Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-03-23
CHAPTER XIII.
A Suite PLOT

shalls when they arrive and pave the
way for you"
Make no mistake'
twas the afternoon Of the day succeed
ing that which had witnessed Bent
rice MERGERS strange act OF generosity.
Beatrice herself, in proprla persona,
the disguise she had hitherto adopted
now abandoned, lay upon a couch In
one corner OF her sleeping apartment,
She was no longer disguised, but there
was a change in her from her ordinary
appearance that was most remarkable.
Her face looked thin and wretchedly
white, her eyes heavy As she lay back
on the pillow, her labored breathing and
hectic cheeks seemed to Indicate hot,
burning fever.
A hot, burning fever she had, but
produced by artificial means. This
schemer had paused at nothing
to accomplish her ends. To further her
schemes an assumption of mortal i'll
ness had been necessary, and her
worthy coadjutor, Dr. Simms, had not
when he told her that the
contents Of the little phlal he had given
her tn day previous would bring about
the result she desired
These two had plotted we'll in unison,
and as he entered the outer room Of the
suite he assumed that grave, serious eX-
preston of face that the average physi-
clan wears while attending patient in
the last extremity.
He opened the door with warning
noiselessness as there came a tap final
ly. A servant stood there, two persons
at his side.
Gentleman to see Miss Leslie, sir,
he announced, withdrew, and Doctor
Simms ushered his two visitors into the
room and pointed to chairs, his serious
manner evidently surprising them.
Colonel Marshall was the one, his son
Raymond the other. The former was
all curiosity and excitement. AS to
Raymond, as he sat gazing vacantly at
the floor, his hollow cheeks, haunted
eyes and detected bearing generally
told that the present visit had no inter
est for him.
Doctor Simms!" calculated the Colo
mel. Why came to see"
Miss LesIie?"
yes.
Miss Leslie is dying woman, Colo
mel Marshall.
What"
With an increduous gasp the Colonel
started to his feet.
Yes she has been ill for some time.
| was summoned yesterday afternoon.
| found her fevered, almost delirious.
She asked me to receive YOU"
Doctor, you amaze me! This strange
lady"
Has an iron will even in death She
has explained everything to me. She
insists upon seeing yourself and your
son, even in her dangerous condition. 1
told her that the shock might kill her,
but she insists.
Doctor! | ain a. a perfect loss to
understand this lady's remarkable gem
crosby in my behalf-the mystery sur
rounding her
Here are the notes she took yester-
day. She babe me destroy them in your
presence,
Wait! DON'T l really cannot ac-
cept all these favors from a stranger"
The Colonel spoke too late. The
documents were blazing on the hearth.
He was a free mani A stranger had
liberated him from all the financial en-
tanglements of the hour
Doctor" he painted, this mystery is
maddening. Who is this lady?'
"You will be surprised when you
know. Conc; you, too, Mr. Marshall"
to Raymond.
He advanced to the door of the Sleep
ing-room and tapped lightly. The
nurse opened it, Awed, startled, Col
Marshall stood in the center of the
apartment, gazing obviously at the fig
ure lying on the couch, its face Turned
from him.
Quite as curious and Interested for the
moment, Raymond Marshall looked up,
too.
Miss Leslie has asked me to explain
to you why she has interested herself in
your behalf, spoke the Doctor, in calm,
measured accents. Her act has been
one in measure of atonement, of COM
pensation for a wrong done a member of
your family"
"Ha.' exclaimed the Colonel with
start, she must be, then, some relative
of the wretch who robbed me-who en-
comprised me in all this trouble, my
former partner"
Not at all. She simply deceived
member of your family. She Is familiar
with the troubles of your son, as we'll as
yourself, and she desires me to impart
some mournful information to him.
Mr. Marshall, will you kindly read that
article?"
The Doctor had handed to Raymond
Marshall the newspaper which had first
set Beatrice on the trail OF Edna Deane.
1t chronicled her death at the snow
laden bridge, So accurately did it de-
scribe Edna and her attire, that, as
Raymond Marshall perused it, with dis
tended eyes and ashen face, he could
not mistake the truth. With u wild cry
he sank to a chair, the paper huttering
to the floor.
Dead! dead he walled "All hope,
then, is lost"
What may all this have to do with
the lady here?' began the astounded and
mystiied Colonel Marshall.
Much. This ordeal is trying, fatal
to her, but she insists. Nurse, turn up
the lamp. Colohel-Mr. Marshall, your
benefactress, the lady who makes an
atonement for great wrong, is --"
Beatrice Mercer!"
In surprised accents from the Colo
nePs lips, in gasp OF incredulity from
those of Raymond Marshall, rang the
name simultaneously, as the pretende d
invalid turned her wan features toward
them.
Dying features they We're, to all SEM
blance. The Doctors art and her own
deft acting carried out the intended
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