Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-11-27


umph.
"Yc~, sister, You are right" sigh~l
kJphil. shaking her head "Popr young
man, thought myself h. loved Olivia ="
"who loved Oliyiai" Iaskcd sharply.
"fclix Briarheld." said Aunt Jane.
"when his brother went to America,
h. was always with her and no doubt
loved her dearly. can scarcely wonder
NJ that, as she l. so lcautiful n girl
tut he behaved very well. and when
Francis came back went To the cUnti'
nent
"IIe Wa unable 90 bar the sight Of
bis brothers, happiness. " aid Aunt So'
phia scntimcntally. Poor young man
have no doubt his beart Is broken He
actually left Marshminster before his
brother arrived from America. - as to
spare himself the painful sight Of their
happiness.
saw by this conversation that my
surmis. was correct. Felix had fallen In
love with Olivia while his brother vas
IN America. and ,clhshly determined
not 10 give her up had devised the idea
IL passing himself of as Francis With
this In his mind he had gone 10 Paris
and pretended 10 stay there, then reap
psar,d to Marshminster ~ Francis, nj.
leging an earlier return from Chile as
an excuse When Francis really return
ei. Felix asked him 10 be at the Fen inn
~ A. 20 rid himself of his brother Ia
fore he could see Olivia
Whether he intended To kill franci,
or 90 merely explain matters could no,
tell, but nj all events Francis had been
murdered. and I firmly believed that
Felix was morally guilty Of the crime
The suppression Of the letters, the sub
s,itution Of himself as Francis and the
dexierOus manner In which he had rid
himself Of the corpse, according to Mcr
rick's theory. all showed me that ] had
a dangerous and reckless man Ia deal
with But after the clever way In which
he had baiiicd me In Paris by resuming
his name ! was prepared for any vii
lainy at his hands He had committed
himself 80 far that he could not draw
back and was compelled 10 follow crime
by crime In order To bolster mp his po-
| titiOn.
lie was going to town with the evident
intention ~ evading me. Doubtless he
thought that. deceived by the episode
at the Hotel dies Etrangcrs, had quite
abandoned all idea of mcddling Ia the
affair. But for Mcrrick should Ger.
tainly have done 80 Now that Merrick
saw the matter In the same light n
I did I was determined to ~ ON. but
r,solyed 10 give no hint of this TO Felix.
When he left Marshminster. I could
pursue my inquiries at leisure. Already
had been too rash In revealing my In.
tention., for had not mentioned my
journey 20 Paris Felix would not have
been put ON his guard and baf'led mo 80
slroitly.
had at least gained one important
piece Of information. which In itself
was sufficient to break OF the match.
The passenger list of the Copiapo proved
conclusivcly that Francis had not reach
ell England before the 9th of June, and
this shown 10 Olivia would show that Fe.
lix was passing himself OF ~ her lover
With such proof could stop the mar
riagc Immediately, but preferred TO wait
until gained further evidence impli.
eating him In the murder Of his
brother. I believed Mcrrick's theory 10
b. true and quite expected 20 find that
Felix had ridden out TO the Fen inn for
the purpose Of hiding his brothers body
In one Of the hog holes.
"By the way" asked Aunt Jane as
we parted for the night, ''how dos
Miss Bellin looki Like happy bride.
ehy''
"By no msanA /" replied my aunt sol.
smnly, "shs look. ~ md miserable