Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-04-26
-N9
Madame Midas
BY FsrSuS Hume
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BY FerSuS Hume

., " ffA'
man at the window.
II should rather think So" said Vii
lisrs, insoIently, advancing into the room
II don't look like a dead man, do IT'
Madame Midas sprang forward ant
caught his wrist.
80 you have come back, murderer =
she Kissed in his ear.
what do you meang' said her hus.
band, wrenching his hand away.
"Meanf" she cried, vehemently you
know what ! mean. You cut yourself off
entirely from me by your attempt on my
life, and the theft of the gold you dare
hot have showed yourself in case you re-
ceived the reward of your crime; and so
you worked in the dark against me. |
knew you were near, though / did not see
you and you for a second time attempted
my life"
II did not muttered viliers, shrink
Ing back from the indignant blaze of her
eyes. II can prove"
You can prove she burst out, con-
temptnously, drawing herself up to her
full height. yes! you can prove any
thing with your cowardly nature and "
ing tongue; but prove that you were not
| the man who came in the dead of night
and poisoned the drink waiting for me-,
which was taken by my nurse. You can
prove-yes, you shall prove it, in the pris-
oner's dock, ere you go to the galiows.'
During all this terrible speech Villiers
had crouched, half terrified, while his wife
lowered over him, magnificent in her an
ger. At the end, however, he recovered
himself a little, and began to buster.
Every man has a right to a hearing
he said, deiantly, looking from his wife
to Cation; Il can explain everything"
II have no doubt you will prove black
is white by your lying" she said, coldly,
returning to her seat Il await this ex-
plantation"
Thereupon Villiers sat down and told
them the whole story of his mysterious
disappearance, and how he had been made
n fool of by Vandeloup. When he had
ended, Cation, who had resumed his seat
and listened to the recital with deep in
terest, stole a glance at Madame Midas,
but she looked as cold and impenetrable
as ever.
II understand now the reason of your
disappearance" she said, coldly "but
that is not the point. l want to know
the reason you tried to murder me a sec
ond time"
II did not" returned yilliers, quietly,
with a gesture of dissent.
''Then Selma Sprouts, since you are so
PARTICULAR retorted his wife, with a
sheer; .sbut it was you who committed the
crime"
'.Who says l did!'' cried VilIiers, stand
ing up. You asked me who committed
the crime; look at that door," pointing
to the door which led into the hall, and
you will see the real murderer of Selma
Sprouts appear"
Cation and Madame Midas turned sim
- -. - Jyy~l
hours as they waited with bated breath
for the opening of the fatal door. The
same name was on their lips as they
gazed with intense expectation, and that
name was-Gaston Vandeloup.
The noise of approaching footsteps, a
rattle at the handle of the door, and it
was flung wide open by the servant. There
stood, meet, apologetic and smiling-the
fast-living bank clerk, the darling of So
ciety, and the secret assassin-Barty.
He advanced smilingly into the room.
when suddenly the smile died away, and
his face banched as his eyes rested on
Viliers. He made a step backward as if
to fly, but in q moment Kilsip was on
him.
II arrest you In the Queens name for
the murder Of Selma Sprotts," and he
slipped the handouts on his wrists.
The papers were full Of It next day,
and yilliers' statement, together with Bar
tvs confession, were published side by
side.
OF course there wal great excitement
over the discovery Of the real murderer,
especially as Barty was so well known
in Melbourne society, but no one pitied
him. In the days Of his prosperity he
had been obsequious to his superiors and
insolent to those beneath him, so that all
he gained was the contempt of one and the
hate Of the other. Luckily, he had no
relatives whom his crime would have dis
graced, and as he had not succeeded in
getting rid Of Madame Midas, he intended
70 have u away to South America, and
had forged a check in her name for a
large amount in order to supply himself
with funds. Unhappily, however, he had
paid that fatal visit and had been arrest
ed. and since then had been In a state of
abject fear, begging and praying that his
life might be spared. His crime, how
ever, had awakened such indignation that
the law was allowed to take its course,
SO early one wet, cold morning Barty was
Delivered into the hands of the hangman,
and his mean, pitiful little soul was
launched into eternity.
Kitty was of course, released, but over
whelmed with shame and agony at all her
past life having been laid bare, she did
not 70 to see Madame Midas, but disap-
pcared.
yandeloup, for whom a warrant was
out for the murder of Lemaire, had also
disappeared, and was supposed to have
gone to America.
Madame Midas suffered severely from
the shocks she had undergone with the
discovery of everyone's baseness. She
settled a certain income on her husband,
on condition she never was to see him
again, which offer he readily accepted,
and having arranged all her affairs in
Australia, she left for England, hoping
to find in travel some alienation, if not
forgetfulness, of the sorrow of the past.
A good wonan-a noble woman. yet one
who went forth into the world broken-
hearted and f~rieudless, with no belief in
anyone and no pleasure in life. She. how
ever. was of too fine a nature ever to sink
into the cynical Indifference of a nissan
thropic life, and the wealth which she pos
scssed was nobly used by her to alleviate
the horrors of poverty and to help those
who needed help. Like Midas, the Greek
King, from whence her quaint name was
derived, she had turned everything she
touched into gold, and though it brought
her no happiness yet it was the cause of
happiness to others. but she would give
all her wealth could she but once more
regain that trust in human nature which
had been so cruelty betrayed.
49, h.i-Hl . aNHN. S l