The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-02-06
CHAPrER "

The two first days had not appeared
very long.
he had requested,and been granted,
some sheets Of paper, numbered
which he was Obliged TO account for;
and he wrote. with a sort Of rage,
plans Of defense and narrative Of
Justification
The tbird day be began to be un.
easy at Tot seeing anyone except
ahe condemned prisoners who were
employed to serve those confined in
secret cells, and the jailer who
brought his food.
eAm I not TO be examined again7"
he would ask
"Your turn is coming tbe jailey
Invariably answered.
Time passed and the wretched man
tortured by the sulerings of solitary
sonfnemert which quickly breaks
the spirit, sunk into the depths of de-
apair
Am ! to stay here forever?" he
1nosnoJ.
No, he was not forgotten; for on
Monday morning, at one o'clock. an
hour when the iailer never came, he
hesrd the heavy bolt OF his cell
pushed back
He ran toward the door
but the sight Of a gray-headed man
gtaDding on the sill rooted lIm to tho
spot
Father" he gasped, "fatherl"
your father, vest"
Prosper's astonishment at seeing
Din father was Instantly succeeded by
"a feeling OF great Joy.
A father is the one friend upon
whom we can always rely. In the
hour of need. when all else fails, we
remember this mau upon whose knees
VIZ sai when children. and who
Hopthed our SORROWS; and although he
can ia no way assist MS, his presence
alone comforts and strengthens
Without rejecting. Prosper, inn
peliod by tender feeling. wns about
20 throw himself on his fathers bo-
asom. M Ber'omy harshly repulsed
him
do not approach mel" he ex-
Sslaimed
BE then advanced into the cell and
a.lOsed the door The father and son
were alone toge ther Prosper, heart
usroisen, crushed; N. Bertomy, angry,
asimost threatening,
Cas' Oft by this last friend, by his
Esiher fhe miserable young man
asesancd To be stupefied with pain and
disappointment
'.Eou. too" he bitterly cried. You
y,n believe me guilty2 Oh. fatherl"
SJmrc Yourself this shameful COM
esly interrupted NJ. Bertomy. II
Iynow nH"
''ii,i I am innocent, father; / swear
IL oy the sacred memory Of my
nioaAer."
e't'nhapin wretch" cried NJ Ber-
tOmy, do not bla asphcmeln
re seemed overcome by tender
fhougi,ts of the past, aud in a weak,
broken voice, hc added
'.Hour mother Is dead, Prosper, and
iitiie did / think that The day would
come when could thank God for have
Ing taken her frou me. Your crime
would have killed her. would have
broken her heorti'
After painful silence, Prosper
said
"You oserWhcim me, father, and at
the moment when 3 need all my cour-
age when am the victim of an
sndiops plot"
"Victnu!" cried N, Bertomy "vic-
Sim Dare you utter your insinuations
against the honorable man who has
taken cave az YOU loaded you with
l,ene6ts and had insured you a brit
liaot future 10 is euought for you 10
havc robbed him; do not calumniate
hin"
"For pits's sake, father, let me
apeekie
- suppose YOU would deny your
beaolscior's ldnducss. Yet you were
at 0ne time SO sure OF his affection,
that gou wrote rne TO hold myself in
rcasAssess to come TO Paris and ask
Monsieur fau,ei Tor the haud of his
niecc Was that a lie. too2''
mo" said Prosper, ia a ehoked
voice "no."
That wac year ago; YOU then
loved Mademoiselle Madeleine; az
least ,ou wrote me that YOU
"tather I love hei now, more than
.cyec. have never ceased 10 love her. "
NJ Bertomy mad" gesture OF con
aenplnous pity.
Indeed" he cried. "and the
thought of the p-rc. innocent girl
syhon you loved dia not prevent your
sentering upon "a path OF sim YOU
loved her. how dared ou then, with.
out blushing, approach her presence
.af,ef associatios with the shameless
efeatures With whom you we're SO IN
fsntae9'
-t'or ileateu's sake let me explain
lly what fatality Madeleine