Charlevoix county herald., 1908-09-12

Pordon, monsieur; my signature
Will not make good the passport. Mon
sieur must a new passport obtain from
his legate."
"A new one! 1t will take hours
days-to do that, and he will be out of
my reach by morning"
Monsieur, it is the law"
THE law! Shall this man be allowed
10 rob me of my dearest possession,
while the law binds me here hand
and foot? Must delay for needless
sheet OF paper while every minute
sakes him nearer the sea coast and
farther from me? Can't you see my
cause is honest? Can't you understand
that I am no fugitive-that want only
90 come up with this man? That he
has robbed me, and these formalities
that help to cover his fight are an out
rage against justice!"
Pardon, monsieur; if the gentleman
has robbed you, 1t is best for you to
wait here and let the law-the Off
cials, monsieur-seek him."
"The law again."
'Yes, monsieur"
Then have lost her forever!" The
traveller, who for some ten minutes
had been pleading with the courteous
official to honor his expired passport
and allow him to cross from France
into Spain, sank down upon a chair
In the private quarters of the French
railway station and buried his face
In his hands.
Lost her, monsieur" the official
questioned, with a new show Of inter
est us it lady?"
"Yes!" the other groaned "He has
robbed me of my wife!"
And the lady?"
els with him."
Pardon again, monsieur; the gen.
tleman you seek journeyed alone. All,
mcnsieur is mistaken! He need not
despair! Take courage! The gentle
man journeyed alone!"
mo, say. She is with him-and as
helpless as the dead"
Monsieur"
81 say, yes-she is with him"
'In spirit, monsieur"
'In body"
VIII iAOuSlSui CApidlu W Ihc
sials how the gentleman has robbed
him Of his wife? We have the tele-
graph and may the gentleman detain
before he reaches the sea coast. But
II monsieur will listen, he will learn
how the gentleman was not accom-
panied by lady, nor by servant at
tended
THE lady is dead!" came the amaz-
ing reply.
Dead, monsieur," exclaimed the Of
tcial. "Ah!" A doubt as to the others
sanity seemed to strike the French
man and he looked about uneasily.
Twin monsieur read to pass the
timer" he questioned
Read" The American traveller
iaubhed an unpleasant laugh. Then
bis smothered impatience broke out
Cant / follow him on foot without
a passport?"
mo. monsieur; not into territory
Spanish"
May death stop him them" the 9th
er cried with uplifted hands.
The Frenchman's suspicious deep
sned; but, courteous even to a mad
man, he only begged the other to have
patience.
"Yes, I know you think rave" the
American broke in, passionately; "and
you would think me mad If l told you
the whole truth. Yet / say he has
robbed me of my wife and she is with
him in person. Xou, yourself, saw
her"
Pardon, monsieur; I saw her not"
did he not wear a great diamond
upon his hand?"
Monsieur is fight"
Then
1T was pool of light, monsieur"
continued the Frenchman. "Ah. it is
monsieur's jewel, and so lovely that he
calls it his wife!"
"It is my wife," came the amazing
reply.
For a moment the other was wholly
nonplused. Then he questioned:
HAS monsieur welded a jewel?"
"No-I have welded no jewel. That
stone, say, is no jewel! it is a wom-
an-my wife-fesh and blood! All,
bonor the passport and let me go!"
Before the Frenchman could an
swer the sudden changing of bell,
hiss of escaping steam and the rum
BILE of car wheels was heard without.
Both men rushed to the door and out
upon the platform. An engine with
three passenger coaches attached
drew into the station from the wrong
direction and contrary to official time.
What was wrong? The men were
soon to learn. Two coaches from the
= rear of the train which had drawn out
: Of the station about half an hour be-
fore had broken from their couplings
and been wrecked and, high French
official being among the number in
frrod Tho nnrinper had reversed his