Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-09-02
CHAPTER XXIy.

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reach there in time" cried Nina to her
self. Otherwise Nine. Fauvel and Raoul
are lost.
Nine. FauveI FASTENED to Nesinet,
Convinced that some new misfortune was
in store for her Her alarm was ground
Jess. She found Raoul more tender and
afectionate than he had ever been. He
saw the necessity Of reassuring her, and
winning his old place in her forgi7ing
heart, before making his disclosures. He
succeeded. The poor lady had a smiling
and happy air as she sat in an armchair,
with Raoul kneeling before her.
~ have distressed you too long, my
dear mother" he said, in his softest
tones. but repent sincerely; now listen
= my"
He lad not time to say more; the
door was violently thrown open, and
RaouI springing 10 his feet. was con-
fronted by NJ. Fauvel. The banker had
n revolver in his hand and was deadly
pale. 1t was evident that he was max
yng superlluman efforts to remain calm,
like a judge whose duty it is 10 justly
punish crime.
All" he said with a horrible laugh,
"you look surprised. You did not ex-
peet me? You thought that my imbeclle
credulity insured your safety"
Raoul had the courage TO place HIM
self before Nine. Fauvel. and 70 stand
prepared to receive the expected bullet.
Il assure you, uncle" he began.
Enough" interrupted the banker,
with m angry gesture, let me hear no
more infamous falsehoods. End this act
ing. Of which l am no longer the dupe.
II swear 10 you
Spare yourself the trouble OF deny
ing anything. l know all. know who
pawued my wife's diamonds. L Enow
who committed the robbery for which
an innocent man was arrested and i'm
prisouea."
Nine. Fauvel, white with terror, fell
upon her knees. At last it had come
the dreadful day had come. Eainly had
she added falsehood to falsehood, Nainly
had she sacrificed herself and others; all
was discovered. She saw that all was
lost, and wringing her hands, she tear
fully moaned:
Pardon, Andre! I beg you, forgive
mem
At these heart-broken tones the bank
er shook ike leaf. The memory of his
lost happiness was too much for the
stricken man. He forgot the present in
the past, and was almost melted TO for
Eiveness.
Unhappy woman" he murmured,
unhappy woman"
For some moments nothing was
heard but the sobs of Mime. Fauvel.
Il came here" continued the banker,
with the intention of killing you both.
But | cannot kill woman, and l will
not kill an unarIned man. Defend your
SELF cried the banker, raising his arm,
IF you do not"
But the horror of the scene was too
much for Mime. Fauvel to witness any
longer without interposing. She under
stood but one thing-her son and her
husband were about to kill each other
before her very eyes. Rushing up to
Raoul. she threw her arms around him,
and said TO her husband:
XIII me, and me alone"
At these words NJ Fauvel glared at
the guilty pair. and deliberately taking
aim fired. Neither Raoul nor Nine. Eau
vel moved The banker fired a second
time. then Il third.
He cooked the pistol for a fourth shot,
when man rushed into the room,
snatched the pistol from the bankers
hand. and. throwing him on the sofa,
ran toward Nine. Fauvel. This man
was VI. Verduret. who had been warned
by Cavaillon, but did not know that
Nine Gypsy had extracted the balls
from NJ. Fauvers revolver.
Thank heaven" he cried, she Is I'M
hurt"
How dare you interfere?" cried the
banker, who by this time had joined the
group. The villain shall die
NJ. Verduret seized the bankers wrists
In a vise-like grasp, and whispered in his
ear:
Thank heaven, you are saved from
committing a terrible crime; the anony-
NOUS letter deceived you. Do you know
who that man is that you attempted
to kill? Her SON."
The words of this stranger, showing
his intimate knowledge of the private
affairs Of all present. seemed to con-
found and brighten Raoul more than NJ.
Faurers threats had done. Yet he had
sufficient presence of mind to say:
1T is the truth
The banker looked wildly from Raoul
TO NJ. Verduret; then. fastening his
Aaggard eyes on his wife. exclaimed.
at is false! You are all conspiring to
deceive me, Proofs
You shall have proofs" replied NJ.
Yerduret. 'but first listen"
And rapidly, with his wonderful taIent
for explanation, he related the principal
points Of the plot he had discovered.
The true state OF the case was terribly
distressing to NJ. Fauvel, but nothing
compared with what he had suspected
His throbbing. yearning heart told him
that he still loved his wife. Why should
he punish a mistake committed so many
years ago and atoned for by twenty
years of devotion and suffering? For
some moments after NJ. Verduret had
finished his explanation NJ. Fauvel re-
manned silent.
So many strange events had happened,
rapidly following each other in success
sion. and eliminating in the shocking
scene which had just taken place that