The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-07-30
CHAPTER III.


But Saint-Gery's death had ACCOMPLISHED
one thing, at any rate. 1t had furnished
me with confirmation strong as holy writ
that he had murdered Aurore, ana that t
was her materialized spirit whom had met
In the old castle, whose icy-cold hair ha q
comted, whose low purring OF relief ha d
listened to as | went about the awful tas K
Of playing hair-dreSser to the dead.
Putting speedy END to my sport in the
woods l FASTENED to ROuen, resolved to
seek out Roger if he were still alive. and
with the proof l bad eXtort a confess
sion from him. The chateau had
been sold for taxes and had passed
into the hands Of wealthy mauufac-
turer, who had completely transformed
the place. destroying its ancient carvings.
panelings and hangiDgs and replacing
them with tapestries. | didn't know the
property. 1t was utterly shorn OF its
beauty. 1t made me hsavy-hearted ia
gaze upon II. so repulsively fresh and new-
looking was the renovated castle and It's
garish and pretentious surroundings. But.
thank heaven, Roger was still alive.
came upon him almost like one from the
dead and when he had listened to the
account of my finding Saint-Gery. and OF
his strange death with the strand Of Au-
rore's hair clutched in his grasp. the aped
servit0r wept bitterly.
'Saint-Gery. began Roger, with sigh
after he had emptied out his grief in tears
was from his very childhood possessed
OF wild and ungovernabie TEN per. closely
bordering upon \ disOrdered intellect. ne
had fallen madly in love with the daush.
ter Of one of his tenants, Aurore, as beau
tful a creature as ever breathed, but the
girl feared him, nay, almost loathed him
| think. at times: and yet he exercised 8
wonderful power over her. and when he,
father died and she was left alone in the
world Saint-Gery lured her to this old
chateau with promise of marriage. Fo,
year or so their happiness seemed to be
complete. butgradually Aurore grew weary
of the long, gloomy corridors and vast, dis.
nal chambers, with the repulsive-l ookine
Saint-Gery for jaier. and made several at
tempts to escape. Failing in this, she seemed
to become desperate, and at different times
lured an old lover OF hers to the castle.
knew of this, but had not the heart to tell
might kill her in fit of rage if it should
come to his snrs. One day. however. re.
turning Unexpectedly, he surprised the
young man in Aurore's company. She
was reclining On a sofa, and he. kneelInp
beside her, as had been his custom WI en-
she was a child In her fathers home. was
combing her wonderful hair. Saint-Gery
fell upon the young man like an nfuriateC
demon, and would certainly have killed
him if had not providen TALLY been in The
chateau and rescued him from my M aster':
clutches. Now Saint-Gery's demeano,
underwent still more sinister change,
He became moody, silent and sullen, II
was only too plain to me that hs wa:
plotting some terrible revenge upon Au
rure. One day all the demons en-
chained in his soul broke loose a
the same instant. Selling the terri
fed Aurore by the hair he dragged bel
now so paralyzed with fear as to bs
unable to utter a shrek or even a groap
Jon keep. and there. with hideous cruelty