Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-01-04
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CONTINUED.

: Seuls, uopeIulIy, d1UeIl there were
times of fear-times when she recalled
how little foundation there was for
any certainty that SeriZier was in
Paris, Or even that he lived. The man
for whose going in or coming out she
watched morning and evening might
be far away in the New World, rioting
and reveling upon the spoils Of revo-
luton, conveyed TO him yonder by
some faithful friend; or his corpse
might have been huddled into one of
those common graves which had yawn.
ed to receive hecatombS of nameless
dead
The Durands had both been curious
as TO the fate of SuZon Michel 1t was
known in the Rue Git lie Occur that she
had been active amidst the atrocities
Of the Commune, a shining light in
that fiery atmosphere. She was known
to have carried the chassepot and the
petroleum can, to have been busy
amidst scenes of riot and death. There
We're some who declared that she was
tie peroleuse who had ridden, dress
ed as a yivandiere, at the head of that
hideous procession in the Rue HaXo,
when the priests and the gendarmes
were led to the slaughter, less happy
in their doom than the Archbishop
and his companions, who were mas
sacred within the walls of La Roquette.
Certain it is that she had been seen
more than once in a WANDERERS cos
tune and that she was known to be
one Of the tiercest Of that hellish crew.
The cremerie had been closed from
the first day Of the barricadeS, and
had never reopened. A board in front
of the shop announced that it was a
louer presentement. Either Ia Michel
was verify gone to give an account
of her sins in the land of shadows,
or she was keeping out of the way,
lest she should be called upon to an
Swer for her misdeeds before an
earthly tribunal. This was what was
said of her in the Rue Git lie Occur.
Kathleen knew the popular mind upon
this subject, and she heard Durand
and Rose discuss the question on one
of those rare occasions when she
conented to join them at the neat
little supper table. 1t was almost a
festival for Rose when she could in
duce her sister to spend the evening
with her.
Il have always hated that woman,
said Rose, speaking of SuZon Michel;
"a bold bad woman, capable of any
crime"
"A creature Of strong passions, nc
doubt" answered Durand, terribly
capable OF evil. But L do not know
that she was quite incapable of good
These women who feel SO strongly are
as titful as summer thunderstorm
they will adore Il man one day and
murder him the next. Bat they have
the power to love as well as to hate
they have strength for self-sacrifce
as well as for crime"
Il do not value their love any higher
than their hate said Rose, who hGG
never forgotten her early impressions
about SuZon, never ceased to be jealous
and suspicious Of the woman who
had dared TO love kathleen'S lover
their hearts and minds are all evil
their love is snare. Ii she is deaC
rest in her grave; ii she is living, Coo
grant that she and l may never meet.
1t was only a few days after The
evening upon which this conversation
occurred that Kathleen had startling
evidence of Suzon Michels existence il
Paris, at the very time when peopl
believed her to be either dead or il
exile.
Those first days of September in Y
We're as sultry and thunderous as tn
last days of August. Indeed, it seem
ed as if the summer grew hotter a.
it Waned- The sun shone with tropica
Splenuor all day, and at eventide thu
atmosphere was thick with heat.
1t was between eight and nine, afte
Ler evening watch in a street thu
Barrirre d'Enfer was over, that Kath
leen went to a spot which she ha(
visited in many twilight hour, sine
she first gazed upon it in the din
early mornig on the 10Th of May.
Some said that she had been sho
down on the last of the barbados
yonder at P~1leville; others declared
that they ha4 seen her in gang O
prisoners bound for Satory. No on
regretted her; but there was a morbit
curiosity in the Rue Git lie Occur, ant
two or three adjoining streets, a:
to her fate. Details Of her last hours
seasoned with plenty of blood, would
have been welcome.
, This was the narrow side street il
which she had seen the bloody traces
of her husbands death, at the foot O
the lamp-post. That dreadful spot wa
to her as his grave, and her comm:
, hither had all the solemnity Of pill
grlmage to a grave. The street wa!
t dull and solitary-a street of shabb.
: houses, shabbily occupied by the work
Z ing classes. 1t was new stree
5 which had never attained prosperity
. and three or four of the houses were
/ empty, staring at the sky with curtain
e less windows, and boards announcfn:
0 that they were to let. Here and Their,
: appeared a shop, but a shop which
e looked as if customers were the ex
. ception rather than the rule.
On this September evening the stree
. was empty, save for couple Of wo
e men standing talking at a street-door
e little way from the lamp-poSt b!
' which CASTOR fell. The house facing
this fatal spot was empty, had beer