Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-31

And your duty--doesn't that count
for something, William, What about
your children?"
ri shall make ample provision for
them"
! At his cold. heartless words seemed
to hear again Polydores voice, when
he spoke to me OF Lucie. What
sorcery did this woman exercise over
the minds of men!
{ What subterfuge could use to de-
fend the rights Of my daughter? What
means could employ to separate that
| woman from the doctor thought with
bitterness Of the tragi-comedy that
had been played in the pavilion at
| Neuilly. But now the clever stage
manager was no longer here to give
me his advice. What could do7
II shall be very happy with Lucie as
my wife, and shall stay over here and
be with you, Charles" said the doctor.
Iingenuously.
What could do? could not forsee
that it would be Lucie herself who
would be the one to arrange matters.
! It was the last day Of the trial. I
had followed the hearing with atten-
ton, but felt that had not the cour-
age to be present when the verdict was
given. could not listen to the Judge
demanding my sons life without break
ing down. decided to stay at my
Iofice. l refused to accompany Will
liam, whose feverish impotence to see
Lucie acquitted contrasted singularly
with my gloomy dependency and my
, resignation to the inevitable. Not for
anything in the world would William
have missed that last session of court!
1t had been arranged that Mr.. Teck
should call me on the phone and tell
me as soon as sentence had been
passed.
It was about o'clock In the after
noon when he called me up. He told
me that after the prosecutor had made
vehement and pitiless address to
the court the jury had adjourned to
deliberate. From to 5:45 o'clock |
sat huddled up in my chair, crushed,
broken.down, with eyes fixed on my
desk, passing through the most agontz-
ing moments OF my life. During As min
utes | sat there, with dazed senses and
dry eyes. to endure the silent anguish
of that terrible waiting.
I had given orders to John Fellowes,
who was now my secretary, not to
come into my Office upon any pretex
whatever. I wanted to be alone. And
the As minutes that the jury took to
declare him guilty, without extenua-
ting circumstances, appeared to me
like eternity.
A second call came from the lawyer.
| I grasped the receiver. I heard his
curt, dry voice:
"He is condemned to death, and
madame is acquitted"
| dropped the receiver and fell FOR
ward on my desk. How long ! was
unconscious do not know. could
not tell. came to my senses as my
secretary came noisily into the room
in spite Of the orders that I had given
him. sat up In alright Behind
John Fellowes, hustling each other.
their clothing in disorder. faces angry.
and eyes wild, came the DOCTOR Lucie
and the Hindoo Jim.
The scene was so disorderly and I'M
expected, so full of menace, that
seized my revolver and leveled 1t IN
the direction of the group In an In
stinctive movement Of self-defense.
John relieves put his hand on my
arm.
"Be calm, Mr.. Douglass; be calm"
looked at them all.
The doctor stood before me, tremb-
ling with impotent rage, with bloody
face his eyes starting from their sock
cts, his upper lip split, the cartilage
OF the nose bruised and one ear torn.
Beside him was Lucie, as pale as
death, with frightened eyes, her hair
all rutfled, her big blue hat with its
sweeping aigrette held in her hand,
gesticulating like a jack-in-the-box
without being able to utter a single
word. Behind was Jim, with his great
fist covered with blood. He was the
only one who showed calmness.
| .,.Moussir," he cried, in harsh,
angry voice, IT have brought Madame
to you. I ask you to protect her from
DR.. Kingsley"
It was funny for me to be asked to
protect anyone from William, he was
in such pitful plight and in no state
to defend himself. Lucie's shrtll treble
voice soon made itself heard.
1 IT have had enough Of the Kingsley
family" she said, land intend to be
NV own mistress and do what like
in the future, rather than give up my
liberty now / have it, prefer to re-
nounce all claim to the fortune, which
has only brought me Imprisonment and
notoriety"
"Who wants you to give up your
liberty, Lucie?" asked her.
"Why, Or. Kingsley. He wants me
to marry him, now that he knows !
shall soon be widow. When I left
1.-THE court he tried to take me away
by force. He says he is going to ask
his wife to give him his freedom.
never heard of such a disgraceful
thing. and he thinks would have him
then. I'd rather be without cent; I
/ would rather marry Jim and go away
from here with him. He has proved
himself through all my trouble to be
a loyal friend and better suited TO my
| station. I should not be where AM
now II I had not been tempted by the
magnificent promises OF Addison
Kingsley" !,
she looked at us all with flashing,
l - y