Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-11-13

CHAPTER XxI-{Continued }

CHAPTER XXI-(Continued
zone night" pursued CASTOR, in low,
concentrated voice, grasping Meddlechip's
wrist firmly, and looking at him with fiery
eyes, "Braulard prepared a poison, mar
cotic which was quick in its action, fatal
In its results. He goes to the house of
Adele Blondet at half past twelve O'Clock
the hour now,' he said, rapidly swing
Ing round and pointing to the clock on
the mantelpiece. which had just struck
the half hour; 'he found them at supper,
releasing Meddlechip's wrist and crossing
to the sofa; 'he sat opposite kestrlke,
as he does now" leaning forward and
glaring at Meddlechip, who shrank back
in his chair adele, at the head OF the
table, laughs and smiles she looks at her
old lover and sees murder in his face
she is i'll and retires to another room.
Kestrike follows her to see what Is the
matter. Braulard is left alone; he pro
duces a bottle and pours its contents into
q cup of coffee, waiting for Adele. Kes-
trike returns, saying Adele is i'll; she
wants drink. lie takes her the poison
ed cup OF coffee: she drinks it and falls
with a long breath-"asleep. kestrike
returns to the room, asks Braulard to
leave the house. Braulard refuses. kes-
trike is afraid, and would leave himself ;
he rises from the table, so does Braulard''
here CASTOR rose and crossed to NEEDLE
chip, who was also on his feet-'he goes
to Kestrike, sezes his wrist, thus-drags
him to the next room, and there lies Adele
Blondet-dead- killed by the poison of
one lover given her by the other-and the
murderers look at one another-thus.
Meddlechip wrenched his hand from
Vandeloup's iron grip and falls back
CHASTITY white in his chair, with a stran-
gled cry. while the Frenchman stood over
him with eyes cleaning with hatred.
"Kestrike,'' pursued Yandeloup, rapid
~, sis little known in Paris-his name
Is an assumed one-he leaves France be-
fore the police can discover how he has
poisoned Adele Blondet, crosses to Eng
land and returns to Australia, where he
is called--Meddechip
The man in the chair threw up his
hands, as if to keep the other OFF, and
uttered a stihed cry.
"Tie then goes to China" went on Gas
ton, bending nearer to the shrinking fig
ure, land returns after twelve months,
WUcTe ne UttIS OCI0NC y~c, nv
two murderers meet in Melbourne How
came Braulard here? Was 1t chance
No. Was it design? No. Was it Fate
Yes"
He Kissed the words in Meddlechip's
ear. and the wretched man shrank away
from him again.
'Braulard." pursued Vandeloup, in a
calmer tone, "also left the house of Adele
Blondet She is found dead; one of her
lovers cannot be found; the other, Brau-
lard, is accused of the crime he deties
the rolice to prove it; she has been poi
soned Bah there is no trace. Braulard
will go free. Stopi who is this man call
ed Prevol who appears? He is a fellow
student of Braulard's, and knows the poi
son. Braulard is lost Prevol examines
the body, proves that poison has been Civ
en-by whom? Braulard, and none other.
He is sentenced to death; but he is so
handsome that Paris urges pardon. No
1t is not according to the law. Still,
spare his life? Yes. His life is spared.
The galleys at Toulon? No. New Gale
donna? Yes He is sent there. But is
Braulard a coward? No. Does he rest as
a convict? No. He makes friends with
another convict; they steal boat, and hy
the island; they drift, and drift, for days
and days; the sun rises, the sun sets-still
they drift; their food is giving out, the
water in the barrel is low are they to die
of thirst and famine? No. The sky is
red-like bloed-the sun is sinking; land
is in the distanee-they are saved ~ fall
ing on his knees they are saved"
Meddlcchip. who had recovered himself
wiped his face with his handkerchief, and
Sneered with his white lips at the theat
rical way CASTOR was beaving in.
''You know secret" said Meddlechip
nervously, (which is dangerous to me
you want to sell it; well, will be the
buyer-name your price"
Five hundred pounds" said Vande
ioup, quietly.
lis that aIl?' asked the other, with 6
start of surprise; Il was prepared for five
thousand"
II am not exorbitant in my demands,
answered Vandeloup, smoothly; land
have a scheme on hand by which / may
make lot of money-fve hundred pound:
Is sufficient to do what / want. If the
scheme succeeds / will be rich enough t.
do without any more money from YOU"