The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-13
AN ODD GUEST.

AuteuI.
One warm day in June I was playing on
my violin, studying 8iendelss0hn, when
suddenly someone knocked at my door.
and man who was entirely unknown
10 me entered my apartment.
l. Il beg your porGOn, monsieur" he said
10 NE, IN a sad voice, lor coming in
upon You without having myself an
nounced. ] am your neighbor. and it is
that fact which makes me so bold.
adore music. Your violin has a marvellous
tone and you play with remarkable tai
emit"
I possess an excellent violin" I an
swered hirl. 1T is en- old Italian one
an Amati
The unknown took the instrument in his
hands and examined it on all sides.
1t is one of che best Of them" said
he; 1t is worth 1900 frarcs. It is not
my instrument he added. Y play the
| ViOlincello."
took the violin from him and began
the adagio again. putting al my soul
into IL
That was beautiful; and how wei you
| rendered the masters thought Once
again, monsieur, pardon me for the as
/ surance with which I opened your door
1 am little odd; have suffered much"
| The unknown buried lis face in his
hands. 7 lost my wife, whom I adored,
under the most terrible circumstances.
! was mad for a long time afterward.' -
L have been cured, he continued. land
am trying to forget IL all. You seem
sympathetic, and I wish to tell you my
story. It is a terrible secret that I wish
TO confide to YOU"
Monsieur" 1 said to him, Il DO not
| wish you to revive any painful memo
ries'
1t win comfort me to tell my story"
/ he went on. II was q years old, pos
/ SCISSOR Of a good name and a fortune
N-r-t. fs4pF
! with a good physique and a fine voice.
Ny efforts in any direction we're crown
| ed with success, and, above all, I was
| well received by the d 'Aufrevilies. an
/ old PoitOu family. The Marquis d'Au-
frevihe was the father Of two beautiful
daughters. Zoe and Denise Charmed by
| their attractions. I went frequently to
/ their home, and became a familiar
/ friend OF the family. l loved both the
! daughters and 1 had at first no greater
] preference for one more than for the
| other. Soon began to see that both
| sisters loved me in return The situation
was becoming embarrassing Ny visits
| became more and more frequent, and
| the feeling Of love between the young
/ girls and myself became more and more
| ardent- After 4 long hesitation ] decided
1 upon Denise, the younger OF the two,
/ for my choice as wife. and I asked her
| hand in marriage. The grief of Zoe was
/ il, but aiasl her efforts were futile and
/ she began to evince a profound hatred
| toward her sister.
My marriage was celebrated by prince
" fetes. The festiv-1les terminated,
| left for Italy with my young wife. There
/ passed the happiest moments of my
life.
About this time Denise's health began
to fail. She suffered indescribable pain;
her disposition changed; she became ner-
vous and irritable The old family ply
stefan came daily 20 see her. He stop
/ ped me often and asked me the strangest !
questions, but accounted for this by
the thought that he was old and in his
dotage. Denise grew steadily worse. and
soon she was too i'll to rise from her BED.
One evening, during Zoe-s absence Denise
suddenly TOOK my hand in hers.
" 'Gaetan, she SAID to me, I am dying
1 cried aloud, No, no!
-" If you only realized howl am dying
Of poison. I am being poisoned by my
sister Zoe
' 1t is impossible; you are delriousp
Last night when She thought me
sleeping, I saw her pour out the poison.
She is jealous Of my happiness; she
wanted TO be your wife. Swear that you
viii never marry her! My dear wife
threw her arms around me. I swore 10
her what she wished, and then-she died
Ny guest was silent for a while. The
story interested me; l was deeply i'm
pressed. re continued:
You may imagine my grief was sw-
ful. Zoe entered. 1 seized her by the
throat, and, dragging her near the bed,
CONFRONTED her with the dea-.
Miserable woman 1 SAID to her, be
hold your work. 1 know an She threw
herself at my feet and confessed her
crime. VIII not deliver you over to
justice ! said. I do not wish TO bring
di=hOuor on y-o1lY family name
will disappear, she replied. sob
bling bitterly. i promise you 1 viii dis
appear forever But the next day they
found her dead upon her bed-she mad
taken poison. The two sisters left me
all their fortune
Il hoped that all was buried in oblivion. |
Zoe being dead, the horrible secret was |
known 10 me alone. But I had reck- /
Oned without the old doctor. On the re-
turn from the cemetery he touched me |
on my shoulder.
Monsieur lie Coute,' he said to me. |
ALLOW me to compliment you on your |
manner OF poisoning people.
What Go you mean2" I demanded.
" Let me tell you that your trial will |
make a noise in the world I had my |
suspicious Of the death OF your wife: to- |
day I have the proofs. L have analysed |
the contents Of the bottle which you /
used TO poison your sister-in-law.
What You accuse me o. MURDER ] /
cried.
Who has profted by this crime?' he l
said You, who inherit from both the 4
victims
Appearances were against me; It was /
enough 20 make me lose my mind. Then /
L schemed. 1 promised 10 Kill myself 4
after going home and arranging ny af- |
fairs, he to go with me On the way, ~ /
night. I pushed him from the train; he /
was killed. 1 said it was an accident. and /
was saved.
These exciting events burnt into my
brain. / became nad-sO mad that ] was 1
confined in an asylum. Monsieur he /
rose, you know my secret.
i did not ask to know your secret" ] I
answered hurriedly.
you know It. therefore there IS one /
too many Of US n the world" nc cried 1
menaclngiy. He advanced toward me.
II am going 70 throw you. too. upol
the track he yelled he fumbied with 4
the curtains AZ the window which over
looked the street. 1t the same moment !
there was g ring at my door. 7 ran 4
quickly 10 open It. I saw a we-.-dressed I
man appear. decorated with the ribbon 81
the Legion Of Honor, followed IS two
hercuiean men
CDR AiaxsestoTu.' he safd. introducing
himself Ia a foreign accent u am the
director Of q sanitariur1- one q my pa
tients has escaped.
Hes here. You've arrived tust r.
time. God be thanked"
1T IS the CCmte &c Martini. al unfor-
tunate who has lost his min6 in cocse-
queuce OK me death % bis wife. whom
he a1Cre1. and who be iEaglnes was poi
soled. we VII relieve you - his pres
ence- These are two keepers from ths