Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-22
The/ 0rcefeSS of the
/trdnd. 2 sH eo ST I sEAef

cage was there. but to my surprise there
was no keeper In sight. We instantly
crowded on the platform and saw Mrs.
Behsasan standing upright in the middle OF
the cage. She had the stock whip in her
hand. A woman lay PROSTATE at her feet.
The woman's hair streamed along the floor
of the cage; her cloak was torn aside;
there was large and CHASTITY wound in
her throat: blood covered the floor. AT a
little distance lay Taganrog shot through
the head and motionless. When she saw us
approach Mrs. Bensasan turned. Her face
was quite calm and her manner quiet. She
looked down at the figure of the fallen
woman.
Madame Sara, the great Madame Sara. Is
dead" she said, with slow distinctness.
"She ventured into the cage; it was i'm
PRUDENT impiored her not to come but
she would not heed. Her death Is due 10
Taganrog. He feared me, but the sight OF
her maddened him. He sprang at her and
tore her throat. 1t was but the work OF a
second See, have shot him. But madame
had also a revolver, and just IN the moment
of-of-ah Heavens! All!
She tottered; over her face there came
an awful expression and the next instant
she also was lying on the floor of the cage
Long quivers passed over her frame she
was evidently in mortal agony. We all
rushed forward, burst open the door OF the
cage and entered.
Vandeleur went on his knees and bent
over the PROSTATE woman.
Il die" she said; Il have only ie"
minutes to live. Listen!
She tried to press her hand to her sloe'
a great squirt of blood poured from her hps.
II am shot through the lungs, she sald
Hers was the surest aim in the world.
You may know all now. Madame sara ana
| arranged this exhibition, and YOU MI
Vandeleur were to be the victim. Maddine
got you both down here on purpose. wae
She who thought the thing out; we did not
believe we could manage the death OF you
both, but one at least seemed certain. 1ou[
methods were more deadly than those VI
Mr. bruce, therefore you were appoiliteo
to be the victim. But when the wicked
ouarrel-ah! you see for yourselves the re-
suit You shall know all now.
los. Rigby-yes he is there. but 1t
doesn't matter; he knew story ABOUT me.
Madame also knew but he had the evil
dence and she had not. He could hang me
it happened years ago-I poisoned my hus-
band"
II know" said Vandeleur. Il found the
particulars yesterday in the books at West
minister i meant to speak to you tomor-
row-but no matter"
BAH she said, nothing matters now
| hated that feeble man. i poisoned him
with arsenic. Rigby knew. and from that
day he blackmailed me heavily. Six months
ago he set his heart on securing my pretty,
gentle Laura-Laura, with her money, was
to be the price. 1 did not dare to give her
to another. l was determined that she
should marry him; 1 would make her sub
NIT. One night madame and L took her
away In cab This was to blind the
neighbors Toward morning we brought
her back and put her into the cellars below
the kennels When you, Mr.. Vandeleur,
examined them you knew nothing of
small dungeon below the second cellar.
Laura was put there. She is gagged IN the
dungeon now. You will find the spot by
Jagged cross scratched over the stone
above She is uninjured She inherits my
money. When ! die Rigby will be power
less. You give her to the other man"
Vandeleur placed his hand under her
shoulders and slightly raised her head.
Madame shot me through the lungs
she continued. My life is only matter
of minutes. l go to my death unafraid.
Madame, at least is dead. She was cleverer
than / and more subtle. All! there never
was a brain like hers. She arranged to
help me; Rigby should obtain Laura, and
YOU Mr. Vandeleur, should die. All was
going well, but avarice got the better OF
her. For the sake of stone, bauble, she
gave me up. and could not brook that. l
resolved that the means which were meant