Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1901-07-16
A RACE WITH DEATH
Translated from the French
by Giseile D'Unger.

had learned 20 appreciate, more than
all, the nobility of heart and fatherly
kindness of the good old doctor, and
now, without consideration or regard
for his feelings he heard from his own
lips this terrible reorganization.
unfortunate child" continued the
doctor. what have you been doing?"
Nothing that know" stammered
Anatole, deeply troubled.
Think! try to remember! Tell
me what you have eaten, drank or in
haled?"
This last word proved ray of light
for Anatole. The same morning he
had received letter from one of his
friends who was touring in India. In
She letter he found flower gathered
from the bank of the Ganges by the
voyager, a red flower of fantastic
shape. and the odor. he recalled now,
was peculiarly penetrating. Anatole
searched in his pocketbook and found
the letter and the flower, which he
showed to the learned man.
without Doubt" cried the doctor.
at is the Pyramenensis lndica, the
death flower, the flower of the blood"
you believe this truly?"
81 am positive of it,"
''But it is not possiblet / am but 25
years of age. am full of life and
health!"
AT what hour did you open this ia
tai letter."
AT nine o'clock this morning"
"Ah, well! At the same hour to-
morrow morning. at the same min
ute, in full health, as l say, you will ex-
perience certain palpitation in the
heart, and all will be over"
"And you know of no remedy"
"Not one!" returned the doctor, hid
ing his head in his hands, and he fell
upon the sofa, overcome with grief and
despair.
Seeing the emotion of his old friend,
Anatole realized that he was con
demned to die. He became like one in
sane.
All night, in fever of agitation,
his brain topsy-turvy, Anatole darted
up and down the boulevard, uncon-
scious of his surroundings and that
the streets were gradually becoming
deserted. For a long while he ran
thus until he fell exhausted on a
bench.
The rest was beneficial. He had
been like man who had received a
blow on the head. The stupefaction
was leaving now and he commenced TO
collect his ideas which had been SO
overthrow.
my situation" thought he, sis that
l am condemned to diei l must ac-
cept this without hope, but with grace.
How much time have l to live?"
He looked at his watch.
Three o'clock a. m. 1t is time TO
go to bed. / rest? Should l sleep
these last few hours? No. l have
certainly much To debut whatr Par
bleu! My will to make"
A restaurant was near that remained
open all night. He entered.
"Waiter A bottle of champagne
and a bottle of ink"
He drank glass of Cliquot and then
looked at the paper dreamily.
"To whom shall l leave this legacy
of 5000 francs a year? have neither
them. Among all whom l count as
friends. l know not one-ah! Nicette.
The last wishes were quickly writ
ten and all was bequeathed to Nicette.
1t was done. Anatole drank sec
ond glass of champagne.
Poor Nicette!" thought he. "She
was very sad the last time that | saw
II lfan hn I'm
of the world except those musicians,
those brass blowers at the Conserva-
toire-was not prudent in promising
her hand to one SO brutal whom she
detests. Indeed, she detests him as
much as she loves another, il | am
at all learned in those plain avowals
of reticence and embarrassment. Who
is the happy mortal? l am ignorant,
but it is certainly true that she is well
worthy of the one whom she has
chosen. Good, sweet, beautiful, loving
Nicette merits an ideal husband. All!
she is just the wife l should have if.
1t is infamous to force, to degrade the
life of such treasure with such a
brute. Why should l not be the
chevalier of Nicette? 1t is said that
tomorrow morning-to-morrow it will
J be too late. l must act now. 1t is a
little unreasonable to call, but when
| am told that l will die in five hours
care little for such conventionalities.
Come! My life for Nicette!"
1t was four a. m. when Anatole rang
the bell at the door of the guardian
of Nicette. NJ. Bouvard himself came
to the door in his night cap, and very
much frightened.
"Am l right in supposing you have
caused me this inconvenience to com
municate something of Importance TO
me?"
VERY important, NJ Bouvard. 1t is
that 1 wish you to renounce the mar
riage of my little cousin Nicette to
NJ. Capdenac."
"Neveri monsieur. Never"
at is not necessary to say never nor
always"
Monsieur, my resolution is made
the marriage will take place"
1T will noti"
'sWe shall see! And now that you
have my answer, / will not detain
you"
''This is little more amiable. / am
right if little tenacious. am moi
Announcement.