Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-01-17
Christmas Rose: A Mystery.


related that history of Just year ago.
and the marquis listened with wonder.
During that year." Dare concluded.
we have been together continually. first
as friends then as lovers. A purer soul
Than hers never existed. You have been
deceived. Why she left her home can
not conjecture, but it is impossible-ut
terly mpossible-that she could have left
1t with a loyer!"
The marquis pointed to case of pis-
tolls upon the table.
When | recognized my wife this even
mg, said he, Il concluded you, her cont
pamon, to be Armand Lecour, the artist.
Even when, on inquiry, learnt your
lame, L still believed you to tie the man
nave been seeking In such case
should have demanded a meeting. You
are, see, man of honor, and not the
sconndrel | supposed shall not need
these tonight, but when he and | shall
Meet face to face-as one day we must
he or / must fall Blood alone can
wipe out such a wrong"
When you and he meet" declared
Dare, you will, | trust. have learned the
truth. The woman l loved in the first
hour we met-the woman who is still to
Inc an angel of goodness-may have been
the victim of a cruel plot; but | would
stake my soul upon her innocence
i hold the proofs" the other answered
Even her old servant spoke, in her dis
tress, words lnat make Renee's guilt too
clear. Unhappy child! May heaven par
con her! life of penitence and atone.
ment, IN the seclusion of the cloisteI
may IN part, perhaps, wipe out her sin.
A chill as of the grave fell upon Dare's
spirit.
The church of Rome does not permit
divorce" went on De fEsparre. she was
reared in her mothers faith, which is also
mine. OnIy one course is open to her for
having broken Vows which, once spoken.
cannot be recalled. The church affords
a refuge for her crring children"
"A living tomb" said Dare "Oh, can
heaven suffer such a blight to fall upon
creature so lovelvi"
Chat Rosamond was a girl of deep re-
ligious feelings, he knew. She had how
ever, accepted quietly the beliefs and
forms OF worship of the Protestant
church. 1t would seem that in this, as in
all else, her mind was only capable of re-
SNA1tiiS N1tNb was BitS0nlSu W II. linus
the marquis could only bring to her mind
that part of her life in which he bore an
active part. Taken back to the scenes
OF her earlier years, would not other
events return to her recollection? Ar
ntand Iecour was a dim image to her
now. Would the mystery of her flight
I've made clear if she were to meet him ?
Was it he who had played villains
part?
Tell me all the circumstances of your
return? 20 he entreated of De PEsparre.
You have the right to hear them" he
answered. Il was met, on entering the
chateau, by old Margot, and my inquiry
for the marquise was replied to by tears
and lamentations. Was she i'll? Was
she dead? No-but lost, l heard at last
On a certain afternoon, only two days
before my expected arrival, she had gone
out into the gardens alone Her govern
ess was absent-she had, in fact, gone
hack to her home in England owing to
the death of a relative Renee was,
therefore, free to follow her own fancies.
In brief, she had never been seen since
she left the chateau. Remember. she
was amidst simple people, who regarded
her with atfection-almost with venera-
ton No harm could have come to her,
even if she had strayed on into the vii
hge. A travelling carriage had been no
tieed on the evening of her disappear
anee In her desk l found letters from
her lover, Armand Lecour, and part of a
half-written note, in her we'll known
hand, beginning Dearest and meant for
him, for his name occurred later"
HEMav I GOO 4hOsa Ia++ers 80
De iEsparre unlocked a case, and
brought them forth.
There were some souvenirs also" said
he; "withered flowers, lock of dark hair
and other trifes
Dare inspected the letters. Most care
fully of all he regarded the one that pro-
fessed to be from Renee to Armand. He
laid them down, and spoke with calm
conviction.
These letters are forgeries!"
"Hear yet more" said De rEsparre.
"Mere Margot, the old nurse, passing
through the gardens at twilight, few
weeks before the marquise left her home,
was startled by the sound of a voice.
pleading in imprisoned accents, and ut.
tering the name Of Renee. Through the
trellis of an arbor she saw her young
mistress, and at her feet man whom she
recognized as the artist. The woman
hurried away distressed and perplexed
She saw, when Renee entered the house.
that she had been weeping. She be-
lieved there must be an hopeless attach
ment, but suspected no real danger
When the blow fell, she confessed this
hitherto carefully-k kept secret to me-"
Even this does not convince me-" said
Dare. "a young mans mad, desperate
love may lead him to worse than folly.
Armand Lecour may have declared his
passion, but it never woke a response
from her!"
How firm your faith isl" the marquis
said. Could a woman who had sinned
have power to waken such trust and such
love as this ?"
He was beginning to waver, as Dare
perceived, in his conviction of his young
wife's unworthiness.
you know her better than l." resumed
De PEsparre after n pause. Il am her
husband, by right of law, yet we were
almost strangers; while you and she"
For year past we have been all the