The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-09-02
ASTORYOF BLOOD.
By NJ. E. BRADDoS.
CHAPTER xn.-ooNrINUED.


the Rue Git lie C9ur that she had been active .
amidst the atrocities of the Commune /
shining light in that fiery atmosphere. She .
was known to have carried the chasSepot .
and the petroleum can, to have been busy |
amidst scenes of riot and death. There were /
some who declared that she was the petrol /
euSe who had ridden, dressed as VIVIAN 4
diere, at the head Of that hideous process ION /
in the Rue Haxo, when the priests and the .
gendarmes Wero led to the slaughter, less !
happy in their doom than the Archbishop !
and his companions, who were masSacrcd I
within the walls of La Roquette. Certain 1t |
Is that she had been seen more than once in
WANDERERS costume, and that she was
known to be one of the liercest of that hell |
fish crew.
Some said that she had been shot down
on the last of the barrlcadcS, yOnder at
Belleyille others declared that they had
seen her in a gang of prisoners bound for
Satory. No one regretted her; but there
was morbid curiosity in the Rue Git lie
Ceur, and two or three adjoining streets rs
to her fate. Details of her last hours, sea-
soned with plenty of blood, would have been
welcome
The Cremerte had been closed from the
first day of the barricades, and had never
reOpened. board in front Of the shop an
nOunced that is was q Toner preSentCmCHt
Either la Michel was verify gone TO give an
account of her sins in the land OF shadows,
or she was keeping out of the way, lest she
should be called upon to answer for her
misdeeds before an earthly tribunal. This
was what was said Of her in The Rue Git lie
CGur. Kathleen knew the popular mind
upon this subject, and she heard Duraud
and Rose discuss the question on one of
those rare occasions when she consented to
join them at the neat little supper table. 1t
was almost festival for Rose when she
could induce her sister to spend the evening
with her.
II always hated that woman" said Rose,
speaking of Suzon Michel; "a bold bad wO-
man, capable of any crime"
"A creature of strong passions, no doubt"
answered Durand, terribly capable of evil.
But do not know that she was quite inca
pable of good. These women who feel so
strongly are as ftful as a summer thunder
storm; they will adore man one day and
murder him the next But they have the
power to love as we'll as to hate; they have
strength for self-Sacrifce as well as for
crime"
81 do not value their love any higher than
their hate" said Rose, who had never for
gotten her early impressions about Suzon,
never ceased to be Jealous and suspicious
of the woman who had dared to love Kath-
leen's lover; their hearts and minds are all
evil, their love is snare. If she is dead,
well-God give me charity-let her rest in
her grave; if she is living, God grant that
she and may never meet"
1t was only few days after the evening
upon which this conversation occurred that
Kathleen had startling evidence of Suzou
Michel's existence in Paris, at the very time
when people believed her to be either dead
or in exile.
Those first days Of September in II were
as sultry and thunderous as the last days Of
August Indeed it seemed as if the sum
mer grew hotter as it waned. The sun shone
with tropical splendor all day, and at even
tide the atmosphere was thick with heat
1t was between eight and nine, after her
evening watch in a street the Bamirre d En-
fer was over, that Kathleen went TO a spot
which she had visited in many n twilight
hour, since she first gaZed upon it in the dim
early morning on the 18th of May.
This was the narrow side street in which
she had seen the bloody traces of her huS-
bands death, at the foot of the lamp-post.
That dreadful spot was to her as his grave,
and her coming hither had all the soemnity
of pilgrimage to a grave. The street was
dull and solitary--a street Of shabby hOuS es,
shabby occupied by the working classes.
1t was new street which had never attain
ed prosperity and three or four of the
curtainess windows and boards announcing
that they were to let Here and there APP
peared a shop, but shop which looked as
If customers were the exception rather than
the rule.
On this September evening the street WIS
empty, save for couple of women stand
ing talking at a streCt-dOOr, little way
from the lamp-pOst by which Castor fell
The house facing this fatal s. OF was empty
had been empty ever since Kathleen had
known the street The windows were cloud
ed with dust; the board announcing its va
cancy had fallen on one side, and hung dis
consulate. The proprietor had doubtless
abandoned all hope of finding tenant nm
til the evil days had passed, and q new birth
of prosperity had come about for this fair
land OF France. 1t was q strengthening
house in dTeary street q new house which
had grown old and shabby without ever
having been occupied.
Kathleen walked slowly up and down the
street two or three times, coming back to
the fatal spot, and standing beside it for a
few minutes with bent head and clasped
hands, and lips moving dumbly in prayer
for the beloved dead. On the last time she
saw woman coming towards the same spot
coming as If to meet her, woman who
looked to her like ghost. Yes, like one
dead, who had come back to life purified
and chastened by the pilgrimage through
the valley of the shadow of death.
II was SuzOn Michel, but not the SuzOn of
Old. The fire in the large black eyes was
quenched, the face had lost its brazen bold
ness the rich carnatiOn of sensual vigorous
beauty had faded from the cheek. pale
grave face, with serious mournful eyes,
looked at Kathleen, and, recognizing her in
Gtantly, blanched to the ashy whteness of a
corpse.
The women looked at each other in 81
lence, and then each passed. slowly upon
her way. They met and parted without a
word.
Two minutes afterwards, before she reach
ed the corner of the street, Kathleen turned
suddenly and looked back, wanting Ia
speak to Srz0n Michel, TO question her, she
hardly knew wherefore or 10 what end
She Thought Of S ION with horror and de-
teStatiOu: and vet they two had lOypd the