The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-11-29

Germaine started. She was deathly
pale. ,. ... :. go.
Again the voice was heard, but
much nearer: s. 81 y
*'Llly! Lily! why have YOU ], done
this?'. /. Il q -
Germaine was shaking 80 I thought
she would drop. Then she cried:
"Forgive me! Forgive me, Ger.
maine! promise to atone!"
BOLSTER: jumped up to go toward
her. seized his wrist, and whis-
pered In his ear:
II am not Martin; my name is Cor
on. II you make a move or utter a
sound, you are lost!''
The seance broke up In a state Of
excitement. Xavier conducted the half
fainting Germaine to the drawing
room.
! went to her and said:
'Mademoiselle, suppose you would
like to speak to us now?"
Eyes," she replied; "call your friend
Xavier; but not Boissier."
She shuddered as she mentioned the
name.
I returned to the dining-room.
professor" said, keep close to
that fellow Boissier till I come back.
II he tries any nonsense clap the
handouts on him."
'I'll look after him, SIR" laughed the
professor.
Germaine was sitting in an easy
chair. with her eyes closed, the while
Xavier walked about excitedly.
What does it all"
"Hush!" I Interrupted him. "You
will hear the truth now"
Il have deceived you! Forgive
mel"
Suddenly Germaine went on her
knees before Xavier, and Selling one
of his hands, exclaimed:
Reckoning Xavier to remain silent,
raised the girl from the floor, and
said:
| "Whom is he to forgive? Is It Ger
maine, Or"
NO." she shrieked in paroxysm Of
grief. Don't speak, will tell every
thing!"
And in broken sentences, mingled
with sobs, she poured out her story:
my name is Lily Bradley, and am
charge of Germaine when her parents
! died. My father and mother were
very good to her; but Germaine was
sickly, and the doctor said she could
not live long. Then came the letter
of NJ. E. in Toulouse, proposing to
ing poor, decided to let me take her
place. I begged them not to do this;
but l was only thirteen, and they
pressed me so hard that I consented.
Two years later Germaine died, and"
Your parents committed a second
fraud by burying her under your
name" l said.
How on earth, Goron, do you-''
Keep quiet, Xavier. Please go on,
Miss Lily"
Some time after that my parents
died, too, when one day received a
visit from that man, B0issier. My ia
Their knew him, and I remember his
saying the fellow was a scoundrel.
Somehow Boissier had got hold of the
| Secret, and he threatened to denounce
me unless l consented to assist him in
| a plot.
HE had become intimate with M.
| Xavier; and the plan was that should
marry M. Xavier, and afterward pay
Boissier large sum Of money. He
is rich,' he said, and l want some Of
his money If NJ. Xavier had not
gone in for spiritualism, this conspir-
| acy would never have been started.
Several times l have felt tempted to
| write him an anonymous letter warn
ing him against the plot; but Boissier
terrorized me- and l dared not risk it..
l have also"
She stopped and an expression Of
intense pain came over her face.
l saw she was really ILL.,: and as, for
several reasons l did not want her to
go back to where she was staying,
sent for a cab and asked the house
keeper to take my card, and convey
the girl to home managed by one
of my friends, who would look after
her.
BOLSTER was sitting motlonless in
the dining-room by tho side of the
professor" who was reading a morn
ing paper.
Take him to the prefecture, Le-
roy" said. Il will see him tonight
or tomorrow morning"
Yes, sir Come along, my boy, you
and will look at few more ghosts"
And he led away Boissier, who shiv-
cred with fright and had not the
strength to utter syllable.
We'll. XAVIER I exclaimed, when
We were alone. What do you think
of our seance? Rather stormy, was it
not?"
"Goron, l am too much ashamed OF
myself to dare even to thank you.
feel in dream. But how did you fer.
ret it all out? What clue did you
have?'
"Oh, had a clue. But there is