Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-09-09
CHAPTER TX.
A Hold Venture


For one reason or another. chiefly,
perhaps, from certain indetiniteness
of purpose end inability to decide hur-
rietlly upon the merits of the rival
schools of medicine in Germany, Rich
ard Somerville had postponed his de-
parture from Paris. Doubtless the at
fractions Of the gay city went some
way in OBTAINING him; for, although
he had heretofore led very quiet, un-
ostentatious life. this had been due
more to lack of means than to any
innate aversion to faster pace. Now
he had ample funds at his disposal, he
had strong feeling of remorse to
fight down, and, like many better
man, he was tempted to deaden con-
science Gf he could not stihc iD by a
period of self-indulgence. Moreover,
he spoke French well and German
very badly. The French medical
schools would, he argued, do as well
as any others for Il start upon his
chosen lifes work. And for all these
reasons he remained in the French
capital. doing very little real work and
participating freely in such pleasures
as came to his hand. Thoughts OF his
wife troubled him not at all. He had
long ago grown weary of her faded
charms and lachrymose humors. So
long as he paid the allowance regular
ly she would be comfortable enough
at Scarborough with her mother.
The first intimation he received that
he still stood upon thin ice with re-
spect to past events came from a para
graph in the Galignani Messenger.
Mysterious Disappearance-Amo
the arrivals from India at Southamp-
ton, by the mail steamer Peshawur,
upon April 9th, was a wealthy young
engineer. Mr.. Ernest G. Norton. He
left for London that same evening and
is known to have arrived safely at
Waterloo; but beyond this nothing has
been ascertained of his movements.
For time it was believed that he had
visited his bankers upon the following
day, but it now turns out that he was
successfully personated upon this oc-
casion by gentleman In no wise even
resembling him. An additional and ro-
mantle interest attaches to this strange
affair from the fact that young and
beautiful girl of high Indian parentage
to whom he. was about to be married,
as the sequel to runaway match, has
devoted herself, with the assistance of
a we'll known private inquiry agency,
to the task Of tracing her missing
lover AS yet, we understand, no Sc
rious suspicion of foul play has been
entertained; but Immediately upon the
fact of the personation becoming
known, the case was placed in the
hands of the Scotland Yard authori-
ties The sum thus fraudulently OBJ
tanned at the bank amounts, we are
informed, to several thousands of
pounds"
THAT accused Zana has been at it
agaln-has been at it ever since"
muttered Somerville savagely crushing
the paper in his hands. Il might have
guessed she will never rest till she
finds out what has become of him.
Fool that have been! At all risks, I
ought to have secured or silenced her"
Then his thoughts ran upon the i'm
mediate consequences to himself of the
publicity thus given to the affair. OF
course Galingani had copied the para
graph from a London newspaper, and
it was sure to go the entire round of
the English press. What if his wife
should see it? Or the servant who had
admitted Norton? The servant, in
deed, might not know the name, or
might have forgotten it, but his wife
must be reckoned with.
A less resolute, self-reliant evil-doer