Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-03-09
BLOOD.
CHAPTER xnL-CoNTINUED.
DY NJ. Z. DRADDoN.

there was new life at the end of this sudden
Journey. Yes, there was q revelation at
hand, about CASTOR. She kept herself calm
and steady while those two others were or
hre with excitement. Between them she
and Suzon Michel carried Kathleen down.
stairs to the fly, the three women got inside,
Kathleen wrapped ~ thick shawls. Philip
got on the box beside the driver; In crack
or so of his whip they were rafting into the
Boulevard st. Mlehel.
1t was a longish drive to tho Place
d'Italie; but, urged by Suzon, the man got
over the distance very quickly. The dull
side-street looked unspeakably dreary in
the wintry gloom, the lamps burning dimly,
the windows showing little light-signs Of
failure and poverty on every side.
The fly stopped before that empty house
which Kathleen had noticed in the summer
cleaning. The board was still hanging
above Il. door, the windows were all blank
and dark; but Suzon opened the door with
her key, while Durand lifted Kathleen out
of the vehicle.
Garry her upstairs, following me-" said
Suzon; "but she and i must go into the room
alone. You others must stay outside"
1T is not trap is it?' asked Rose, fright
ened. "You mean her no harmY'
II mean her all the good in the world. and
she knows it," answered Suzon, holding
Kethleen's hand, which feebly pressed hers
In response TO these words.
They stopped at the door of the back room
on the first hoOr Suzon first; then Philip,
with Kathleen carried OH his shoulder Rose
in the rear, but pressing close against them,
lest there should be danger ahead.
Kathleen slipped from Durand's arms,
and chung TO Suzon Michel, as the latter
opened the door. The two women went in.
to the room together, and Rose and her hus.
band were left outside.
There was one instant's silence, and then
a wild shrek, shrek hat might be terror,
grief, or JOY. One could Eot tell what 1t
meant, outside the door.
Rose was in an agony. She would have
dashed into the room, but Philip held her
back.
Let them be for few moments" he
said. "Msrtcmar is alive. The mystery can
be only that-alive, and shut up in this
house. under watch and ward of that we
man."
Two minutes after, the door was opened
by Suzon, and the Durands went in. The
room was comfortable enough within, DESC
late as the house looked outside. The furni-
ture was humble, but neat and decent.
There was fire burning in the crate, lamp
on the table.
In an easy-chair in front Of the fire sat a
man with his leg in splint5 from the hip
downwards. He was pale to ghastlinesS
and had the look of one who had but begun
| the slow progress Of recovery from a S elk.
ness nigh unto death. His hair and beard
were long, his hands thin to transparency.
Yes, it was CASTOR Mortemar, and his
wife was kneelng at his feet, kissing the
wasted hands, murmuring sweetest words,
nesting her head in her bosom, ineffably
happy.
II give you back your dead" said Suzon
solemnly. "He was left for dead when ]
picked him up and brought him in here, shot
through shoulder and hip and leg with half
q dozen bullets. The surgeon brought to
him said il was n hopeless case; but for the
sake Of sSrgery,a as an amateur, he would try
to cure him. For two months he lay in in
slant DANCER. For seven weeks he was mad
with brain fever-fcver that came from the
pain Of his wounds. / have nursed him
through all. The surgeon VIII tell you IL
have been a faithful nurse. And now 1
give him back 10 you, not healed. but on the
fair road to recovery; although he will be
lame all his life. poor soul; but that does
not count in n writer, does it? lie will be
all the greater with ais pen il he has less
/ temptation 10 roam."
"Bless you'll May God bless and reward
you for your devotion r. cried Kathleen.
bah! There is no question OF blessing
or reward. have been wicked woman.
j kept him like bird in cage, and l let
| you think him dead, and / told him you had
persisted OH the last day Of the barricades,
and let him mourn for you. He was help
! less, In my power. and lied TO him and
cheated him. But snatched him from the
! jaws Of death; the surgeon who has attend
ed him will tell you that. l dragged him
into this empty house, dragged him away
! just as the last batch of SerlzleT's blood
hounds were turning the corner of the street,
whooping for more blood; and kept him
here, closely guarded, hidden from all the
world, except the surgeon, who believed
that he was my brother lie could tell no
tales. poor fellow, for it is only within the
last three weeks that he has been in his
right wits"
/ Gaston's head was leaning forward against
Katheen's, the husbands haggard brow
against the wife's wasted cheek. Both faces
were the image OF death, ana yet radiant
with a newborn life-the sublime light Of
happy love.
''She told me you were dead, Kathleen
| he murmured.
Forgive her, dear. She saved you, and
] have avenged you. o my Lowell my Lowell
Ged is good. He has given you back to me,
out Of the grave"
How did you manage to occupy this
house, and to keep your existence here
seeretp" asked Durand.
There was no difficulty. was not with
out means. i went TO the landlord. and Of
! fered him half the rent Of the house for the
I use OF two or three rooms at the back. The
house had been inlet n year and half--the
street is failure-so he was glad to accept
my offer, and the board was left up over
the door 10 avert suspicion. The people
who saw me go In and out took me for a
caretaker; nobody asked any questions. L
/ had van-load Of furniture brought here
after dark from my rooms at the cremerie,
and made things as comfortable as ] could
/ for my patient. If he had any knowledge
Of those dark DAYS he would know that 1
nursed him faithfully. For six weeks l
scarcely knew what 1t was to sleep for an
/ hour at a stretch. ] had a mattress at tho