Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-04

AZ ny Goal. o1Uiy eiiOtlSl, uameO
you as executor. l knew that you had
loved the mother, though, Is God is my
judge, did net know it when I mar
ried her. But 1 am ready if you are
"Thas VIC stood up and fired Of each
other. Tie startling news just received
made my aim lad, for instead CT hitting
hin in tho heart, as could easily have
done, my bullet struck him in the head.
he fell, and I rushed toward him, to
discover whether he was badly hurt.
he was bleeding profusely, and hasti-
" bandaged up the wound and so stop
ped tho flow of blood. 1 then went on
to the next mining camp beyond. We
returned with n litter, and took him
back. There was a man among rs who
Claimed that he had studied medicine,
and he attended my cousin. He removed
the bullet. and found that the wound
was not very deep, but the skull was
fractured. He was i'll for two months,
and then slowly recovered his health.
But his reason was entirely gene 1 took
bin to New Orleans and placed him in
Ell asylum, and there he has been ever
since
very good, Mr.. Mitchell" said Mr..
Barnes. But what proof have you that
you are not the father and the lunatic
the innocent cousin, as SO many believer"
why, in the first place, though we
had the same name, We are totally I'M
like in feature. think Mr.. Neuilly
will admit that he would not have rec
ynl la -,
man. However, we will take that up
later. have no fear Of not proving my
identity. Too many people i'll New Or
leans know me. To continue my tale, I
determined to get possession of the
child. knew that the Montalbon would
resist and that 1 would find it difficult
to prove my story. More than all, I
knew that could not obtain legal DOS
session OF her without disclosing the Sc
cret Of her birth, which 1 wished to
avoid for her own sake as well as for
her mothers. Therefore stole her OPEN
~ in the streets. Detectives were sent
out to search for me, but perhaps Mr..
Barnes will testify that 1 am not much
afraid of detectives. Perhaps, too. he
VIII understand better now why know
something about detective methods. I
led them dance for two years, until in
disgust they abandoned the search.
Then went abroad, for must tell you
that as long as | was bounded 1 re-
manned close at hand. enjoyed the ex-
citement. 1t made me forget, OF at least
it gave me occupation.
81 remained in Europe until my re-
cent return to New York. 1t was not
very long after that when received
the letter from Montalbon and the
photograph which 1 showed to you. I
recognized the picture, though, of course,
l should not have known the signature,
which was Rose Mitchell l did not fear
the woman, but expected some enjoy
ment at her discontinue when should
tell her to DO her worst. was not pre-
pared Tor what occurred. When she met
me, she began by saying:
~ have not tho least idea of at
tempting to blackmail you, though per-
haps could 90 that. But I have that to
sell which l think you would be glad
to buy asked what it was, and she
told me:
A certificate Of marriage between
your cousin and the child's mother, q
certificate Of marriage between him and
myself, antedating that, and another
certificate Of marriage between myself
and another man who was alive at the
time that I inveigled your cousin into
marrying me.'''
''Great Leavenr' exclaimed Mr..
Neuilly. eff she had those papers, they
would prove that her marriage to your
cousin was illegal, and that would
make tho marriage to Roses mother
perfectly regular
Exactly so. paid tho woman Sl0,-
600, OF the equivalent Of that sum, for
those documents. We're they not worth
it:''
Indeed, indeed they ere. I would
have given twice the sum-
''Now let lie show you the audacity
OF the woman. She told me that in case
l should refuse TO pay her price she in
tended to claim me as her husband, eG-
hibiting her certificate and leaving me
to prove If l could that she had married
my cousin and not myself. This, you
see, would have been most unpleasant,
and rs the papers were well worth the
price, in clearing the name of my cousin
and his wife and child, paid over tho
money"
81 must again ask you" said Mr..
Barnes, "for proof that you are not tho
woman's husband
"Does not the fact that she sold me
those papers indicate that:''
Mot at all, replied the detective.
'Supposing you to be really her hus-
band, wishing to be married to Miss
Renscr, you would readily pay the
woman her price for the paper which
proved that your marriage to her had
been fraudulent. You might have found
1t difficult to prove the existence Of her
hrst husband without knowing his name,
svon though she had given you the hint
that there was such a person.
81 declare, MIR. Barnes, you are a
doubling Thomas. But will give Won
tne more bit of evidence" He went to
lis desk and returned with some papers.
dere Is confession which / exacted
from the WOMEN az the time that rnade
the bargain with her. You see, it con-
firms my story. But e1cn that you