
the body and soul. ] have my revenge on
Lanin. Now for tho emperor. He, he! he!
Sit down and tell me all about what took
place in She minutest detail"
Then no added:
"Darine l am pleased With you.'
In the meantime. while her old enemy
Schelm was thus congratulntinR himself on
having at last accomplished a sure revenge.
liant sat at home with her daughter Alex
andra, waiting in silent, fearless patience
for news from the nabob. who, now that she
was sure he was really the faithful re-
pentant Muller, she felt instinctively would
move heaven and earth to save Count Vind-
imir. At last, about noon Of the second
day, he came, but not. alas! triumphantiy,
nor ms the nnbob. His face was grave and
be was dressed in shabby European gar
msnts.
lana dismissed Alexandra. who did not
recognize in this ai sbbv gentleman the
wealthy GRbob. and Muller said as he kissed
tine ~conntesss hand;
II promised You to save him-to avert
immediately all the danger impending over
him. Alas, l cannot do that"