The daily Alaskan., 1906-05-23
A Wife s Revenge

| DeSmOullQS ana AlpuOuSe NdleIetr uOlH living in Dijon, France, were bosom friends. Cateret proposed marriage to young girl, Louise PlancOn, but his suit was rejected Louise secretly loved his friend Desmoulins, and .n the course of time Desmoulins married her. He was so devoted to Cateret that Lou ise thought 1t best not to tell him that Alphonse had once sought her hand, and since Alphonse never told him he was in ignorance of the fact
 Ten years passed. Cateret had gone to Paris to live soon after his friends marriage, the -Desmoulinses following later. Both men became leaders in the revolution which was sweeping over France like a cyclone. One evening Desmoulins came across the Seine by the bridge directly opposite the corps | legislatlf and walked toward the Place de la Concorde, or Place de Ia RevOlu- tion, as 1t was then called. At the same time Cateret turned into the place from the opposite direction. The two men met at that point where the gulllOtlne was set up and where it had done a great work that very day. Night was falling and the Place was desert ed except for the friends. They stop ped directly undeE the instrument of death and began to talk.
 "Alphonse," said Jean, this revOlu- ton Is like a tongue of flame which at one moment sweeps in one direction, the next in another. The favOrite of today is the condemned of tomorrow.
 You are right, Jean. Do you know that if either. of us has an enemy that enemy can send the man he hates to the guillotine."
 "I don't like it," replied Jean. If l were single like you, would not mind the danger so much, but consider my family"
 Cateret stood for awhile lost in thought, then said: T have an idea. Suppose we make an agreement If you are the victim. I will pay your wife 5O,OOO francs; if I am the victim, you pay my mother the same amount
 After some discussion DesmOulins consented, and the friends went tc Caterets house, where the contract was drawn up in duplicate, duly exc cuted. and each party to it took copy.
 Ten days after this agreement DeS- mOulins was arrested under Gn acCusa- tion of having CorreSponded with the rOyalists across the border. He had received a letter from a fugitive, but no one knew of 1t except his friend Cateret, to whom he had shown it. But there was nothing in this, for the letter, bearing a foreign mark, must have been opened in the postOttiCe.
 Louise DesmOulins was frantic at the danger that threatened her husband. AS soon as she became Quieted she set her wits to work to discover who the secret enemy could be. At a confer ence she had with her husband in Jail be told her that Cateret knew of the letter he had received from abroad. Louise, remembering that Cateret had once sought her hand in marriage, was seized with a suspicion which she final ly confessed to her husband.
 "Nonsenser' said Jean. There can be nothing in that, since at my death AlphOnse must pay you 5O,00O francs" And be told her of their agreement. She was but half convinced.
 Jean DeSmoulins died on the sCatfOld beside which the agreement had been made. His wife shut herself up. After a few weeks she received one visitor, her husbands old friend, Alphonse Cateret Him she saw constantly and but a few months after her husbands execution promised him that she would be his wife. Meanwhile she frequented the courts and places wherein she might learn the name of her husbands accuser. After awhile she became known as the widow who was hunting for one to send to the guillotiue. One day she received a visit from one of the leaders of the revolution, who said to her:
 q know who informed on your hus- band. He Is in my way, and wish to get rid of him. I will tell you who he is on condition that you trump up an . accusation against him, leaving me out of the matter. You will not believe me without proof. That proof will fur nish."
 Tt is proof alone that I wish. 1 know the man."
 How do you know him|
 By the instinct of Q woman" He iS"-
 "Alphonse Cateret"
 You are right"
 The visitor the next day met the ] widow in a building where records were kept and, being in authority, took her to a room where no other man in France except the keeper could go. He | took down @ volume which contained a record of more viliainy than any vol ume in the world and, consulting an I index, turned to the name of Jean Des- moulins. There was the charge and the name of the aCcuSer, AlphOnse Ca teret. Louise looked at it apparently without emotion; her guide closed the book, and they withdrew.
 The friends Of Louise DesmOulins ! Cor v,1nrhg a Ftar. har.