Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-02-24

to his lancet. The vein was opened,
and the rich. thick, crimson stream Of
life flowed freely. She extended her
arm so us to let the blood drop fast as
she moved from place to place through
the chamber, noiselessly overturning
chairs and rending draperies, and leav-
ing upon everything she touched the
commonly-accepted sign of guilt! No
one could have looked upon the room
without feeling convinced that some
awful struggle between victim and as
sassin, for life or death, had gone on
within its walls. When she had COM
pleted her task, she turned toward
Dunbar and laughed the low, fearful
laugh of successful crime and trium-
plant guilt. saying:
"a woman wide awake and sitting
in her chair would not suffer herself to
be murdered without making some re-
sistance! Behold, therefore, the marks
Of a desperate conflict! 1t would be
rich could we be present to see how
the sapient law officers will dweel up
on all these signs as conclusive proofs
that foul crime has been committed!
But by whom?. will help them to
that conclusion, also!'
And, saying these words. she went
and drew the bolt of the door Of the
dressing room. and passed into it. At
ter an absence of five minutes she re-
turned, smiling, and whispering:
He sits in his chair and sleeps like
the dead! His coat lay upon another
chair near him. l have smeared the
cuffs and the inside of the pockets, aud
hidden it in the wardrobe; for it must
Il; ;,,1
my blood has done its work, and if but
my ruse succeede, my veins have not
been drained in vain! Now, bind up
faint. for even l cannot lose so much
of my life-stream without giddiness"
And, even as the fell woman spoke,
she turned CHASTITY white, reeled. and
might have sunk to the floor, had not
the man, who seemed the leader Of the
band. and whom she had called Mon
sieur, caught her in his arms, and seat
ed her carefully upon a lounge. He
bound up her wound and took flask
Of brandy from his pocket and placed
it at her lips. She drank freely,
breathed deeply. and exclaimed hearth
ly, though in low whisper:
"This is indeed eau-de-yic. 1t gives
mo Lew lifc.'
Then. springing to her feet. she said:
I'VE must get her to the boat as soon
as possible. for the transformation can
not be made until l have her to my
self for 4 good hour, and that can only
be managed in the cabin Of the ship.
Brothers. be careful as you go to leave
no veStigc of your presence here. FL
fine. when We have gone. look around.
and see that no sign of our nocturnal
visit remains"
Il will take care of that. madame"
answered the waiting woman.
Now. then. to remove our beauty!
Monsieur. will YOU please to lend 4
hand! Or. perhaps. you will prefer the
undivided honor of bearing her off? If
SO. proceed-'none but the brave de-
serve the fairv" concluded the woman.
The leader approached and raised the
light, insensible form of the victim
bride in his arms, and passed with her
through the French window out upon
the upper front porch, followed by the
other members of the gang-who, in
obedience to the directions that had
been given them, looked carefully
around the room in leaving it, to as
sure themselves that no vestige of their
fatal presence remained to betray
them. And thus they passed from the
bridal chamber. through the front
porch and down the outer stairs to the
path leading through the strawberries
down to the waters edge.
The leader carried the insensible
form of Astrea in his arms. The wo-
man Victorine walked by his side. oc-
casionally shredding off fragments OF
the victims muslin dress, or a lock of
her golden hair, to hang upon the
bushes, saying, with her horrible
laugh:
''This is to make his sapience the
magistrate. believe that her body has
been dragged. struggling, through
these bushes and cast into the sea-!
Thus, you perceive. make it a COM
plete case of perfect sequences! Not a
link in the chain Of events shall be
wanting. 1t shall appear that Astrea
De Glacie has been murdered. and by
him who is called Fulke Greville. And
if the strong objection your democratic
juries feel to convicting a gentleman
does not save him, nothing else will!''
They shuddered-even those evil men
to hear her speak thus! They Meth
err approved or replied. but pursued
their way through the shrubbery until
they reached the waters edge, where a
large boat lay moored and awaited
them.
The body of Astrea was carefully
placed in the stern. And then the
whole party embarked. Six Of them,
three on each side Of the boat. took
oars and rowed swiftly toward a ship
that lay at anchor about mile below
the island.
On reaching the vessel they en-
parked. carefully carrying the body Of
the unfortunate Astrea, who now, too
late, was beginning to show signs Of
returning consciousness
Monsieur bore her down into the
cabin and laid her in berth, and left
her in the care of Madame Victorine.
Then, bounding up the stairs, three
steps at time, he threw off his black
mask and black gown, and revealed
himself as dashing young sea captain
rs ever trod the quarterback.
| At the same moment, as at signal.
his dark companions threw of their
sloughs. and appeared as reckless set
Of sailors as ever worked a pirate ship
Or be arded peaceful merchantmen.
At the word Of command from their
captain the men Immediately COM
mcnced work. Some occupied them
selves with getting up the anchor,