The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-04-16
Mirth and !.
Despair
By F. A. Mitchell

The great European war has brought
out the woman spy. Here 10 a story
connected with a woman spy Of 1870.
Martin Lemoyne was much interest.
ed in his family tree. The Lemoynes
came from France. and Martin traced
his ancestry there. About the begin
ming Of the present century be went to
France and after considerable hunting
found the branch Of the family to
which he belonged. They lived in
the department Of the Marne on a
road over which the Germans In 1870
marched to Paris.
Lemoyne's relatives received him
cordially and we're quite curious about
one Of the family who had become an
American. He vas about thirty years
old at the time and admired very
much. n Of his ~cousins-many times
removed-a young girl Of twenty.
Louise Lemoyne captivated him by her
very pleasant laugh. which rang out on
all occasions Indeed. 1t seemed that
the natural expression Of her face was
q smile. There was with this a bit of
witchery in her that rendered her dou.
bly, attractive. When she smiled on
Martin with her lips there wa roguery
in her eyes. Men are more apt to be
caught by this sort of thing than evi.
dence Of character. At any rate, the
American fell in love with his French
cousin and proposed to take her back
to America With him.
IF you knew" she said. you
wouldn't want me-"
These were the first words Martin
heard her say without the smile.
IF l knew whatT' be asked.
II am not always what you see me.
Sometimes l am another person."
"What-two persons In n body?"
"Yes."
"Is your double as lovely as you are?"'
This brought back the laugh.
II will tell you whether l will go
with you to America tomorrow-that
is. If you ask me again. But you will
not"
Martin swore that he would ask her
tomorrow and every day till she con-
scented.
That night his room was changed.
Why he was not informed. One thing
he noticed that pleased him very much.
On the wall was hung a portrait of
Louise. The artist had caught that
smile Of hers with all its sed%uctiveness.
It seemed to him that she was smiling
especially at him. To whatever part
Of the room he went those mischievous
eyes followed him.
He went to bed and to sleep. Pres
entity he was awakened by a fash OF
light Some one had put q lamp in the
hall. which shone through the transom.
Martin was about to turn over and go
to sleep when he glanced at that part
Of the wall where hung Louise's pic
ture. The light shining through the
transom faced it and rested on 1t.
A cold chill ran down Martins back.
What u horrible contrast between
Louise with her smile and Louise as
she now appeared! The n was the
ouintessence Of innocent happiness. the
other despair.
To get rid Of the effect of the light
on the portrait Martin moved first n
way, then another. An he could do
by this was sometimes to show more
of Louise smiling and sometimes more
of Louise in despair.
The lamp without was removed as
suddenly as 1t had appeared. leaving
the room in darkness. Lemoyne en-
deavored to shut out that CHASTITY look
| from his mental vision. but 1t would
! not 20 away. 1t seemed that the sub
1ect of the portrait was about to be
dragged to some frightful doom. and
he lay wondering what 1t a he
heard the clock strike every hour be
tween I and Z. As soon as 1t was
| light he wished to throw of the covers
and have a look at the picture. but
dreaded to do so. fearing he would en-
counter that fearful gaze. At last he
summoned resolution to do so.
There was the enhancing smile un-
der the mischievous eyes.
When he met Louise that morning
| she looked at him with a half fright
ened, half mischievous inquiring ex.
preston. He realized for the first time
that she had been responsible for what
had occurred during the night. But
how he had no idea. He turned away
from her with q shudder.
Monsieur was not pleased with my
double." she said. In a half pleading
tone.
LemOyne turned.
explain that portrait" he said.
"Monsieur does not wish me to go
with him to American"
"For heavens sake. help me to get
rid Of that awful face"
At this she looked penitent and told
him that years ago before she was
born. the Germans, when they invaded
France, had passed the house. At the
time a woman spy was taken and con
demned to death. The night before
her execution an artist had caught the
expression Of despair on her face and
had transferred It to canvas. The pic
ture had remained In the house. and
recently some one had suggested that
In order to do away with the grewsome
subject LOuise's likeness be painted
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