The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1904-03-30


the marquis words as they drove home
after the nobleman's PERCEPTIONS retreat
from the theater. Here the carriage
drew up sharply before the marquis
home, and Francois hastily aligh;ing.
threw open the door.
"Eh? What? Are we hereT mutter-
ed the marquis, starting from the cor
ner where he had been reclining.
He arose with some difficulty and
finally, with the assistance of the valet,
found himself once more in his room,
the sick chamber he had grown to de
test! Here alone, having dismissed the
servant as soon as possible, he moved
restlessly to and fro, bordering deeply.
Since the moment when he had seen
and recognized his daughter, all the
buoyancy which had given his wasted
figure a sort of galvanic vitality seem
ed to vanish.
THAT resemblance cannot be coinci-
dencew he thought. cob errors of the
past, you come home in our old age
when the limbs are faltering and life
is falling"
Going to the secretary, he took out
box that had not been opened in years
and with trembling fingers turned over
many papers. He shivered and, think
ing it was cold. stirred the fire. Re
turning to the secretary, he took from
the box a package tied with a ribbon,
STILL after the lapse of these many
years, slightly fragrant. and he breath
ed that perfume, so faint, so subtle,
while recollectons smote him like a
knife.
Its scent was familiar to him. 1t
seemed to bring life to the dead and
for the moment in his minds eye he
saw her glowing figure-the love of his
youth-with flashing, revengeful eyes
and noble mien. He covered over the
desk, as if shrinking from an aveng-
ing spirit, while the perfume, like OPT
um, filed his brain with strange fan
tastes He strove to drown remem-
brance, but some force-it seemed not
his own-drove him irresistibly to I'M
tie that ribbon, to scrutinize many old
theater programmes and to gaze upon
a miniature in ivory depicting a wom-
an in the loveliness of her charms, but
whose striking likeness to the young
actress he had just seen filed his
heart with strange fear. Some power
surely it could not have been his will.
which rebeled strenuously - impelled
him to open those letters and TO read
them word for word. The tenderness
of the epistles fell on his heart as
though to scorch IT, and he 0uivered
like a guilty wretch. His eyes were
fascinated by these words in her last
letter: SHOULD you desert me and your
unborn child your end will be miser-
able As | believe In retribution, / am
sure you will reap as you have sown."
Suddenly the reader In a frenzy
threw the letter TO the floor and tram
pied on il. He regarded the face in the
miniature with fear and hatred and,
dashne it into the drawer, called down
maledictious on her. He ceased abrupt
ly. weak and wayering
Il am going insane" he said. laugh
ing harshly. Fool. To let that wom-
ans memory disturb me. SO much for
her dire prophecy" And he snapped
his fingers and dropped the letter in
the fire
"What can her curse avallE' he said
aloud. "Shr is gone. turned 10 ashes
like that paper. end there is no life
after this oup All then is nothing
emptiness. BLANK. ] need rest II is
this cursed dyspepsia which has made
me nervous Something 20 compose me,
and then 10 bed
In spite Of soothing powders. how
ever. he passed restless night and
arose unrefreshed. but ordered his val
ct 10 bring one Of his ligbtest suits,
and. having dressed. be set white
flower upon his coat. while the servant
proceeded to apply various pigments
10 the wrinkled face until fl took on
hooking semblance 10 the countenance
~ n man fifteen years younger The
marquis leered M himself In the pier
glass and assumed a jauntiness Of de-
mean0r he was far from feeling.
Il do not look tired or worried. Fran
colsT"
"Not at all, my lord" replied the OBJ
sequous valet. IL never saw you, my
lord, appear so young and we'll"
Beneath the surface, Francois, there
are age and weakness answered the
marquis in "A melancholy tone.
1T is but a passing indisposition, my
lord" asserted the servant soothingly.
perhaps. But, Francois"-peering
around-"as look over my shoulder
do you know what seeT
The almost hideous expression Of the
roue's face alarmed the servant.
mo, my lord What is it,
"a figure stands there in black and
is touching me. 1t is the spirit OF
death, Francois. You cannot see it,
but there it is
MY lord, you speak wildly"
81 have seen some strange things,
Francois. The dead have arisen. And
l have received my warning. Soon l
shall join those dark specters which
once gayly traversed this bright world.
A little brandy and soda, Francois"
The servant hroupht II 70 him Tho