Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-10-04
| The Daily Short Story:
A STARTLING EPISODE.

Napoleon WHITES was7a happy man.
He had profession, an estate and q
wife.
Like star of the <6rst magnitude had
Amantha Jess.9 dawned upon the
social horizEn of MorningdaIe. None
had known her previous TO her advent,
but there were those who had known
her 1progenitors in the other years.
dis heart had been offered up, and
the offering had been accepted, and.
moreover. Amantha had given her own
heart in exchange.
Napoleon sat in his studio. 1t was a
large. room on the lower floor overlook
ing a broad garden. Napoleon sat
there, smoking a richly colored meer-
sehaum, his mind busy in framing
castles in the clouds of smoke, when
AmaDtha entered.
My angel is going out:'' he said
Wien she had kissed him.
Yes. darling, but not for long. 1
shall soon return. and when l come
back YOU must let me come and sit
with/y you here. 1 am only perfectly
happy when 1 am with my love-
iAmantha went away, and Napoleon
pushed his pipe aside.
Poor fools!' he muttered to himself.
They would have cast suspicious upon
my angels character They would
have made me doubt her. Verify, they
have their reward, and have mine"
He had spoken thus when the door
communicating with the hall was I'M
ceremoniously opened and a stranger
entered. Napoleon arose. There was
something in the appearance OF the
stranger that filed him with awe.
''Ifrdon me. sir. for this intrusion.
My business is Of Importance. Your
nsme. sir
Napoleon whiffles."
'Ah. L thought sol But be seated-be
seated"
MIR. Whites. you wonder why am
here. l saw lady leave this house. n
Lady beautifuI-beautiful without, but
alas. within
Hold interrupted Napoleon. "My
wife has but just left me-"
'Ifeared ii. Her dress was OF blue,
her mantle OF white Grape, her bonnet
o gossamer spray. her tresses golden,
her'eyes heavenly blue, her
Enough again interrupted Napo-
leon. You have described my Aman-
tina
The stranger wrung his hands
Alas. another unfortunate duped
and betrayed.'
Napoleon started TO his feet.
MIR. Whites. l seek no vengeance on
you. Behold in me Emil Blenheim
Once l was for time withdrawn from
the realms Of science. attracted by an
earthly spirit. That earthly spirit dwelt
in the form of Amantha JeSsup. l told
her of my love. and she reciprOcated It.
We were married. \ few short months
OF bliss. few ecstatic months. and she
left me. bore away my Jewels. broke
my heart. I don't blame you, nor shall
my hand rend the fair flesh of the wo-
man who has betrayed us both. but the
law shall decide between us"
Full half an hour Whites sat in his
chair with his head bent forward upon
the table. Finally he arose and went
with tottering steps TO his cabinet and
from one OF the drawers took a pistol. |
He cooked ii, but he hesltated.
NO. This is too CHASTITY work. 1t
shall be more quiet"
He put back the pistol. and from
another drawer he took morocco case |
III HltI were Oh Wits.
He went to the sideboard and into Il |
goblet poured n generous measure OF |
wine. and into the wine lie poured half |
the contents of the vial. then set the |
goblet upon the table before him.
He had grasped the goblet when the |
door Of his room was a second time
unceremoniously opened. He looked mp |
and beheld an elderly gentleman with |
a benevolent aspect. accompanied by |
two stout serving men.
81 beg your pardon, SIR" said the |
elderly gentleman. but this intrusion |
is not without cause. You have had a |
visitor within an hour:"
.Blenheim:" suggested Napoleon.
The elderly gentleman smiled. and
the two stout serving men nodded.
My dear Mr.. WHITES. by that name |
/ recognize my patient, though he has |
no legal claim to It.. Can you tell me
WHITTIER he has gomez"
HE left me half an hour ago. What |
of him? Who is he:'
"a patient escaped from our insane
asylum at Worcester. His name is
Jarvis Thornburn. A railroad accident.
by which he was seriously injured and
,i0n1Anf 0f