Middletown transcript., 1914-08-08

MY nusuduO. ASu44SI Wah Wv
astounded to utter word. The priest
resumed:
Those ignorant peasants think you
are an immortal. But am a scientist
and know that you have flown from
France in one of the new airships to
win back the vagrant love Of the man
with whom you plighted your troth.
! Marriage is a sacrament, my daugh-
ter; 1t cannot be dissolved this side OF
the grave. Mademoiselle Torlando
has consented to relinquish him to
you. Forgive him; he will return to
France with you. Or, if he refuse"
He spoke in Italian again and
seemed to thunder forth some terrible
anathema The woman bowed her
head and wept wildly.
understood then. The good priest,
knowing that Zeuxis had abandoned
his lawful wife in France, imagined
that l was she, and that the purport OF
my visit had been to win back the ras-
calls love.
Indignation overpowered me; then
the humor of the situation came to my
aid and saved me.
"You agree to accompany me?" l
asked the Greek.
"Yes, yes" he muttered hastily. But
not in the aeroplane"
"And that will not be necessary,
the priest replied, ''for yacht has just
arrived in the harbor from Marseilles.
and doubtless passage can be procured
on it. 1 will recommend you," he add
ed confidently.
AS he turned to comfort the weeping
woman | whispered to Zeuxis hastily:
"You will come, then? Remember,
the government guarantees you an am
nesty, provided you give evidence. But
you must tell all"
Zeuxis clenched his fists. aye, l
will come" he muttered back, "And
them shall seek out my enemy and
with my knife" He stopped to gath
er his thoughts. "On the yacht-yes,
but not in the aeroplane," he con-
cluded.
A roar of voices, rising and falling
on the wind, interrupted his soliloquy.
We started and looked through the
open door. The cries grew louder,
and suddenly a mob Of men came rum
ming along the narrow street, gesticu-
lating and cursing They swerved to-
ward us with a single motion, as
school of fish that veer ia deep water,
and forcing the priest, who sought to
bar the path, aside, burst into the cot
tage and surrounded US. And at their
head was-Leopold Magniff!
Yes, that arch-traitor, to Illustrate
whose Vaccinations l had made my
perilous passage in the aeroplane-and
here in Corsica! Doubtless he had ar
rived in the yacht which, as the priest
had told me, lay in the harbor. He
must have learned of my movements
from the newspapers and, shrewdly
surmising the object Of my journey,
had chartered a vessel at Marseilles
and sailed to forestall me.
But this conclusion was the result
Of subsequent cogitations; for at the
moment seeing him here, was over
come with horror and dread. At the
very moment Of victory he had circum-
vented me, raised the peasants against
me, cutting off all chance Of rescue.
They thrust their faces in mine, bay
ing me like pack Of hungry wolves.
"Ah, madame, do not look round and
think of your aeroplane," said Leopold
mockingly. 'It is destroyed; it lies,
a heap Of broken metal and wood, in
the center Of the market place" He
turned to the priest. 81 demand pos
session of my lawful wife," he cried,
and flung a forged marriage certificate
upon the broken table.
The good father glanced at it and,
involuntarily shrank back from me.
He looked at me with trembling lips.
1T is false!" l shouted defiantly.
The priest made as if to speak; then.
abandoning the effort, which proved
beyond his power, turned away, NUT
tering to himself and wringing his
hands. 1 must, indeed have appeared
very much married to his eyes. What
an abandoned monster of wickedness
seemed to the good man.
l understood now the frenzy of these
good peasants against me- The run
away wife is not an object of sympathy
in rural districts.
Leopold came to me with a sneer,
pushing aside the men who stood in
his way.
Madame" he said mockingly,
come! Our yacht lies in the harbor." Z"
! l looked round in desperation to see
if aid would come from any quarter.
looked at the priest, but he was max
ing his way sorrowfully toward the
door. Zeuxis cowed by this sudden ap-
pearance of his erstwhile confederate,
had sunk to the floor and stared at
him with a mixture of hate and terror
And all around me the peasants glared
at me, waiting upon Lcopolds word to
tear me limb from limb, if he SO or
dered.
'Will you come quietly, Madame
Magniff?" continued the fellow, "or
shall these citizens carry you to our
yacht?"
/ l shrugged my shoulders, and, since
there was nothing else to be done,
moved at his side toward the door.
Only, as did so, with swift move
ment which escaped his notice, thrust
the rolled up bonds into the bosom Of
my gown. l do not think, to do the
man some justice, that he thought of
them then. I alone held the stage, and
the triumph of possession had driven
all lesser thoughts away.
He stepped down the long street be-
side me, the peasants keeping guard
around In the market place, as we
| -nnnna IN n,,r r.rnrr - IL. .-.l..-a Z -.