The Lamar register., 1893-05-13
as fragile as the most delicate he hsi

as fragile rs the most delicate he b,i
ever seen.
''Ah! there it Is. on your bosom.-
cried Julia. drawing of, and, for the
first time, laughing.
Martels shuddered He would have
preferred to have had there serpent
coiied with its venomous fangs turned
toward his throat
"fou will go back now. " continued
julia. grasping his arm. This is
the monthly date of fathers death. Z"
Martels was eager to quit the place.
lie wanted TO jerk from his breast
that accursed flower, born of Satan.
and to trample it under his feet.
Julia Van Rettig conducted him
toward the door Of the conservatory.
but stopped in front of the old chair
In which hcr father had pursued his
passion.
.'Sit down." said she.
Martels looked at her for a mo-
ment, and obeyed mechanically.
''lt is his chair. You recoilect it?-
II. Julia?r
why not9 You recollect the
night you were with him. You re-
member how you told him you would
hood the market with blue tulips"
He was bewildered. There was not
a doubt now Of the woman's insanity.
Martels looked toward the door and
seemed to calculate how he could
reach II without encountering the
hand which he dreaded as he mover
dreaded anything in all his life.
You came to the house that night.
Somehow you found your way to the
garden and surprised him ut work
You came hither for purpose. You
may have talked some time with him
ere you broached the subject nearest
your heart, but you came to it at
last. He would not accede to your
demands. Father would not give you
the last OF the Van Rettigs; he would
not let you rob him OF the only child
whose coming reminded him of the
days of his ancestors when they re-
sided in old Holland"
Woman, you do not know what
you are saying" he broke forth.
what! in the house the night
your father died9n
You were here. You made the
threat which took his life as certain
ly US a daggar could have taken it.
You were going to flood the market
with blue tulips You pretended to
have discovered the fabulous flower.
You said you could render the blue
tulip so common that the coat-of-
arms OF this house would lose its
fame. In this place you struck him
down with a boast which was a lie as
black as the heart in which it was
coined. | was yonderr'
The hand OF Julia Van Rettig
pointed toward the door OF the gar
den. and Martels following it with
his look. saw that tho portal stood
open just enough to let her sinuous
figure out.
With cry he caught the flower
which Julia had fastened to his lap
pei; but the next moment he uttered
a shrek The tulip seemed glued to
his fingers
ut is the blue tulip of vengeancer
her voice rang out. ut is the death
flower OF the Van Rettigs!', She
pushed him back into the chair.
"You will live until the poison now
in your blood reaches your heart.
You will die where three generations
of Van Rettigs sought in vain for the
flower of their ancestor. For this
hour | have waited. Julius Martels.
that tulip was made blue in order to
send through your blood the poison
which entered your body when you
pulled the flower away. The blue
tulip has done its work"
julia Van Rettig was at the door.
The man. helpless in the old Hollan-
der's chair. only looked at her. The
door opened and shut. and the state
ly figure of the beautiful woman van
ished. National Tribune.