Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-10-31
But are you really happy?"

r. HAPPY as man can De and live.
adore myswife, and I think can un-
derstand Adele now as never have be-
fore. will not let her see how much
love her, for see that the unattain-
able is one of the charms for her in life
Her father told me that when she was
quite Convinced that she had lost my
love and that had really left Mel
bourne forever, she was mad to follow
me, and declared that she then knew for
the first time that she loved me beyond
everything else. You smile, Shirley?
But. no matter; she does love me. and
I am satisfied. And now, dear old fell
low, how can I serve you?'
Shirley explained the result of his
visit to Clarice, not emitting to state
the mysterious conduct of the French
| maid as he was about to leave she
house.
The more he mad reflected on the mat
| ter, the more certain he felt that Clar-
| ices message had been compulsory,
dictated, perhaps, by fear for his safe
ty; and he had determined to devote
himself to the discovery Of the real
murderer, as being the best way to
prove his own innocence.
"In my first horror at being suspect
ed, was almost afraid to think where
or how had procured that miniature
OF Clarice; and if any one had Offered
me a proof that I was the man who
killed Philip Grayson, I would have
been afraid to protest my own inno-
cence.
But, as my strength increases and
my memory returns, my mind has
cleared, and can now remember, as III
| a vision, the manner in which I OBJ
tanned the miniature. I cannot swear
to it, for it has returned to me like
something in forgotten dream; but i,
is worth acting on, as it may afford a
clue to the murderer.
'tAfter leaving the church on that
miserable day when I saw my Clarce
the bride of another, wandered AIM
ssly about the streets in such "A con-
dition that it is strange was not ar
rested and locked up on charge Of
drunkenness; doubtless I was quiet,
and that saved me.
"Toward evening + found myself in a
crowded and wretched part of the city.
in the neighborhood of the tenements
inhabited by the hordes Of poor foreign
ers who live in this city. Suddenly, in
the midst of a squalid group, saw a
familiar face and form. It was that Of
a strikingly handsome and extraordin-
airy man, whom had last seen at the
diggings in Australia. It was a face
and figure, once seen, never to be for
gotten, and I followed it mechanically,
because it was familiar. The man
pushed aside the squalid rabblc about
him, and passed on like a prince, while
they fell back about him with a sort of
awe. I noticed even then that they
seemed to know who he was, for they
! called him 'Excelenza' among them
selves. After while he paused at a
dark, narrow alley-way, and as he dis
appeared within it, he cast something
from his hand with a careless gesture,
and it fell, face upward, at my feet.
II stopped ana picked it up. 1t was
thu portrait of Clarice; I felt no sur
prise then; I was past being surprised
or curious I just received it, pressed it
to my lips and then put it in my pock-
ct; and there. no doubt, it remained,
until Mrs. Martin found it.
1T am going to find the detective now,
and tell him my story. 1t is wild and
improbable, and he may refuse to be-
lleve it; but he may think it worth list
to account
1I1S Is EXTRAORDINARY, Sei1u
DR.. Bethune, land you are right in los
ing no time in talking the matter over
with the detective, as no clue-so far as
Fthe public yet knows-has been found to
lead to the murderer. Here, Shirley
have written down the name and ad-
dress of the detective, which learned
in my capacity of spy in your inter.
ests.'
A1yc% oil, 90
fastened away in the direction pointed
out by it.
Hantlin was not at home when Shir-
ley first called. having already gone to
call on Mrs. Grayson; but Austin de-
cided to wait, and his patience was not
severely tried, for the detective re-
and thoughtful, but determined as ever
to discover the whereabouts of the mar
quis Of Castellani.
William Hantlin listened with all the
interest and attention that Shirley
could desire to the curious story. When
it was concluded, he said:
''Well, sir, if you had told me all this
a week ago, would have called YOU,
plainly, stupid blunderer. Things
have come about strangely within that
time. I know now that you are not
suspected, even of Mr.. Grayson's muir.
der, and have every reason to believe
ev cry wcrd Of your story, since 1 have
strong evidence against just such a
man as you describe, calling himself the
Marquis del Castellani."
"Thc same, without doubt" Shirley
said, with decision. "There are prob
ably not two 1nen in the world who
would fill the description. He was not
known as marquis at the 'diggings,
though he claimed to be a nobleman.
and Probably Is, for he was magnif-
cent parsonage altogether. Flung mon
eJ about like water when he had it. and
tc obtain it when he was cut of funds
would cut mans throat without an
irstaEt's hesitation. He called himself
Cs;stel when lie was out there, and
claim ed to be an Englishman; but
there was always a foreign air about
him. However he might have elaine I
any nationality, for he spoke half a
dozen 1anonapaS and smoke all 81 we'll