Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-31
7 'Hon,,11e Sans Figure
- (TEIE MAN WITHOUT "A FACE
=Z BY ALBERT B0IssIERE ==
Translated From The French by Florence creme Jones
Copyright. Frank A. Munsey Company T.
BY ALBERT BOISSIERE

While he unpacked his belongings
and arranged his things, I gave him all
the det;.ils as closely as possioie OF
his expatient's crime, and Of all that
had befallen me.
He listened attentively to all I had
to say. At certain passages, espe-
cially when spoke of my innocence,
I saw his lips curl; the slight sheer
might pass for mocking smile. At
other times when spoke Of Lucie, his
brows L nit and his Jaws set as though
he were suffering some sharp pain. 1t
was only when spoke of Polydore
that he appeared Indifferent. When
he had finished unpacking, he came
and sat down opposite me. He took
out a cigarette care and offered one
to me. Then he began:
"You can tell any story you like
about IL, but am here now, and
know him. The police do not know
that l know. They do not know that
e, to whom you gave the name OF
Theodore Douglass, is really Polydore
Barrabas, the wretch who struck his
own mother and then fled to my In
sane asylum. The police do not know
that through your plotting and schem-
ing l married the sister of this wretch,
and that | am living miserable life
with her." )
My poor little daughter! I looked
at my supposed son and said severely:
"You do wrong to say that, William.
Evelyne is sweet, good girl, and she
loves you. am ashamed OF you.'
"Evelyne is worthy Of better man
than l." he replied softly. "You are
right. she is everything woman
should be, but it is not my fault If my
love is dead. swear solemnly that
have tried Loyalty to forget Lucie, but
cannot. Oh! why did you and Mr..
Kingsley deceive me by telling me that
she threw the vitriol at you and that
she died afterward Why did you both
arrange to marry that wretch to her?
BY your being an accomplice OF Mr..
Kingsley you have killed every bit of
filfal love had for you. why did you
plot together to Illustrate my mar
riage?'
In the DOCTORS attitude, voice and
look there was an earnestness which
frightened me.
81 have come over to this country
to save the woman love-" he said,
looking me full in the face.
l got up and stood beside him. 1t
took considerable effort to remain
calm.
"You will not succeed" l said.
4 will succeed" he replied haughtily.
"In this matter it will be war to the
knife between US. -..i your efforts are
bent on saving your adopted son; 1T is
to your interest to implicate Lucie.
But am going to denounce e on
the authority Of an ailenist, and on
the confession of his own sister,
Evelyne."
Beside myself with fear, sprang
at him. For one moment grappled
with him crying out furiously:
''You shall not do that! You shall
not betray Evelyne's secret; that at
least shall be kent sacred! | forbid
you to betray her secret!'
The doctor wrencbed himself free.
He drew back step, still keeping his
eyes fixed on my face. Then he said
slowly:
"You have known Evelyne's secret
all along"
This was a straight thrust re-
manned silent.
There are moments when wonder
if you really are Douglass; II you are
my father There are moments like
this, for instance, when everything
tends to make me believe that you
cannot be my father, that you are''----
NY throat swelled. For q moment
/ felt suffocated.
He stopped. His eyes left my face
He frowned, bit his lips and looked
down at the floor.
Then he said:
II ought not to have spoken so. |
don't know why said that; there was
no reason whatever for it. Forgive
me, father
He held out his hand to me.