The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-07-26

upon the awful mental and physical
wreck b fore me. If could but Per-
suade him, little as | believed it my
self, that AurOre still lived, that | had
seen her. touched her. talked with her
in the old chateau near Rouen, possibly
might be able to call his wandering
r. ason back again. My mind was
made up at once. AS l contemplated
remaining in that region as long as the
hunting season lasted, | would send to
Paris for the three packages and de-
liver them to him. The sight of these
letters, the touch of Aurore's beauti. ul
hair. t. gether with the sound OF my
voice, might gradually make Saint
Gery's reason whole again. Alas. Man
proposes, but God disposes. | carried
c thy laid the three packages on
s;aint-Gcry's table one evening and
then left him alone with those remind
crs of other days.
The next morning | found the door
locked. We burst it open There sat
Saint-t;cry at the table with his head
supported on one hand, and his eyes
apparently rivetcd upon something
held in the other.
"Saint-l cry, old friend. how are you
to-day" | called checrily. as | laid nv
hand on his shoulder.
He was dead. He had died sitting
there with his eyes fixed upon the
strand Of Aurores hair.
Putting Il speedy end to m sport in
the woods, | ha stoned to Rouen, re-
solved to seek out Roger, if he were
still alive, and. with the proof | had.
eNtort confession from him. The Old
chateau had bc,n sold for taxes, and
had passed into the hands of a wealthy
manutactu err. who hal completely
transformed the place, destroying its
ancient carvings. panel ngs and hang
ings, and repla ing them with tapes
tries. didn't know the property. 1t
was utterly ST Orn OF it, beauty. 1t
made me heavy hearted to gaze upon
it. so repul lively fresh and new-look-
ing was the lene waited castle and its
garish and lr.tentious surroundings.
But, thank heaven. Roger was still
alive. | came upon him like one from
the dead, and when he had listened to
the account of my finding Saint cry,
and of his strange death, with the
strand of AurOre's hair c!utched in his
or; sp. the aged servitor wcpt bitterly.
CHAPTER III.
But Saint-Gery's death had accom-
plished che thing. at any rate. 1t had
furnished me with confirmation strong
| a holy writ that he hal murdered
/ AurOre, and that il was her material
lied spirit whom l had met in the old
castle. whose icy-cold hair had comb
cd, VIII Sc low purring of relief had
| listened to as | went Il! out the awful
/ task of playing hal .-drcsser to tn
dead.
"Saint-Gery." began Roger, with a
sigh. after he had emptied out his
| grief in tears. was from his very
childhood posse ,sed of Il wild and un.
roverrablc temper. closely borderin.
upon disordered intellect. He had
fallen madly in love with the daughter
! of one of his tenants. AurOre. as beau
tiful a creature as ever breathed. hu,
! the girl feared him. nay almost loatned
! him. | think. at times: and vet he eX-
! erclsed wonderful! power over hcr
: and when her father died and she wa.
Left alone in the world. Saint-Gery
lured her TO this old chateau with 8
promi,e of marriage. For Year or sc
their happine : seemed to be omplete
but gradually Aurore grew weary OF
the long. lpomy corridors and vast
dish al chambers. with the repul-ive
looking Saint-(iery for jailer. anC
made several attempts to escape. Fail
ing in this, she seemed II become des
rerate. ana at different times lured al
old lover of hers to the castle. know
of this. but had not the heart to tel
Saint-Gery of it, Indeed. | feared
that he might kill her in fit Of rage
If il should come t. his ears. One day
however. returning unexpectedly. he
>urpri- ed the young man in Aurore':
company. She was reclining on a sof;
and he kneeling beside her. as hac
been his custom when she was CHI ilt
in her fat her home, and combing aat
hraiding her wonderful hair. Saint
Gerry fell upon the young man Ike
inf uriateu demon. and wo id certaiul,
have killed him if l had not provi
dent ally been in the chateau and res
eyed him from my masters clutches
Now Saint-Gery's 5emeanor underwear
a still more $ mister change. He be
came moody. silent and suilen. Il wa
only too plain to me that he was plottiu|
some terrible revenge upon Aurore
Che day all the demons unclaimed il
hi, soul broke loose at the same in
slant. Selling The mortified Auror.
by the hair. he dragged her-uow :,
paralyzed with fear as to be unable 4