The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1910-08-05
CHAPTER XIX,

sometnlnS very wrong, She SAID,
turning deadly -:ale. "And now what
can be done?"
"There is only one thing that can
be DONE" he answered, quickly. 81
shall start at once for Goucy."
"You? On, how can let you do
it,"
Remember hat l am en- my way
abroad already, and it matters very
little to me where I go. All l want is
thorough rest and change of air;
and l could not rest until l solved this
mystery"
at frightens me-" said ToIa. az 10
not know what to think. Oh! how
wish I could go also"
Tomorrow, then, l shall start, !"
he said, "by the first train, and
promise you shall hear from me at
once"
"You will keep nothing back? You
will tell me all! 1 am very brave and
very strong" said poor, little, CULVER
ing Tola.
"Yes," he answered. "There is no
more cruel wrong than to keep back
the truth. l will tell you everything,
and will write every day; and now
must go. 1 must tell my mother,
and there are a good many arrange
ments that must be made"
How can l thank you?" cried
Tola, looking at him with eyes full
of overflowing gratitude.
He raised her hand to his lips; he
could not help it, only saying, Il need
no thanks I would do anything for
you or Arthur"
The next morning early he started
for Goucy, determining to travel
night and day. His mind was full
of the gravest misgivings as to what
might have become of the man who
was not only his dear friend, but
Tola's passionateIy loved brother.
Mr.. Irvine reached Goucy with the
smallest possible delay, and, desiring
to be taken to the best inn in the
town, was conveyed to LA Pie
Blanche. He was a very good
French scholar, fortunately, so had
no difficulty in understanding all that
was said to him; but the story that
his voluble landlady poured out was
so extraordinary and confused that
he distrusted the evidence of his own
ears.
Monsieur has only to speak to
Monsieur Tasset, our Mayor" said
the landlady, tossing her head.
Though, as to incredulity, all the
world knows the story of Jacques Ay-
mar, and should not that which
was true in the seventeenth century
prove likewise true in the nineteenth
-eh?"
Mr.. Irvine had nothing to answer
to this argument, but he followed her
advice and asked for an interview
with both the Mayor and the Cure,
and they not only confirmed the good
landlady's story, but told the whole
thing with clearness and force that
left no room for doubt. Moreover,
the story was now in every newspaper
in France, and had created an ey-
traordinary sensation.
The criminal had confessed his
crime, and his confession, having
been accepted as an extenuating cir
cumstance, had escaped the extreme
penalty of the law, and was con-
demned to the galleys for life.
But where, then, is Mademoise1le
Rigaud, and where is my friend?"
cried Mr.. Irvine, becoming more and
more anxious.
"Mademoiselle Rigaud is still at
Bordeaux" said Monsieur Tasset.
After her extraordinary mission was
over she succumbed, as we all knew
she must-being a young and deli
cate girl-to very dangerous brain
fever. We did all we could for her.
Neither Monsieur lie Cure, nor I my
self, left Bordeaux until everything
was arranged in the most satisfactory
manner. Mademoiselle Rigaud was
removed to hospital where sep
arate department is assigned to
ladies of a good position. She is
nursed there most assiduously by the
good Sisters of the Holy Cross; and
as for her poor, devoted fianca, he
took a room at LIE Lion dor and is
doubtless still there awaiting her re-
covery. Also his presence was re-
quired by the authorities, who init
Bordeaux until the legal proceedings
were over and his evidence had been
given"
Mr. Irvine was struck by the cpl
thet f1ance.
Il was not aware that my friend
and Mademoiselle Rigaud were afIi-
anced," he said.
assured him it was fact. and they
dwelt on the extreme and unso1fish
devotion that Arthur had shown
throughout, speaking OF him with a
warmth and admiration which Mr..
Irvine treasured up for ToIa s ben
eft.
That same evening he started by
the night express for Bordeaux.
Mr.. Irvine arrived at Bordeaux
about O'Clock in the morning, drove
straight to LIE Lion dor" and as it
was too early to make inquiries or
disturb Arthur that morning, he went
to bed.
He was tired out from the rapid
ity of his late travelling, and he did
not awake from his sleep Till III
o'clock. He rose, bralkfasted in the
coffee room, and asked for Arthur.
He was told, to his disappointment,
that he always left the hotel early,
went to the Hospital of the Holy,
Cross, and very often did not return
home before dusk.
Mr.. Irvine thought it better not to,
go too early to the hospital, so he
sat down and wrote long journal
like letter to Tola, telling her all the
events of each succeeding day.
It was only when actually writing
1t down in black and white that he
fully realized the strangeness of the