Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-12

dropped. To Marcadian the millionaire
told the same tale which made Lucie's
disappearance quite natural. And SO
Kingsley, with his usual great caution,
and to make the story more plausible,
threw off at a stroke all suspicious
which would have sprung up in the
minds Of those interested in the fate
of the poor girl. The assassin was shell
tered from all suspicion, and !, by my
silence, was constrained to serve him
as an accomplish.
When Marcadian was told that Lucie
had taken her revenge in such fright
full manner, he broke out into the
strongest imprecations against her. He
urged me to lodge complaint against
her, and offered as a friend to put his
services at my command. With my
heavy head swathed in bandages. l
made a sign in the negative, while
Kingsley broke in:
THAT was my first thought, but |
could not make my friend consent. He,
with his nobility of SOUL which fully
appreciate, rates above his own person
al vengeance the joint interest OF my
son and your charming niece. II ne
were to take legal measures, it might
have the effect of placing my son IN an
unfavorable light in Evelyne's eyes.
She knows Of his former engagement
and 1t would cause annoyance to them
both. What good would it do in the
end? The French juries are, as you
we'll know, my dear advocate, very
lenient toward women's emotional
crimes. And after all is said and done,
it could not alter my dear friends dis
agurement. personally am for VEN
geance, vengeance in the extreme, but
of course l must submit to Charles
will. We are we'll rid of that creature,
and we are sure of never seeing her
again. She has escaped; let her 60.
He then told the lawyer not to tell
the doctor about my sickness until l
should have quite recovered. AS Marca-
dian rose to 60, he clasped my HANDS
in his warmly. and said few sympa-
thizing words to me.
When l was again on my feet 1T was
always Kingsley who saw that had
everything for my comfort. 1t was ne
who led me first to the window to look
out on the garden bathed in the au-
tumn sun. The park looked Infinitely
sad and deary to me. The trees were
stripped of their verdant foliage; the
flowers were dropping and withered.
All the beautiful life of the garden had
gone. saw Bambou, who had helped
in my torture, sweeping the pathways
which were covered with dead leaves.
He looked up at my window and called
out cheerful good morning to me.
During my convalescence had seen
him several times, but l had never
seen Jim, who was sure knew about
Lucies murder. Once I asked Bambou
where the man had gone, and he re-
piled with his everlasting:
Flute! flute! Shuffled off like lug
gler's ball. Gone like Mamemoiselle.
did not agin mention that terrible
night to Addison. Nor did try to IN
vite condolences which might terrify
me- And he, on his side, kept silent.
Alas! l had determined to submit to
all for Evelyne's future happiness.
It was the doctor who took off my
last bandage and Kingsley who handed
me the mirror, which showed me the
terribly repulsive face that should
have henceforth have now become
accustomed to my repugnant ugliness,
but at the moment that ] took the oval
mirror in my trembling hand | shook
from head to foot
Was this my face: this head OF
chimpanzee? My face, this face that
had nothing human in it; which was
eaten by kind Of skin disease-a hor-
rible purple-red scar. This skin-like
parchment paper, all crinkled, which
looked as though it had been discol-
ored by some crimson fluid-was 1t my
skin. This mask, with dilated eyes,
startling in their excessive mobility,
was my mask! the mask with which
/ could go freely into the. world again
without being known!
Weakly handed back the morror to
my executioner. Then, strange to say,
by a powerful contradiction between
the regret of having lost my real face
and the assurance that should never
be discovered. I could not resist giving
him look of gratitude, which he I'M
derstood perfectly. for it made him
beam with pleasure. That day he set
tied the dortor's fees, and when the
latter had left the room, he went TO
the window and closed it. He rang for
Bambou who brought up some hot
drinks and box of Havanas. He picked
out one carefully for me. He poured
me out cup Of tea and put sugar In
1T. He was careful to arrange my arm
chair so as to avoid q draught between
the door and the window. He did all
with the gentle care OF mother tend
inc a delicate child. He sat down op-
posite to me. placed his ringed hand
fiat on the table, and said solemnly:
Now. my friend. we haze no time
to lose. In half an hour my son will be
here. am going to place you in his
hands for little time: then your re-
covery will be complete. He will take
you to his hospital!'
jumped out of my chair
eco to mad house! Visit an alien
ist," cried in horror
d "You always exaggerate uselessly.'
said Addison softly. "He is your future
son-in-law; you will be in friends
house, where you will be better able to
carry out your plans and mine. Calm
yourself. Barrabas. In two or three