Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1910-08-19
iept and Betty and her companion.

1
thousand queries as to when did YOU
first begin to love me-" and do YOU
remember that timer" but as ii was
they tried to be unselfsh and make
general conversation and, as is usual in
such cases they only succeeded in hay-
ing everybody miserable, Johnny as
well as themselves.
Angry voices sounded from the corri-
dor. One, Enthusiastically that of De
Malheureux, the other that of an older
and mode irate man.
They extinguished the lights, and
Betty cautiously stealing to the door
put her eye to the keyhole and her
eat to the crack. Out in the hall was
LIE Malheureux, with him a bent old
man, white-haired and saffron skin
| ned
The old man leaned totteringly on a
staff. Il hate you, hate you, a thou
sand times more than ever have done
before, oh wretched son!" he shrilled.
''Vile that you are!"
You cannot, father" interrupted the
harsh voice of LIE Malheureux, in a
sorrowful intonation. You have long
condemned me to tortures. What am
you made me-"
The two walked slowly down the
corridor. Motioning to Larry and Bet
| ty to await his return Johnny followed
in their wake. Through the main
| building and across to the south room
wing they went stopping in what was
evidently the old mans sitting room
There the discussion broke out afresh.
u hate you, 1 say A thousand
times more" repeated the old man.
"Unflial son! But ] have outwitted
you! My cohorts, my good black ne
groes, any one of them worth a thou
sand such sons as you, have found out
your secret castle, the gate to those
bonanza fields where the diamonds lie
so closely bedded together that nee
dlepoint could not separate them. am
free of you now, forever, free; do YOU
understand? That wealth that your
mother and young aunt so long de-
MED me is mine. mine and Cerisse's.
An, there is devotion for you, devotion
1or you! She is girl after my own
heart! What vim! What nerve! What
daring! My Cerisse! No chicken
| Ou,
Ban! Now that have the path to tho
mines, now that need him no longer,
Hackieye may go, and his children
with him If he wishes. They are but
poor offspring for my beautiful daugh-
ter to own. Small wonder she never
loved them. Nor him either. Her heart
mas long been with one man, and now
with all this new wealth she shall have
him. Money buys anything! Diamonds
are money! Cerisse shall be rid of this
Hackleye. l hate him, tool"
Another figure stepped out of the
darkness. Johnny recognized the early
morning visitor he had traied from
the Desterle home into the Flanders
mansion, months before.
Don't believe that for a moment.
this man rasped. You blithering old
fool you! Cerisse is dead! Do you
| hear! She's dead! Dead"
The old man dropped his staff and
| fell back into the arms of LIE Malheu-
reux, who led him to seat near by.
Hackleye, Hackleye!" walled the
OLD man, you didn't-you didn't. You
didn't kill her?"
Hackleye pulled roll of newspaper
clippings from his pocket and dangled
them before the old mans eyes. and
spread them out on the table before
MIN. With quivering lips the stricken
man read, punctuating each sentence
with moan. He saw the headlines
only, then flung the papers from him
and tried to reach Hackleye with his
staff
And you, you" he malevolently
called to LIE Malheureux. why did you
not prevent it?"
How could II" answered LIE Mall
heureux, 'and why should L? You
know what Cerisse was, father. mur.
deress at heart, and my own sister. NV
mothers daughter!"
Yes, and mine," snarled the old man.
Where are those brats of Hackleye's? :?
III Kill them-kill them, I tell you'll"
LIE Malheureux rang sharply on 4
bell. Benoni entered from the hall AMI
together they bore the old man from
the room. Hackleye gathered up the
clippings and with darkening brow
paused before the portrait of the two
children that hung on the wall before
MIN. Opposite was life size painting
OF the mother, and his wife-radiant.
smiling as she had been in her early
girlhood, and when she had listened
to the ardent love-making of her fu.
ture husband.
AS the man looked the frown van.
ished. A breeze stealing in from the
window swayed the portrait forward
on the wall. With outstretched hands
and lips apart the girl in the picture
seemed to move towards the weary
man, to offer him the roses she held 10
her hands. The dim lights completed
the Illusion. Hackleye sprang forward
to embrace the girl in the picture. soft
words upon his lips.
Sweetheart, sweetheart" he cried,
you've come back to me. I know 1t,
and you'll never go again, will you.