Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1907-05-15
A Blight.
tOriginal.l

was promising young man. After re-
celving his education he went abroad
to complete medical studies in Paris.
At his departure he was full of hope,
life, vigor He returned a changed
man. His exuberant spirits We're re-
placed by melancholy. He Stunned
social life and for several years instead
of practicing his profession did moth
ing. He never will be the man he
would have been because of an episode
that occurred to him while abroad.
In Paris Throop fell in with FLIP
Marchand, man ten years older than
himself, with whom he became init
mate. Marchand was not medical
man. He appeared to be gentleman
of means, hailing from the south of
France. He and Throop usually dined
together at cafe and when not other
wise engaged visited places Of amuse-
ment in company. One evening after
Throop had been out to a social gather
Ing he called at Marchand's rooms in
an ecstasy over woman he had met
there-Mlle. Annette Beauchemin.
"What is she like?" asked his friend.
Tall. fair, hair light as a Swede's,
blue eyes. But all this is nothing COM
pared with an indescrlbable expression.
an expression that denotes depth of
character to fit her to be queen"
Throop did not rest till he had called
upon Mile. Beauchemin. His lnfatua-
ton did note On the contrary, 1t
grew apace, fed by mystery that
hung about the lady. Her name was
French, and she claimed to be
Frenchwoman, but she spoke the Ian
guage with an accent She explained
this by saying that she had lived much
In other countries. She was about
Throop's age and lived alone with
maid in an apartment whose furnish
ings denoted that she was possessed of
considerable means. What people she
knew We're of the best, but she knew
very few and did not seem to care to
know more. For one so well fitted to
shine in society she seemed singularly
averse to 1t. Indeed, Throop found 1t
impossible to induce her to appear with
him i'll public.
All this the young doctor commune
Gated to his friend. 81 fear something
wrong about her." he added, "and If
there is | shall be wrecked man, for
l feel that my very life is dependent
upon her. l am gaining her affection
that l know-but If there Is any OBJ
stacle to marriage what will 1t be
worth to me?"
81 will give you plan by which you
may find out all about her." said Mar
chand, "if you can contrive to put 1t in
practice. A woman's history Is writ
ten in her clothes. Get a sight of her
wardrobe. and you shall know ALL"
The idea, at first secuted, took hold
of Threop. and one afternoon. having
called on Mile. Beauchemin when she
was not at home, he told her m
Ras Mal5u MHablBut foFF e 20 ouf Sefself. but,
knowing of Throop's intimacy with her
mistress, left him in the apartments.
The temptation was too great to be re-
sisted. He went into the different
rooms and inspected the wardrobe.
The costumes varied. A few were
rich, others ordinary and there was
one that he thought should have be-
longed to a peasant. What surprised
him was fur trimmings on most of the
garments, and fur wraps were in abun-
dance But when he came upon a
mans suit, with hat and boots, he was
astonished, dismayed.
Returning to the living room, he
wrote with a feverish hand few
words on his card giving an excuse for
not waiting and hastily left the apart
DC hn Ctr iph
to his friends rooms. Marchand no.
ticed that there was something on his
mind, but waited till he should ex-
press it. The confidence did not come
at once, but Throop finally told the
whole story, asking at the finish:
"What do you think it means"
"It is mystery indeed" replied
Marchand "and looks bad. | would
advise you to cut mademoiselle out of
your heart. Go home to America and
marry some one who doesn't need peas
ants dresses and mems suits. And
now l must leave you. Tomorrow I
expect to go away from Paris, not to
return for some time. Goodby."
Throop was too intent upon the rev.
elations and their possible consequences
to himself to think much about his
friends departure.
The next morning he arose and went
to cafe for breakfast. After giving
his order he languidly opened his pa
per. One of the first items that arrest
ed his attention under an appropriate
heading was the following:
"At midnight an arrest was made Of
woman who is charged with an at
tempt on the life of the chief of police
at ST. Petersburg. She has been living
in Paris under the name of Annette
Beauchemin. By some she is supposed
to be the daughter of a prominent
Russian nobleman, by others peasant
and by others the person who threw
bomb six months ago In Warsaw. One
Of the cleyerest of French detectives,