Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-04

VI yOu II 10 Will lAlpE CC1SlOAAcl y
have mo head or tail Then his mad
ness becomes terrible. He mixes all
the events Of the last three years IN
his poor, troubled brain. He curses
Bvelyne, he curses Polydore he curses
me, he curses all the Barrabas family.
He confuses everybody in his maledic-
tions. He confuses you with my
brother-in-law, the sculptor, his own
wife's own father. And then he thinks
Barrabas knew his mother and he
talks of Mr.. Kings1ey's vengeance. He
Is mad, raving mad!''
| The train rushed onward at express
speed in the darkness Of the night.
Great shadowy forms seemed 10 pass
quickly before our carriage window
strange, weird shapes. no longer
heard Mercadian's voice. no longer
thought Of him. did not think OF the
poor doctor. ] was thinking OF King
sley, the millionaire.
| All. poor. revengeful friend! He
made no error In his daring calcula-
lions, He chose we'll when he chose
lovely Lucie Well to work out his cruel
vengeance. The vengeance came with
la slow but sure stepl
CHAPTER XXXII.
A Visit TO the Asylum.
The house in the Avenue du Bots de
Boulogne was sumptuous but not
garish; the architecture was rich but
simple. The mansion showed the
elegance OF fastidious home without
crying it out from the facade and mas
sive entrance gates
William had shown exquisite taste,
and Evelyne~ was in every way the
grande dame, with a distinction ana q
harm which filled me with pride. .Ae
had grown into beautiful woman IN
i the last three years. and from .ner
premature experience OF life she had
gained an attitude Of naughty dignity
which struck me forcibly. did not
recognize my little girl with her quick
thoughtless ways. She carried her
trouble with dignity, with q naughty
and almost dfsdainful melancholy, pc
cause, with her sorrow, she had 70
carry not only the weight OF her own
destiny but also of her two children,
who bore the name Of the man whom
! her own brother had murdered.
She reigned as a queen IN the peauti !:
full home where sorrow had entered
with her, In her calm, womaniy way
she reigned with authority over her
|retinue OF servants, over her uncle
Marcadian and her children and
knew that I. In my turn. should sub
MT to this authority. Her power IN
her household was incontestaDle.
knew from the moment that saw
her that her pride had helped her 70
bear all. And I saw that she alone OF
ia all had SCARED above the tragic cir
cumstances. Then ] suddenly dis
lowered the secret of this incontes-
table authoritys this womanly dignity,
which seemed to lift her 50 far above
all.
1 II was not the little daughter OF Bar
rabas or the unhappy girl-wife OF the
mad doctor: 1t was the mother OF
Pierre and Suzanne who was bearing
| the heavy load Of a tragic destiny.
| . The fraulein had brought them into
tha ANAL drawing-room on the first
floor to Introduce them to me.
care they not beautiful children.
Mr. nouglass?" Evelyne said simply.
"All my ambition will be to make them
good and happy. ..,
| She had spoken the first phrase Win
lsimple pride. but the second was tlhged
with a shade of bitterness.
Pierre and Suzanne looked at me
with eyes opened wide in aston1sh-
iment. My horrible, burned race ola
i not charm, them at first sight, ana IN
tspite OF the eager playfulness with
which tried to coax them saw plain
Ilv that inspired them with sort OF
instructive fear. My heart was crav-
Ing for my little grand-children's love.
| T wanted to take them in my arms and
stroke their blonde curls with my
trembling fingers. could not reply
| IN what Evelyne was saying. was
aneechless. The little ones were look
fng.up at me with terrified eyes.
S,lzanne's mouth began to pucker and
II was afraid she was going to cry
Eyelyne looked at me for q moment,
then she said, quietly:
"Mr. Douglass, you are too sensi-
tive
And that was all. AS the fraulein
took the frightened children away
Marcadian came into the room. 1t had
been arranged that we were to go IN
the afternoon to Saint Mande. The
automobile was waiting for us at the
door S5s4. IN
II see how unnerved you are. |
know it must be terrible for you to see
poor William in such condition,
Marcadian said.
II was not even thinking of William
at that moment, but pulled myself
together ard said, trying to speak
calmly;
'The ordeal will be painful, but
have been through others as painful
in my life, Is Nine Kingsley coming
with u.s."
yes, Evelyne has more courage
than have" said Marcadian.
We took our seats in the auto and
started across Paris to the insane asy-
llum, where the millionaire's victim was
a patient.
WAS afraid that the doctor meeting
me again might create terrible scene
and that It might have serious Ell
feet upon Evelyne. She had said to me
only the might -~A.Ao the same as
Marcadian had:
my poor husband says very strange
Aharr,sTE LIZ, hoaso AvnA idoQ that Won