The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-08

slow IIupro, -nIenI in Darzac's phys icaI condition At the beginning of the winter Darzac had such a bad cough that I entreated him to ask for leave of absence and to take a trip to the Midi The physicians advised San Reno. He went thither. and a week later he wrote us that he felt much better. T cap breathe here." he wrote. "when I left Paris seemed to be stifiag."
 This lett CT gave me much food for thought. and ' took Rouletabilie into my confidence.
 He agreed with me that it was a most peculiar coincidence that Darzac was so Ill when BrignoIles was with him and so much better when he and his young assistant were separated. The impression that this was actually the fact was so strong in my mind that I would on no account have per mitted myself to lose sight of Bri- gnolles. No. indeed. 1 verily believe that if he had attempted to leave'Paris should have followed him.
 Darzac returned home at the end of four weeks almost completely restored to health- His eyes. however. were still weak. and he was under the ne- cessity of taking the greatest care of them Rouletabille and myself had re- solved to keep a close watch on Bri- gnolles. but we were satisfied that everything would be right when we were informed that the long deferred marriage was to occur almost imme- diateiy and that Darzac would take his wife away on a long honeymoon trip far from Paris-and, from Bri- gnolles-
 And now we ala dozen or SO per sons-were gathered in the sacristy. The witnesses signed the register. and the rest of us congratulated the newly welded pair. The sacristy was yet more dismal than the church. and 1 might have thought that 1t was on ac- count of the darkness that l could not perceive Joseph Rouletabille.~ But as- surediy he was not there. Msthilde had already asked for him twice. and Darzac requested me to go and look for him. 1 did SO. but he had disappeared.
 When the bridegroom brought this news to his wife she appeared to be both pained and anxious She called me to her side and said:
 My 0edT a1- odluCiatlT. yOu huOM lhdb we are to take the train in two hours. Will you hunt up our little friend and bring him to me and tell him that his strange behavior is grieviRg me very muchY'
 And I began a wild goose chase after Rouletabille. But l appeared at the station without him. Neither at his home nor at the office of his paper nor at the Cafe du Barreau. where the necessities of his work often called him al this hour of the day, could l lay my hand on him.
 There was three minutes yet before the departure of the train But no Rouletabille We were all so grieved and moreover so surprised that we re- mained on the platform. looking at Mme. Darzac. without thinking to wish her a pleasant journey. She cast long glance upon the quay. and at the moment that the speed of the train be- gan to accelerate. certain now that she was, hut to see her little friend" again. she threw me an envelope from the car window.
 For him." she said.
 And almost as though moved by an irresistible impulse. her face wearing an expression of something that re- sembied terror, she added In tone so strange that l could not help recall ing the horrible speeches of Brignolles: "Au revoir, my friends-or adieu."