Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-28
CHAPTER XII.

| command, had written an account Of his
invention, and sent 1t by post to Evelyn.
| Evelyn received IL in the morning, and
read It. The description Of the contrivance
| did not convey much meaning to her mind;
1t might be Of Importance, 1t might not.
| She hesitated as to whether she should
| show it to Vansittart. She had promised
something to the child-but not that. She
| felt nervous about 1t, and wondered why.
The sweet face of Marie rose before her.
Then she thought of the strangeness that
| the child should live at No. II Rue Pigalle;
then of the strangeness Of the fact that at
the moment when vansittart had appeared
at the door the girl should have said: "He
may return sooner than you expect" OF
| course, she argued, 1t must have been a
mere chance. The gentle girl. though she
lived in that house, could have had no
| foreknowledge OF the blowing up Of the
railway. Yet, II the expression was mere
chance, a coincidence, 1t was a singular
one; so singular that 1t seemed to her like
an omen, a warning. She hesitated.
At 10 she decided that she would not
show 1t to him that day. She would wait
| and think-tomorrow would do. About II
| she heard that all Paris had turned out
to mend the rails. that they would soon
be finished, that vansittart would be able
to set out in the afternoon. This Increased
her sense Of responsibility; she must shew
him now, II at all. What did she know
the thing might, in reality, be Of the
greatest importance to the issues Of the war.
How she would regret 1t, II, afterwards, 1t
was proved that her hesitancy had cost to
France single life! At 12 she showed the
letter to Vansittart.
They were sitting together in their little
sanctum where Marie had, the day before.
been received by Evelyn. As soon as Van.
sittart began to run his eye over the
| scribbled leaf, his brows knit. He read
it through; bent closer over 1t, read It
again. Then he threw his head backwards
and cried aloud:
"Good, heavens, what brilliant ideal"
els it's IT." painted Evelyn.
1.-THE man who wrote this letter is a very
great genius, that's ALL" he answered con-
fldently.
"And you will see him7 You will see the
model?"
20, rather!"
"When. today?"
"This is the only day I've got"
"Jerome-dear-l have certain fears, half
suspicions--l don't know how to tell you"
Come, sit here-no, the other knee Is the
whole one-now. out with It,"
Then Evelyn told him about Marie and
her Madonna face, and how she lived at the
wrong house, and how, to the minute. she
had prophesed his return.
"But you liked her?" he said, "you liked
her face?"
eyes"
"You trusted her?"
Eyes, wholly"
"Then that Is enough. You never yet
trusted anything that was base, Evelyn.
I can't help thinking that Of all the women
In the world, nay darling Is the most
sensitive and instructive. to the approach Of
the evll-doer. O, have noticed, you know.
That is so. II you like her. Marie is true
to her core"
Still Evelyn was restless and forebod-
ing.
Eyes. do not doubt It," she said. "sut-
But what?"
"she may be the dupe Of Others"
"She may"
"And this plot to keep you in Paris"
II do not forget It,"
"This may be q ramihcation, a thread Of
it,
"It may"
Puff. puff, came the smoke from his lips,
he blowing 1t away from her face.
"Then you will not go?"
eyes. will
"Ah, obstinate!"
"No; not that I reason In this way.
Marie is true to the core, for you trusted
her, till chance circumstances turned you
against her. And. let me add. Armand is
true to the CORE for no man would reveal
to me an idea like this-it is one Of the
grand inventions Of time, I tell you-if he
were at all hostile to me and France. Very
WE'LL then, Armand and Marie are true:
that's settled. Now suppose I go and visit
Armand without any human being but you
and them two, knowing Of it, then I think
I shall be in q position to defy your plot.
Err? What do you say, now?"
She had nothing to say. She buried her
head on his shoulder. murmuring. GOD
preserve my dear!'
Vansittart's reasoning about Marie and
Armand was good, and, indeed, infallible.
He was not aware, however Of the strange
will of NJ Carhaix. and the legacy Of strife
and bitterness which this gentleman had
left to his nieces.
BY o'clock Evelyn had written to Marie.
The more direct way would have been to
write to Armand. but time pressed, and
there was the probability that Armand
man and bachelor, would be away from
HoIne, WITHOUT having leIt Denlnu any IN
dications of his whereabouts. She chose
her messenger with great care, a man OF
prudence, whom she knew and trusted. She
described Marie minutely to him, and told
him on no account to deliver the letter into
any hands but her own.
At that time Vansittart did not imagine
that the enthusiasm of the Parisans would
finish the work on the railroad SO early
as 8; he thought. however. that late at
night 1t would be done. At about 10 he
might set out for the station with all Sec
recy, for he had no intention, II he could
help 1t. OF being assassinated on the way.
Armand's lodging lay in an obscure street
not far from his route. So he told Evelyn
to make the appointment for 1890.
This, then, wrote Evelyn. Marie. on the
receipt of the letter. was at once to run
and fnd her lover. tell him and bind him
to absolute secrecy. She. Marie, as soon
as she had read the letter. was to tear It
up and scatter the pieces. She was warned
that II she mentioned the matter even to
her closest relations she might do infinite
harm to her friends. The messenger had
a hint to await and see that the letter was
destroyed before his eyes.
A little after ! he reached No. II Rue
Pigalle. He rang the bell and the wicket