Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1894-01-06

four hundred miles up the river. and,
be likely to come from La Fourche. !
would bring up this child of my affec.
ton No one there should know of
the faint in her origin: no one should
svcr guess that she was born in bond
age.
This plan put in execution immedi-
ately. 1t promised to succeed. I'm
fortunately. had not taken into ac-
count the precocity and wicIedness of
that boy. lie instantly OWNED the
truth. and began to hold the knowl-
edge of it over me like a rod. For five
years he kept me in constant terror.
not so much by his evil courses as by
the constant threat of betraying my
secret. The amount of money that ]
have paid him for his silence would
represent fortune. At last. in his
twenty-tirst year. he agreed to leave
home and never return. and to keep
his knowledge to himself. | was to
pay him large quarterly allowance.
which has. in fact. been almost dou-
blcd. have relied on his love of
money tn keep him from bctraying
me: and my purse alone has closed his
month. Where the great sums that
have given hiri have gone. the gam
blers Of the river can tell.
loo, back to the time between 1916.
when got rid of this unnatural son.
and 1888. when the tragedy occurred
which will he briefly noticed. as the
happiest of my life. The disagreeable
part was all behind me: conscience. as
well as the fear of exposure. so tortur-
ing in these later wears. did not trouble
me: YOU were growing up, CORY. to he
just what wished you: charming &C.
quaintances. valued friends were all
about me: my success in growing cot
ton was adding enormously to my
wealth. All this was rudely troubled
by the appearance of Napoleon CasteX.
had heard little of this man since
my successful rivalry for the hand of
Emile ma lie him my enemy. After
my purchase of Louise | learned incl
dentally that he had orce visited New
Orleans. and it was told me that he
made particular inquiries about me.
There were norc hut unpleasant recol-
lections connected with him. and |
hoped that | should never meet him
again.
Suddenly. twelve years after my re-
moval from In Fourche. he presented
himself to me. | had no previous
lsaoypl ledge that he-was in the neigh
borhood. and the sight of him discon-
certed me. II was al a ir2ntlcman's
dinnerparty ut ray own house. and he
came with one of the guests whom he
was visiting. knew that the man
was revengcful and good hatcr and
began to tremble for the consequences
of such visit. | conjccturel that If
he had not learned the true cause of
Emilie's alienation from me-. he would
be likely to guess it if he happened to
see you, Cory: for yoa were then about
the age of your mother when he last
saw her. and very closely rcsemblcd
her. And what he should discover !
knew that his hatred of me would
prompt him to spread broadcast in the
ncighborhood.
Before | could form any plan to
check such catastrophe. dinner was
announced. Wewere just seated. when
you. Cory. came To the door and
looked in. prompted, | suppose. by
childish curiosity. CaStcY saw you.
recognized your face, and asked me in
I'rnu,.h IL flint yvcS my Inurhtnr / ra-
piled that she was: and then
The man is dead: must soon follow
him. ! would like to speak to him now
without bitterness or passion: yet !
should not speak the whole truth if |
did not say that his face was shining
with savage JOY Us he gave me the
brutal rejoindcr in French that as
sured me that his discovery would be
published far and near. lie said:
'.Ah. monsieur. Five or six years
hence. when the charming daughter of
Louise Bonfant shall come to the same
auction block in New Orleans where
You purchased the mother. then think
the spirit OF your wronged wife will
feel avenged"
saw that he had deliberately |
planned ID force quarrel on me.
knew that there could b. no safety for
my secret while h. lived 4 duel fol-
lowed. and killci him The wound
that receive at the same time from
his hand lail nc mp for weeks. and
nearly brouTht me to the grave.
Nv rniSar;, data, from that hour II |