The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-02-19

fense at the word, ana, assuming a
defiant attitude, said:
81 have not made, nor do / intend
making any explanation"
Monsieur began De Clameran.
"Allow me to finish, il you please
IT, unintentionally, 1 have offended
the wife of a man whom ] highly es.
TEEN, il is his business to seek re.
dress, and not yours. Perhaps you
will tell me he is too old to demand
satisfaction; if so, let him send one of
his sons. I saw one of them in the
ballroom tonight; let him come. You
asked me who / am; in return j ask
you who are you--you who undertake
to act as Madame Fauvcis champion?
Are you her relative, friend, or ally?
What right have you to insult her by
pretending 30 discover an allusion to
her in play invented for amuse.
ment?'
There was nothing 10 be said in re.
ply to this NJ. de Clameran sought a
means Of escape.
81 avn a friend of Monsieur Fauvel."
he said "and this title gives me the
right to be as jealous of his reputa.
tion as IL it we're my own If this is
not sufficient reason for my inter.
ference { must inform you that his
family will shortly be- mine; / regard
myself as his nephew
"Aht"
"NcNt week. mon -icur. my mar.
riage with Nladom1isrne Madeleine
viii DE publicly announced"
This ucws was SO unexpected, so
startling uat for mou.ept the
clown was dumb; and now his sur
prise was genuine.
But hc soon recovered himself, and,
bowing with Difference, said, with
covert irony:
Permit me 10 offer my congratu-
lations, monsieur Besides being the
belle tonight. Mademoiselle Madeleine
is worth, | hear, haIf million"
Raoul de Lagors had anMously been
watching the people near them, to see
II they overheard this conversation.
eve have had enough of this gos-
sip" he said, in disdaintul tone; II
will only say one thing more, Master
CApNhf anu Ahab 10 thd1 gohA Nohb uc
is too long"
perhaps il is, my pretty youth, per-
haps it is but my arm is still longer"
De Clameran here interrupted them
oy saying:
1T is Impossible for one to seek an
explanation from a man who conceals
his identity under the guise of .,
fool"
''You are at liberty, my lord doge
70 ask the master of the house who
am--if you dare
"You are cried Clameran, "yot
are"
A warning look from Raoul checked
the forge master from using an epi
thet which would have led 10 an af
/ fray, or at least a scandalous scene.
The clown stood by with "a sardouiC
( smile, and, after a moments silence.
/ stared VI. dc Clameran steadily in the
/ face, and in measured tones, said:
81 was the best friend, monsieur.
that your brother CASTOR ever had. /
was his adviser, and the confidant OF
/ his last wishes"
! These words fell like a clap Of thun
der upon De Clameran.
He turned deadly pale, aud startet
back with his hands stretched out be
foro him, as if shrinking from 2
/ phantom.
He tried to answer. 10 protes,
against this assertion, but the words
froze on his lips. His fright was pitt
able.
Come, let us go said Gagors, who
was perfectly cool.
And he dragged Clameran away
half supporting him, for he staggered
like q drunken man, and chung TO ey
cry object he passed, TO prevent fail
ing.
"oh!" exclaimed the clown, in three
different tones, "oh, OH"
He himself was almost as much as
tonished as the forge master, and re
manned rooted to the spot, watching
the latter as he slowly left the room
It was with no decided object il
view that he had ventured to use tn,
last mysteriously threatening words
but he had been inspired TO do so by
his wonderful instinct, which with hin
was like the scent of bloodhound
What can this mean?" he mur
nurs, why was he so frightened
What terrible memory have 1 awak
ened in his base Soul? / need no
boast Of my penetration, or the sub
tlety of my plans. There is grea
master, who, without any effort, in al
instant destroys all my chimeras; h
is called Chance
His mind had wandered far fror
the present scene, when he wa
brought back 10 his situation by som
one touching him on the shoulder l
was the man in the Venetian cloak.
"Are you satisfied, Monsieur Ver
duret?' he inquired.