Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-12-16
As Prosper listened to the narrativ.

As Prosper listened to the narrative
Of events happening twenty years back
1t sounded more like romance than a
statement Of plain facts. All these in
genious explanations might be logical,
but what foundation dld they possess?
Might they not be the dreams of an ex-
cited imagination? NJ. Verduret did not
finish his report until o'clock in the
morning; then he cried with an accent of
triumph:
"And now they are on their guard, and
sharp, wary rascals, too; but they won't
escape me. Before week is over, Pros
per, you will be publicly exonerated and
will come out of this scrape with flying
colors. l have promised your father
you shall. And now what have you
been doing during my absence? Have
you heard any news?"
AT this question Prosper turned Grim
son. But he knew that it would never
do to keep silent about his imprudent
step.
"Alas!" he stammered 81 read in a
newspaper that Cameran was about to
marry Madeleine, and l acted like a
fool"
What did you do?' inquired verdu-
ret, anxiously.
Il wrote an anonymous letter to M.
Fauvel."
NJ. Verduret here brought his clinched
fist down upon the little table near by,
with such violence that the thin plank
was shivered. His cheerful face in an
instant clouded over
| hot Foil
could you go and ruin everything:"
He arose from his seat, and strobe up
and down the room, oblivious of the
tenants below, whose windows shook
with every angry stamp of his foot.
1T was night, monsieur" he hesitat-
ingly said, "and having a violent head
ache L took a walk along the quay,
thinking there was no risk in my enter
ing cafe; there l picked up paper
and read the dreadful announcement"
Did you not promise to trust every
thing to meT"
"You were absent, monsieur, and you
yourself might have been surprised by
an unexpected"
"Only fools are ever surprised into
committing a piece Of folly" cried NJ.
Verduret, impatiently. ITO write an
anonymous letter. Do you know to what
you expose me? Breaking a sacred
promise made to one of the few persons
whom highly esteem among my fellow
beings. l shall be looked upon as liar
a cheat-I who"
He abruptly stopped, as II afraid to
trust himself to speak further; after
calming down little he turned to Pros.
per and said:
"The best thing we can do is to try
and repair the harm you have DONE"
As M. Verduret had anticipated, Pros
per's letter had terrible effect upor
M. Fauvel. 1t was a terrible blow to 6
man whose life hitherto had been an un
broken chain Of prosperity, who could
recall the past without one bitter regret
without remembering any sorrow deer
enough to bring forth a tear.
What! his wife deceive him! Ant
among all men, to choose one vii,
enough to rob her of her jewels, ant
force her to be his accomplice in the ruiz
Of an innocent young man! After a lon,
and painful meditation the banker finally
decided to wait, and watch his wife
There was one simple means of ascer
tanning whether the diamonds had beeI
pawned. If the letter lied in this in
stance he would treat it with the scorl
1t deserved. II, on the other hand, /
should prove to be true! Hurrying int
Madame Fauvers room in her absence
he opened the door Of the chiffonier
where she kept her Jewels
The last dozen or more leather an,
velvet boxes, containing superb sets o
jewelry which he had presented to her
were gone. Twelve boxes remained. H
nervously opened them. They were al
: empty. The anonymous letter had toll
, the truth
Nothing but death could wipe out a
> injury Of this nature. But the very BIT
terness Of his resentment enabled him t
. restrain himself until the time for pun
@ ishment came. With grim satisfaction
he promised himself that his actin
would be as successful as theirs.
The next day he reaped the fruit o
= his prudence. Among the letters whic
= his valet brought him at noon was on
- bearing the postmark Of Vesinet. II
: carefully opened the envelope and read
, Dear Aunt-It is imperatively neces
a sary for me to see you to-day; so
- not fail to come to Vesinet l will el
;, plain why l give you this trouble, II
y stead Of calling at your house.
"RAOUL."
81 have them nowv cried NJ. Fauve
trembling with satisfaction at the nea
i, prospect of vengeance.
4 Eager to lose no time. he opened
y, drawer, took out revolver and exam
ined the hammer to see IL it worke
easily.
= He imagined himself alone, but a viz
= liant eye was watching his movement
- Gypsy, who had been instructed by N
, Verduret stationed herself at the he,
!, hole Of the study door, and saw all tha
- occurred.
M. Fauvel laid the pistol on the maj
=. | telpiece and neryously reSealed the le