Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-06-24
CHAPTER XIX,

Wnere Is my chlldT
The words were pronounced In a low,
sibilant tone, like the hiss of a venomo
reptile. To speak truly, the voice OF
Sylphide CouramOnt in that supreme mo-
ment betrayed less Of maternal anguish
at disappointed hope, than of suppressed
fury at being bafled in her revenge.
At the sound of the returning foot
steps of her emissary, She had darted
from the lounge, upon which She had
lung her weary, waiting body, with the
celebrity that a swallow wings it's fight
from its threatened nest beneath the
caves; she had recoiled a step, having
thrown open the blinds to admit Camille,
and stood waiting for his reply, her deli
cate hands clenched until the nails pene-
trated the flesh.
Il haven't anything to say" replied
the man, sullenly, prepared to face the
worst; Il haven't got the child-that's
ALL"
why not?"
Because l saw her."
"Saw-whomY'
MY young mistress-Mrs. Court
landt."
Shut the blinds" she said, merely,
and tell me how it happened"
She crossed to an easy chair beside the
table that occupied the middle of the
room; but instead of seating herself she
stood leaning upon its back, waiting for
him to speak. With the slow indifference
of a man woh feels himself hopelessly
condemned, Camille fixed his leaden eyes
upon her with a logged defiance burn
ing luridly in their dark depths.
There amt much to tell" he began,
modify; 81 did my best; l stole in at the
library window like a thief; 1 got upstairs
and into the nursery, Where 1 found the
boy asleep. She came to the door a min
ute later-and, great heaven! Shall 1 ever
forget the look she gave me?"
You're a coward!' painted Sylphide;
why didn't you kill herr"
Il tried it once" he answered, dar-
ingly; a l don't propose to do it again.
She raised the house with a shrek, and
fell down at my feet. Then l got out"
For a moment or two silence reigned
in the apartment, broken only by the
slow drip, drip, drip Of the caves, and
the occasional thunder, which now boom
ed and rolled away in the distance. At
last Sylphide CouramOnt spoke, as it
were to herself.
"Fate shall avenge me!' she muttered;
81 will have my child"
You can apply to him, since hes com
ing here"
"Who Is coming here?' she demanded
in a startled way.
"Mr. COurtlandt. l overheard the doc,
tor tell him it was best he should"
Again there was a monetary silence,
Mt the end of which she glanced up at
him cunningly, as she said:
Whatever may effect through an in
terview with Mr.. Courtlandt, bear in
mind that l am indebted to you for moth
ing"
Il have done all l could" he retorted,
assuming his sullen air again; more than
| ought to have done. | confess l want
the money. But even had / succeeded
you wouldn't have profted by it, since
Mr.. Courtlandt no longer loves you"
81 am well aware of the fact" she
replied, defantly; 'but understand that
he said to me on the day we parted,
When Claire has ceased to live, l swear
to you that you shall have your child
again, and that / will return to you
Were she dead, whether he still loves me
or not, he, being n gentleman of his
word, would render me my child, and
give me the refuge of his name, for |
am free now. Do you comprehend? l
am free, and yet everything slips through
my fingers. Everything that by right be-
longs to me l lose through her. And
why? Because you nave no courage, be-
cause you are a coward!"
He met the torrent of her disdainful
wrath with patience.
"You forget" he said, that she took
arsenic enough to kill twenty women.
Since she Is still alive, it is heavens will
hat she should be-"
Had you employed other MEANS" she
rejoined; "look, a weapon like thisl" She
raised the little revolver and balanced it
in her hand, adding i~nsinuatingly, "if you
had used a weapon like this, you would
have secured-yOu can still secure the
five thousand dollars, if you will"
She forced the little cleaning instru-
ment of death into his band, unconscious
ly thrust forth In a covetous attitude;
but he seemed unaware of what no held,
since he only murmured dreamily;