The Washington herald., 1906-11-15

change Of air. There 1 followed her and
we were married.
WHAT Numbered Perigord.
I'VE were married. repeated the count.
coldly I'VE were married by a Romish
priest"
The proofs cried Perigord, The
proofs."
Bah" said the count. with a cold
smile; they would benefit you nothing.
/ The marriage Of a princess is always H.
legal unless sanctioned by her state"
Nevertheless, demand the proofs"
/ The old man took from his inner pocket
/ a bulky Ieathern case. from which he ex-
I tracted q paper. II have kept this on
| my person since the first day that knew
you were upon my track" he said, quiet
/ ly NO one can fOreteI the future, but q
wise man always provides for it in the
/ best manner that he can. You observe
I that my pTecaution has justified itself
Readn'
/ Perigord snatched from his hand the
/ paper, which he found 70 be a properly
iattes1ed marriage certificate between the
/ princess. his mother and the Count d At
tala. The date and everything about it
+ EcorrespOnded perfectly with the old mans
story. My God-I thank Thee" ne cried
/ brokenly.
For having found your fatber?" jeered
/ tho count.
"Gyo!' replied Perigord, his eyes shining
I like stars. But for having ar length dis
/ covered that I was not born In shamel
/ For thirty years I have thought myself a
/ bastard! At last the stain IS removed
! "Bahr' sneered the old man with a
bitter chuckle. "Undeceive yourself; that
! paper is utterly valueless; you are q
I bastard. for your mothers marriage was
/ Illegal"
Not in the sight of heaven retcrted
/ Perigord. with a dignity that abashed the
old man for a moment; but presently he
rallied and muttered jeeringly; shall 7
go on with the story?"
Yes"
1--WE left of at the marriage. Your
mother was III then, ha, hai she remain
ed III for nine months. and so lost a
( king for a husband. You were born
/ without scandal in her friends house at
/ TOtna. and brought up as 1 have said.
/ She subsequently returned to her father s
I protection, and shortly afterward mar
ried the grand duke. I consented to
the match. and we remained friends UP
10 the very date Of her death. It was
/ who provided you on her solicitation
!
/ cd in endeavoring to destroy my work.
Il was she who first informed me Of
your mad enterprise. the secret Of which
YOU had fOndly condded to her keeping.
/ She told me of your change Of name, and
from time to time warned me Of your
doings. With one hand she pushed you
on. helping you TO power, and the friend
! ship of those in power, with the othe7
she wrote me long letters advising me
/ in detail Of your doings. / lost q good
friend when she died, can tell you,
/ VaIdemar. In order to replace her and
| keep a check on you, ] was forced to
! seek out her second son" (He sneered
bitterly.) "Ah. well, he was not hard
to seduce; the fellow was already a
gambler and a thief; ne readily fell in
1 with my suggestions; l married him to
my daughter, Katherin, with whom he
had fallen madly in love, and created for
him a vacancy in the inner circle. Thus
for the past two years I have played
off brother on bTother-a pretty plan,
was Il not?"
| 1T was the conception OF q Satan-
stammered Perigord.
The count nodded and smiled as II a
! compliment had been addressed TO him.
"Ah, well, my son, in spite Of every
thing. you have at last beaten me. In
my old age you have bested me. The
son of Bosa Gracci has conquered MS
father. The son Of no other living man
could have done it. I am proud of you,
nv sOnt' The words were uttered in a
manner Of such bombastic and fantas-
teal conceit that they were really ludi-
crous. but Perigord shuddered at such
praise.
! 'Evn mani" he muttered, hoarselyi