The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-10-02
CHAPTER XXXIII.

Courtlaw, who was sitting by the bed
side, bent over him.
You are in = private room of the st.
Felix Hospital he said.
"Hospital2 What Tor? What's the
matter with meg'
COurtlaw's voice sank to a whisper.
nurse was at the other end of the
room.
There was an accident with a pistol
in Miss Pellissier's ROOM" he said.
Tie light of memory flashed in the
mans lace. his brows drew little
nearer together.
Accident She shot me-" he NUT
tered. Il had found her at last. and
she shot me. Listen, you. Am l going
TO die?"
L am afraid that you are in a dan
Scrous state" Courtlew answered
sravely. The nurse will fetch the doc
tor directly. l wanted TO speak to you
first"
Who are your"
I am q niend OF Miss Pellissier's."
Courtlaw answered.
Which cne?"
The Miss Pellissier in whose rooms
you were and who sings at the Uni
versal,'" Courtlaw answered. The
Miss Pellissier who was at Whites
with us"
The man nodded.
L remember you now" he said. so
it seems that L was wrong. Annabel
was in hiding all the time"
"Annabel Pellissier is married"
Courtlaw said quietly.
She's my wife, the man muttered.
rs it possible" Courtlaw said, that
you too were deceived. Where were
you marTied?"
At the English Embassy in Paris.
You viii find the certificate in my
pocket"
And who made the arrangements for
you and sent you there?" Courtlaw
asked.
"Hainault. Celeste's friend. He did
everything"
Il thought So Courtlaw said. You,
too. were deceived. The place to which
you Went WAS not the English En-
bassy, and the whole performance was
a fraud. / heard rumors of it in Paris
and the place since then has been
closed
But t-assured-me-that the
marriage was binding"
SO il would have been at the Eng
lish Embassy" Courtlaw answered
but the place to- which you went was
not the English Embassy. 1t was rig
Sed up for the occasion as it has been
many time before"
But Hainault-was-a pal l don't
understand" the man faltered YEARLY.
'Hainault was CeEeste's friend and
Celeste was Annabers enemy" Court
law said. 1t was a plot among them
all TO humiliate her"
Then she has never been my wife,
Never for a second. She is the wife
now of another man."
Hill closed his eyes. For fully five
minutes he lay quite motionless. Then
he opened them again suddenly, to find
Courtlaw still by his. side.
1T was bad day for me" he said
Cl nd inf had
thing for me when that legacy came.
I thought I'd see Paris. do the thing
like a toff- And I heard Alcide sing
and that little dance she did. ! was
in the front row and | fancied she
smiled at me- Lord, what a state l
was in Night after night l sat there,
] watched her come in, l watched her
go She dropped q hower-it's in my
pocketbOok now. / couldn't rest or
eat OF sleep. | made Hainault's ac-
quaintance, stood him drinks, lent him
money. He shook his head all the time
Annabel Pellissier was not like the
others, he said. She had a few ac-
quaintances, English gentlemen, but
she lived with her sister-was a lady.
But one day he came to me. 1t was
Celeste's idea. l could be presented as
Meysey Hill. We were alike. He was
"a millionaire. And I passed myself
off as Meysey Hill and since-then-I
haven't had a minutes peace. God
help me-"
Courtlaw was alarmed at the mans
pallor.
You mustn't talk any more" he said.
but / want you to listen to me for a
moment The doctor will be here to
see you in five minutes. The nurse
sent for him as soon as she saw that
you were conscious. 1t is very possible
that he will ask you to tell him before
witnesses how you received your
usyound."
The man smiled at him
You are their friend, them"
Il am" Courtlaw answered.
Which one?"
THE one whose life you have been
making a burden. who has been all the
time shielding her sister. I would have
married her long ago, but she will not
have me-"
Bring her-here." Hill muttered
p
The door opened and the doctor en-
tered softly. Hill closed his eyes
Courtlaw stood up
He has asked to see some one" he
whispered to the doctor. rs there any
urgency?"
The doctor bent over his patient, who
seemed to have fallen asleep. Present.
~ he turned to Courtlaw
Il think" he said. that I would
fetch any one whom he has asked to
see. His condition is not unfavorable,
but there may be relapse at any mo-
ment"
So only a few minutes after Emil
sons departure, while Anna stood in
deed with her sisters open letter still
in her hand Courtlaw drove up in hot
haste. She opened the door to him her
self
will you come round to the hospi-
taI2" he asked Hill has sent for you
and they will take his dispositions to-
night"
She slipped on her cloak and stepped
into the hanson with him. They
drove rapidly through the emptying
streets
will he die?' she asked
Impossible to say" he answered
I'VE have a private room at st. Felix
Everything is being done that can be-"
You are sure that he asked for me
not for Annabel?"
Certain" Courtlaw answered.
Has he accused any one yet2'
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