The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1907-06-06
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Madame Midas
BY Fsrgus Hume

BY Fsrgrss Hume

musical voice, holding out both hands
how pleased / am to see you"
DIR. Gollipeck gurglcd pleasantly In hi,
throat at this and laughed, that is, some
thing apparently went wrong in his inside
and raspng noise came out of his
mouth.
My room is untidy, is it not?" said
Vandeloup, nodding his head carelessly at
the chaos of furniture. ''I'h going away
| for a few days"
"A few days; ha, ha ~ observed Golli.
peck, something again going wrong with
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 sit depends upon me.'
Vandeloup smiled.
In that case, circumstances, as repre-
sented by you, will permit me to choose
nay own destinations"
Depends entirely upon your being
| guided by circumstances, as represented
| by me-" retorted the doctor grimly.
"Pshaw" said the Frenchman, coolly,
"let us have done with allegory, and come
to common sense. What do you want p
~ want Octave Braulard," said Golli-
peck, rising to his feet.
Vandeloup quite expected this, and was
too clever to waste time in denying his
identity.
He stands before you," he answered,
curtly, 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 vandeloup,
crossing to the door and locking it; Ito
others-no."
why do you lock the door" said
Gollipeck, gruff1y.
Il don't want my private affairs all
over Melbourne" retorted CASTOR, smooth
ly, returning to his position In front Of
the Areplace; "are you afraid?"
Something again went wrong with Col
lipeck's inside, and he grated out hard,
ironical laugh.
do look afraid?" he asked, spread
Ing out his hands.
Vandeloup stopped down to the port
AAoASSoa AyAh6 VPCh at lis lctl, anu PICK
ed up a revolver, which he pointed
straight at Gollipeck.
"You make an excellent target" he o.
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, and
II I was found dead, you would be arrest
ed for my murder. If I was only wound
ed could tell few facts about NJ. Oc-
tave Braulard that would have an un-
pleasant influence on the life of M. 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 brave man." he said. "I
admire brave men,"
You are a clever man." retorted the
doctor; II admire clever men,"
"very good" said vandeloup. "As we
now understand one another, await your
explanation of this visit"
He heard the doctor coolly to the end,
and smiled quietly.
"In the first place." he said. smoothly,
II acknowledge the truth of all your
story, except the latter part, and I 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 I,
though the maker of the poison, did not
administer it."
"Who did, then?" asked Gollipeck, who
was quite prepared for this denial.
"Kitty Marchurst."
Or. 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 II" replied Vandeloup. 81
could not have gone down to st. Kida,
climbed over wall with glass bottles on
Marchurst says it was done. If ] had
deRe this there would be some trace-no,
l assure you Mademoiselle Marchurst, and
none other, is the guilty woman. She was
in the room-Madame Midas asleep in
bed. What was easier for her than to
psur the poison into the glass, which stood
ready to receive it? Mind yeu, DON'T
say she did it lfberately-impulsc-
on--maluess-what you lke-5ut
she did it,
why" said Gollipeck, warmly, "yen'd
argue rope round this girls neck even
before she had trial. believe you did
it yourself"
DIR. Gellipeck was .disgusted at the
smooth brutality of this man, moved hast
lily to the door and left the room