The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-24
~
4 Madame Midas
Fergus Hume
CHAPTER XXI.-(Continued.)

CftAf1ER AAl.-t Oontluueu.D
Zone night" pursued GNton, in a low,
concentrated voice, grasping Meddlechip' s
wrist firmly, and looking at him with fiery
eyes, "Braulard prepared poison, mar
cotic which was quick in it's 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 kestrike,
as he does now," leaning forward and
gIaring at Meddlechip, who shrank back
in his chair. adele, at the heat Il the
table, laughs and smiles; she loc' her
old lover and sees murder in face !;
she is i'll and retires to anotner room.
Kestrike follows her to see what is the
matter. Braulard is left alone; he pro-
duces bottle and pours its contents into
q cup of coffee, waiting for Adele. K as
trike returns, saying Adele is Ill; she
wants a drink. He takes her the poison
Cd cup of coffee she drinks it and falls
with a long breath-"asleep. kesiriie
returns to the room, asks Braulart to
leave the house. Braulard refuses. Kes-
trike is afraid, and would leave himself !;
he rises from the table; so does Braularf'
here CASTOR rose and crossed to NEEDLE
chip. who was also on his feet-"he goes
to Kestrike, seizes his wrist, thus-drags
him to the next room, and there lies Adele
Biondet-dead-kil by the poison OF
one lover given her by the other-and the
nurderers look at one another-thus."
Meddlechip wrenched his hand from
Vsndeloup's iron grip and falls back
chastity white in his chair, with stran-
gled cry, while the Frenchman stood over
him with eyes cleaning with hatred.
asKestrike- pursued vandeloup, rapid
~, lis little known in Paris-his name
II 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 Meddlechip-"
The man in the chair threw up his
hands, as il to keep the other on, and
uttered a stified cry.
He then goes to China" went on Cas-
ton. bending nearer to the shrinking fg-
ure. land returns after twelve months,
where he meets Octave Braulard-yes, the
two murderers meet in Melbourne. How
came Braulard here? Was it chance
No. Was it design? No. Was 1t Fate
Yes"
He Kissed the words in Meddlechips
ear, and the wretched man shrank away
from hiIa again.
"Braulard," pursued vandeloup. in a
caImer tone, "also left the house of Adele
BIondet. She is found dead one of her
lovers cannot be found; the other, Brau-
Lard, is accused of the crime; he deies
the police to prove it: she has been poi
soned. Bah! there is no trace Braulard
will 90 free. Stop who is this man call
ed Prevol who appears? He is 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
it Is not according to the law. Still,
SPARE his life? Yes. His life is spared.
The galleys at Toulon? No. New Gale
donia? Yes. He is sent there. But is
Braulard a coward? No. Does he rest as
q convict? No. He makes friends with
another convict; they steal boat, and fly
the island: they drift, and drift, for days
and days: the sun rises, the sun sets-stil
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 il
red-like blood-fhe sun is sinking: land
10 in the distance-they are saved fall
ing on his knees: they are saved"
Meddlechip. who had recovered himself
wiped his face with his handkerchief. ant
meered with his white lips at the theat
rical way CASTOR was beaving in.
~You know a secret" said Meddlechip
nervously. which is dangerous to me
you want to sell it; well, l will be thu
buyer-name your price"
Five hundred pounds" said Vande
loup, quietly.
SIS that all?" asked the other, with /,
start of surprise; Il was prepared for fiv'
thousand"
II am not exorbitant in my demands,
answered Vandeioup, smoothly; ''and
have a scheme on hand by which / ma,
make lot of money-fve hundred pound
is sufficient 20 do what / want If tn,
scheme succeeds 1 will be rich enough t.
do without any more money FROM you"