The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1902-06-12

but it never came: Not long after
this there dawned on Paris anew ac-
tress who took the city by storm
with her grace and her beauty. This
actress was Madelon Deschappelles.
Oh course my master heard Of it
through the newspapers, and it was
like NORWOOD and gall to him. Asut
he used to search with trembling fin
gers, for news of her. After q
while he took up his burden of active
life again, and, year after his
fathers death, he married Lady
Elizabeth.
And it was not week after the
marriage that the world was ringing
with the news of the strange dis
appearance of Madelon Deschap-
pelles. Several days later the body
of q young woman, supposed to be
that of the actress, was found in the
morgue. 1t had lain in the water so
long, and the countenance was so mu-
tilated, rs to be unrecognizable, but
from the richness of the apparel and
the fact that the date of the dis
appearance Of the actress CORES
ponded so nearly with that of the
finding of the body, the theory of
self was given OUT And,
after a nine days marvel. Madelon
Deschappelles was forgotten by the
world, What my masters feelings
were at the news do not know. In
that struggle after his fathers
death. the fight had been so hard and
long and bitter that he had come out
OF it a changed man: '14@re
Things did notsrune on smoothly at
the Hall. A marriage under such
circumstances gave little promise Of
happiness and the breach seemed to
widen between him and my lady day
by day. She was fond of sgayety and
filed the house with company, and
there was junketing, going on from
morn till might. He found this hard
toabear in his moody sorrow, and he
protested; ashe reproached, and so,
gradually, they d1ifted apart, each
living the life preferred. Sir Lionel
had not lost his, fondness for travel
and now and then, when the gayeties
Of sthe Hall became Indispensable, he
would leave it aAl, ana, ticking me
With him. would wander about from
place, to place. .ss.....,.4.;, v,...
! IL was Ct Monte Carlo that he met
Monsieur Montigney. He appeared
at the, Casino the very first evening
of our arrival Ny master: was was wild
over his winnings; he had. no luck.
as a usual thing bit tonight he had
won four thousand francs. He lost
i all as quickly .as ksshadsHon it.
But before the .eyeAipg vas over
Monsieur Montigney had broken the
bank. His luck was phenomenal and
never seemed to desert him, and, as
the days went BY, he became the
wonder ofgthe place, Che night as
my master walked out of the Casino,
the Frenchman joined him. That
was the beginning of an intimacy
between the two men. There was
something winning about the. young
fellow, there's no denying. ] But,
somehow, I never took to him over
much, though he was free enough
with his money, and always a pleas
ant word to throw to you. He and
my master seemed to find one an
other vastly companionable. He had
wonderful. influence over Sir Lionel
and was the only person ever saw
who could break down the barrier of
reserve which, since his marriage,
seemed to shut my lord away from
the rest of the world. Sometimes,
over his wine, or after q night of
unusual good luck at the gaming Ia
ble,. Sir Lionel would talk, drawn out
by questioning, ofsmuch Of his past
life. One night the Frenchman drew
my. master. out to speak to him of
what thought he would never speak
to any man; something Of the story
of Madelon.
One night he.came in from long
walk and called for a timetable. The
next morning, before dawn, we were
on our way to the little village where
his romance had been lived, and
where he had left his youth He left
q note for the Frenchnan, telling
him that he would return shortly !
On the day after our arrival Mon
sieur Montigney made his appear
ance in the villag she put up at an
other inn, however, and kept him
self out Of my masters way. ONCE
oT twiceI thought tt tell Sir Lionel,
but it was no affair of mine. and the
Frenchman had as much right in the
town as any other man, SO, fearing
reprimand, kept my own counsel.
Sir Lionel spent his time roaming
about the old haunts, often going out
at night and remaining until nearly
day. would follow him sometimes
at q distance, for aestrange sense of
uneasiness possessed me. On.A& the
night of the 3Oth Of June, the ami
versary of the night two years be:
fore, when my lord had hidden Made
lon Deschappelles goodbye, in, the
grove near the bend of the river, he
wandered out after dinner, and, as
usual, followed. Once or. twice, as
we walked through the village,
fhonuht r saw firuro al>,,lL;nor IN,