The Cook County herald., 1905-06-03
16e Sorcerer
Of St. Giles
By PROF. WILLIAM HI. PECK.


er brother of Sir Robert, and as pure
and good young gentleman he was as
ever lived. So that, at last, Sir Rob-
ert got to believe that Lady Rachel's
infant son was not his child, but the
child of Claude de Lavet. And then
he drove his innocent wife from their
home, which was in Yorkshire, and
made her take her child with her,
which the poor, wronged young mother
was very glad to do, no doubt
"Now, until Sir Robert became jeal-
| GUS of his brother, he loved Claude
dearly. I never knew man to be
more fond of a brother than Sir Rob-
! ert was of Claude de Lavet, and they
| looked wonderfully alike, too. But all
! that brotherly love turned to the gall
of hatred when Sir Robert became
jealous, and especially when Lady
Rachel (whose parents were dead
! when all this trouble happened) was
defended from slander and given pro-
lection by Claude
''Well, one morning the people Of an
inn at York, called the Boar Inn, were
fearfully excited on, finding that a trav-
eler, who had stopped there with lit
tie child (an infant boy) the previous
night, had been murdered during the
! night, and that the child had disap-
peared That traveller was Claude de
Layet, and the picture you called Clar-
ence Darrell this day, was the very
image of Claude de Lavet, as I knew
him twenty-five years ago."
II Gid not call any picture Clarence
Darrell to-day said Helen, drowsily.
81 saw no picture to-day"
'She is delirious, and remembers
nothing mutterd Martha. "Well, the
murdered man was Claude de Lavet,
and l have always believed thar he
was on his way to see his brother, and
to prove that Zeno Sosia was the vii
lain in the matter, and that he had pa
pers and proofs of Sosia's forgerias to
| show to Sir Robert; for it is known
that Sir Robert had received, few
Gays before, letter from Claude, in
which the latter said: ''You shall be
happy again, and the innocent shall be
righted, and together We shall put our
heels upon the head of the serpent
who Matched this egg of discord and
villainy In few days shall be at
Lavet hall with your child, and full
proofs that your wife is innocent
II saw and read that letter myself.
But Claude was murdered, and the
child was stolen. Lady Rachel went
mad, they said, and went to France
and doubtless died therefor so it was
rumored before l quilted Sir Roberts
service and went to live in London
and the child was never heard of
again.
"As for the murderer, he was never
known; but have had my suspicious
these many years-ever since | was
fool enough to marry Neil Bashfort-
and now l am sure that he Well,
I'll be careful what I say. even now.
Till an hour ago l never let Bashfoi't
suspect that l ever knew the De La
vets, I met him years after all this
happened, and at time when | did
not care to let any one know where
was reared. Are you awake, my child?"
Helen made no reply, but feigned
slumber.
$50 she is asleep at last, and shall
have chance, too," muttered Martha.
rising softly and looking keenly at the
beautiful and motionles STAGE.
''The key! I had better hide the
key" she muttered remembering Bash
forts caution. 81 shall sleep very
sound, l know, and sometimes deliri-
Gus people are like the insane-very
cunning. She might steal it from my
pocket, or even from my bosom, if she
wakes delirious and wicked, as they
say"
Thinking this, Martha slipped the
key under the edge Of the carpet, and
then stretched her tall and strong
frame upon straw couch which Bash
fort had brought in when he removed
the case from the room some hours
before.
In five minutes Martha was as sound
asleep as she had ever been in all her
life.
In five minutes more her loud snor-
ing filled the room.
"Helen, dear Helen," said Clarence,
in loud whisper, and showing his
face in the opening of the ceiling.
"Clarence! dear Clarence!" replied
Helen, in the same tone, and rising
upon her elbow, while their eyes met
in a steady, joyous, burning gaze of
mutual love and devotion.
Martha slept profoundly.
The separated lovers could exchange
whispers at last!