News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-04-30
"As your wifeT inquired Evariste

NOT at first: later, perhaps" replied
| Quillebert. "But she knows too much
about my business to be left here..'
True enough" Evariste said. "But
what has my marriage to do with
thatF"
Everything" QuiIlebert said en-
phatically. II am not a fool. can
see my nose at midday without a can
die. She will not bulge an inch while
you remain unmarried. know her
thoroughly. She is as set as the rock
of Tenerife. When you marry, can
control her, not before. She believes
she can prevent you, but she cannot.
This matter must not longer be put
off. 1t must be brought to finish
now"
81 am not quite prepared Evarlste
began.
"As well prepared as you would be
year hence" Qulllebert interrupted per-
emptorily. Take care! This is vital
| to me. ! have no time to be wasted by
| your chicken heartedness or to devote
| to arguments. Few words are needed.
If you will pledge me to marry Estele
Latiolais before the expiration of 60
days, / will give you the papers of old
Leonidas now and pay you the $4,000
the day after the marriage. If you
fail, will go to France alone, leaving
Laure Juneau here with a full history
of the Geographic will" Quillebert's
face grew hard and cruel. His enun-
citation Of this threat was like the click
of the cooking of a rifle.
"God above us, CONSTANT exclaimed
Evariste, trembling violently. you will
not do that?"
Il certainly WILL" Quillebert said
savagely.
''She will not be believed. The origi-
nal was destroyed" said Evariste in
desperation.
Perhaps. Nevertheless, she could
make great use of the story" guile
bert replied, with a vicious nod.
The torture inflicted upon him by
this menace and the prospect it opened
before him appeared to deprive Eva
riste Of the power of speech. With
terror depicted in his face he stared at
his tormentor until the latter stirred
him, saying:
'Well?"
Il accept your proposition" he said
family. within 60 days Estelle La
tiolais shall be my wife"
"Honc!" grunted Quillebert. "Set
about it at once"
II will begin tomorrow"
"Goodr Qufllebert rose. Reaching
the door, he stopped and said: can odd
thing has occurred. My little pistol,
the one l kept under my pillow at night
and in the armoir during the day, has
disappeared
"Whom do you suspect?" Evariste
asked, forcing a show of interest
Il do not suspect any one yet Laure
is the only other person who knew
where the weapon was. But l will
discover the thief" said Quillebert con-
fidently, and, mounting his horse, he
rode away.
Evariste returned to his room to
brood over the particulars of this most
disturbing interview. The Importance
which Laure had assumed as a factor
lied it. The mention of her name in
connection with the missing pistol
caused him an uneasiness, too, he could
not shake off. Her passion, protesta-
tons, warnings and prophecies pre-
scented her to his harassed thoughts as
an impeachment to his purpose, mex
orable and mysterious.
hn n toll hn
pie by the conditions of civil war he
had escaped through means of the
contraband trade so successfully prose-
cuted by the genius Of Quillebert. From
France he stocked his larder and buff
fet; from Paris he supplied his ward
robe. Hence, when, after a night of
feverish unrest, he set out in quest of
his bride he was arrayed, primmed and
perfumed as became a gallant of the
boulevards, extensively incongruous to
the neighbors clad in homespun, the |
broken fences and grass grown fields
he passed on the dusty bayou road.
There was unrest, too, at the La
tiolais home. Age, dissipation, hyp- |
notes and remorse were fastening the |
" NIGCh anu
death. Night after night he walked his |
room with shaking step, sleepless and |
bemoaning his impotence to recoup his |
own and Estelle's estates or conceal |
the unworthy methods by which he
had inCumbered them to crafty his
low appetites. Her written authority
to mortgage for maintenance, unques-
conferred on his advice, he
had meanly used to protect his gam
bling debts and bills for rum and NOR
phine, leaving the legitimate accounts
unsecured and bearing
ruinous interest. His perfidy would be-
come known to Estelle and the world
at his death, now fast approaching;
his memory would be eXecrated by all
honest men; his grandchild would in
herit only poverty and his disgrace.
The sole escape lay in her preceding
him to the grave; his only hope was to
die before the storm broke. These
goading, unrelenting thoughts banished
sleep; distress gave free current to his
tears, whether alone or in the presence
of Estelle; the coma of opium was his
refuge.
When Odette announced Evariste