The Cairo bulletin., 1904-06-20
1885 81 a.p purNAN's SONS.


which reminded him of both those WON
en.who had been dear to him, without
a word he drew her toward him, and
kissed her once. Then he arose, still
holding her hand, and led her toward
tho door Of the next room; there he
kissed her once more, this tlmo on the
forehead and then babe her wait, shut
ting the door after sho left him. Then,
turning with fury in his heart and re-
pressed passion in his voice, ho exclaim-
ed:
MIR Mitchell, either you are the
most contemplate villain on the face Of
this earth, or else there is some hidcous
mistake here Explain it, man must
know at oucer'
Unjust, Mr. Ncuilly, is Il word that |
seldom obey But ! know how you have
suffered, and have no desire to prolong
this interview Il moment moro than is
absolutely necessary, First, however, |
must understand the situation What do
you and Mr. Barnes here think it to be-"
II will explain briefly" said the do
tectiye provided your wife VIII with
draw.
My wife is now part Of myself, =
said Mr.. Mitchell, proudly placing -ali
arm aruulSVi her aS She stood beside
him. lyon need not hesitate TO speak.
s,ho has promised to share my life with
me, to take me as | am. She will begin
the task at once. Go on
$50 he it. ! know now that Rose
Mitchell, who was murdered, was known
in New Orleans as Rose Montalbon,
and that She was your wife | have also
discovered that You deceived a young
creole, the mother Of that child who has
just left us, that when you deserted
her she died broken hearted, while You
allowed the Montabun woman to take
the girl and pass it off as her own,
though later She was kidnapped by you
Tho woman suspected that You would
wish to marry again and sWure to pro
vent it Her appearance upon the scene
just as y0u were TO become husband
must have been menace TO you. Do
you see the point: Murders have been
committed with less motive. | think,
therefore, that have sufficient evidence
upon which to arrest you
"You might arrest me upon less ovi-
denco, said Mr. Mitchell, . 1t ~ done
every day But to convict mo you would
have to prove all this "
"Ilow do You know that | cannot
prove it?'
For tho very simple reason that your
facts are all wrong"
Every good, Mr. Mitchell, bat you
viii have to provo that
II am fully prepared to do SO. To
begin with, according to your story, |
abducted this child. There you are only
partly right. | did take her away from
the Moutalbon, aud | did it. as you
might say, by stealth and force. But ]
had the fullest right to do 80.
".Yuu admit, then, that yuu are her
father"
"Ou the contrary, | deny it, and
there is the weak point in your story.
Your argument all depends upon my
having been guilty Of wronging that
girls mother and the Muntalbon 5 hay
ing me IN her power. In point Of fact,
/ am not her father, aud the Muntalbon
had but slim chance to blackmall me.
but you admitted to me that you al
lowed her to do so; that you gave her
"A large amount in jewels. "
THAT is true, yet | did not submit
TO blackmail. "
"Mr. Mitchell. | seldom forget a
mans words You told ME that day in
the vaults that you were intho woman 5
power, that she could yentilate certain
scandals which might break your en-
Yet now You say yuu were
not in her power aud that YOU. stia not
submit to blackmail How cam So OK
plain such conflicting statementsat
1.-TWO conflicting statements may both
be true, provided a lapse Of time occurs
between them When | admitted that !
had been IN the power Of that wmm,
| thought SO; therefore spoke the truth.
When | say now that was not, also
speak truly In the interval | have
learned TO appreciate the character Of
the woman who Is now my wife. That
is all. know now that the Montalbun :
story, blazoned forth to tho world,
would not have affected her faith IN
me if ! lad told her my own version.
For heavens sake, gentlemen, in
teruptcd Mr. Neuillt, stop this argu-
mont and get down TO the facts. am
impatient TO know the truth.
Yes, Roy, said Emily why not
simply tell the story as a narrative, and
let the whole truth I've knuwn?'
THAT is what | mean to do have
only been enjoying a little sparring
with Mr. Barnes. Bat it is cruel to Mr
Ncuilly, who, hope. will pardon me.
To begin at The beginning, | must go
back to my youth in New Orleans |
was IN love with beautiful young girl. ~
Here he pressed his wife'S hand, and she
returned it, as though to say that she
understood II think need not men,
ton the name of Roses mother. Mr.
Neuilly. unless you have already done
so.
Heaven forbid that should have
betrayed tho secret, said the old man
Il did not suppose that Won had, for
! know yuu TO be n true man, though
have mover met you before This state
ment may surprise you, but it Is true.
| am not the man for whom y0u take