The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-02-22
CHApTER-Nv

Time had dulled the remorse and
anxieiy or Valentine In the genial at.
snosphere Of a happy home she had
found rest and almost forgetful-
hcss She had suffered so much at be-
eng compelled to deceive Andre that
she hoped she was now even with
fate.
She began to look forward to the
Future, and her youth seemed b-ried
sn an impenetrable mist, and was, as
" were, the memory of painful
6rcam.
One rainy November day her hus.
hand had gone to Provence on busi.
ness. She was sitting, gazing into tho
b-iaht fire, and thankfully meditat-
Sng upon her present happiness, when
9bc servant brought her a letter,
which had been LEFT by a stranger,
vvho refused 30 give his name.
without the faintest pe-su,meH
of evil she curelcssly broke th. at
and in an instant 0as almo p..r'Hc,
by the words which inc her trrf.d.,
eye;
Madame Would IT bc relying tot
anuch upon the memories of the pas
70 hope for half an hour of YOU
time?
Tomorrow, between two ana
three, will do myself the honor
sailing upon you.
THE MARQUIS or CLAAIERAN."
All she had hoped and believed that
The fatal past was atoned for, ant
buried ia oblivion; and now it stool
Before her, piiiiess and threatening.
Poor womanl As il all human vii
could prevent what was fated TO be
~ was in this hour of security
when She Imagined herself pardoned
Chat the storm burst upon. the fragih
-ediiice Of her happiness and destroyed
her every hope.
The dreaded day came, and with +
Che man. But to her amazcmcnt
was not CASTOR whom She saw, bu
his brother, Louisl Her emotion wa,
too deep not to serve his purpose
and fhongh she preserved enough
GOODNESS not TO place herself i'm his
power, by accepting his fiction o
CASTOR dying in his brothers arm
Iater in Paris and consigning to hin
Ghe care OF his son. she could not al
togeiher shake him Off.
On the other hand, she dared no
confess to her husband, who woult
never have confidence in her again
and she refused the sympathy o.
Madeleine. The girl had OWNED tina
she was In distress. and had pleaded
ca learn the cause.
The plotter gave time for the poison
Co work; Eyhen he communicated with
Der again. it was to ask her TO cal
on him as his hotel.
The poor woman, i'm the coils, dared
not siaY away Here another surprist
awaiEod her. The marquis was no.
in the rooms. He who received hei
was cherubic youth. who announced
himself in q sweet voio,, which wruna
her heart, as Raoul Valentine "Wn
son II was her castaWay sonl
This voice was so like Gastou's thai
ahe seemed once more 20 be listening
20 the lover OF her almost forgottet
youth
IL seemed only yesterday that Gas
ton lad pressed her TO his faithful
heart; she saw him still, saying, gent
Nv.
~In three years, Valentine! Wait
for mel"
Andre, her two sons, Madeleine -
all were forgotten In this new-found
affection.
in her maternal love her folly she
did not SO much as glance at the
proofs which this young man wa,
ubundantly provided with.
From that moment she was inex
tricahly entangled i'm the tolls 10y
C3ameran and Raoul de Lagors. foI
the plotter passed him of as hei
nephew that he might visit the bank
sr's wife with impuuity.
No remorse for the past, no appre
hensions for the future, disturbed the
satisfied present. 70 her the futur,
SSas tomorrow; eternity was the six
teen hours which must elapse before
another Interview.
She seemed to think that CASTOR,
death absolved the past and changed
the present
Her sole regret was her marriage
Free with no family ties, she could
bRVe consecrated herself exclusively
20 Raoul. Ho" gladly would she have
sacrificed her afliueure 10 enjoy power.
~ with himl
She felt no fear that her husband
and sons would suspect the thoughts
which absOrsicd her mind. but she
dreaded her niece.
She imagined that Madeleine looked
at her strangely on her return from
Che Hotel du Louvre. She must sus
pec1 something, but did she suspect
1hs truth?
For several days she asked embar
rassing questions as 10 where heI
aunt went, and with whom she hao
D l..