The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1907-03-16
90
Madame Midas
by FerS1ls Hume

by FerSlis Hume

Ah, my dear monsieur, he said, IN his
musical voice, holding out both hands,
how pleased am to see YOU"
DR.. Gollipeck gurgled pleasantly in his
throat at this and laughed, that is, some
thing apparently went wrong in his inside
and a rasping noise came out of his
mouth.
my room is untidy, is it not?' said
Vandeloup, nodding his head carelessly at
the chaos of furniture. 9Th going away
for a few days"
"A few days; ha, ha!" observed Coli
his inside. Your destination is"
Sydney" replied CASTOR, promptly.
and then?' queried the doctor.
Depends upon circumstances"
That's a mistake" retorted Gollipeck,
leaning forward; lit depends upon me-"
Vandeloup smiled.
I'm that case, circumstances as repre-
sented by you, will permit me to choose
my own destinations"
Depends entirely upon your being
guided by circumstances, as represented
by me-" retorted the doctor srimly.
''Pshaw! !" said the Frenchman, coolly,
''let us have done with allegory and come
to common sense. What do you WANT"
Il want Octave Braulard," said Coli
peck, rising to his feet.
Nandeloup quite expected this, and was
too clever to waste time in denying his
identity.
HE stands before you," he answered,
CURLY, what then?"
You acknowledge, then, that you are
Octave Braulard, transported to New Cal
edonia for the murder of Adele Blondet 2"
said the doctor, tapping the table with one
hand.
ITO you-yes," answered Vandelcup,
crossing to the door and locking it; 'to
others-no."
why do you lock the door?" said
GOllipeck, gruffly.
Il don't want my private affairs all
over Melbourne" retorted CASTOR, smooth
ly, returning to his position in front Of
the fireplace; "are you afraid?'
Something again went wrong with Col
lipeck's inside, and he grated out a hard,
ironical laugh.
do look afraid?' he asked, spread
ing out his hands.
Vandeloup stopped down to the port
manteau lying open at his feet, and pick
ed up a revolver, which he pointed
straight at Gollipeck.
You make an excellent target" he OBJ
served, quickly, putting his finger on the
trigger.
DR.. Gollipeck sat down and arranged
his handkerchief over his knees.
VERY likely" he answered coolly, "but
a target you won't practice on"
"Why not| asked Vandeloup, still
keeping his finger on the trigger.
Because the pistol shot. would alarm
the house." said Gollipeck, serenely, land
if was found dead, you would be arrest
ed for my murder. If / was only wound
ed I could tell a few facts about NJ. Oc-
tave Braulard that would have an I'M
pleasant influence on the life of NJ. Gas
ton Vandeloup."
Vandeloup laid the pistol down on the
mantelpiece with a laugh, and, sitting
down in chair opposite Gollipeck, began
to talk.
"You are a brave man." he said. 81
admire brave men,"
"You are clever man." retorted the
| doctor; II admire clever men,
"Very good" said Vandeloup. "As we
| now understand one another, I await your
explanation of this visit"
He heard the doctor coolly to the end,
| and smiled quietly.
"In the first place." he said, smoothly,
Il acknowledge the truth of all your
story, except the latter part, and | must
compliment you on the admirable way you
have guessed the identity of Braulard
| with Vandeloup, as you have no proof to
| show that they are the same. But with
| regard to the death of Mademoiselle
| Sprotts, she died as you have said but 1,
| though the maker of the poison, did not
| administer it."
"Who did, then?" asked Gollipeck, who
was quite prepared for this denial
kitty Marchurst''
! DIR. Gollipeck rose and walked to and
| fro in the little clear space left among
| the disorder.
You are not shielding yourself behind
this girl?" asked the doctor, coming close
| to him.
How could I?' replied Vandeloup. II
could not have gone down to st. Kilda,
climbed over wall with glass bottles on
top, and committed the crime, as Kitty
Marchurst says it was done. If I bad
done this there would be some trace-no,
assure you Mademoiselle Narchurst, and
none other, is the guilty woman. She was
in the Madame Midas asleep in
bed. What was easier for her than to
pour the poison into the glass, which stood
ready to receive it? Mind you, l don't
say she did it deliberately-im pulse-hal-
lucination- madness-what you like-but
she did it,
why" said Gollipeck, warmly, "you'd
argue rope round this girls neck even
before she had trial. l believe you did
it yourself"
DIR. Gollipeck was disguised at the