Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-11-03

|
YES" she gasped, as a fair-haired
child of six ran lightly from the manor
house steps to meet her mother.
Palidori. lighting a cigarette, turned
carelessly away and sauntered to-
ward the shrubbery of the eastern
point. Margory. the fair-haired child.
chartered and fluttered birdlike about
her silent mother as she approached
the house and passed inside. But on
the wide loggia Enoch Golden. stern
eyed and grim-lipped. paced back and
forth, scared by the fires of Jealous
suspicious. He wheeled about and
strobe into the house.
He passed through the quiet room
until he came to his study. There. as
he sat staring moodily at the top of
his mahogany desk. his gaze fell on
the picture of his wife in its heavy
| frame of chased silver. He gaZed
down at 1t abstractedly, then rose and
crossed to the wall safe, where he
rummaged through morocco cased
/ Jewels and precious stones gathered
! together when he was a wanderer in
all parts of the world. In this wealth,
however. he found small interest,
since his search was for the locket in
| which YVES set his favOrite picture OF
his wife. taken the day of their mar
riage. This locket, finally unearthed
from the bottom of jewel case. he
stared at hungrily, with his lips franz
ing the torturing question: Can it be
true?" He moved about, repeating
that question. Then he came to sud-
den stop. set the heavy muscles of his
Jaw, and rang for a servant.
ASK Mrs. Golden to come here" he
commanded.
The old negro showed hesitation.
AT once, sah?"
AT once" repeated Golden. Looking
up. he perceived the perturbation on
the old negro's face. why don't you
go? Where is Mrs. Golden?"
She's down i'm the shrubbery at
the East point with Doctor Palidori."
nervously acknowledged the old re-
tainer.
Golden leaped to his feet. He strobe.
white-faced. through the silent house,
hurried on along the narrow garden
paths. and suddenly slackened his
pace as he approached the thick shrub
berry beyond The sound of voices
came to his ear. Creeping forward he
cautiously parted the branches There.
screened from the world about them.
Palidori stood gazing down into his
wifes eyes.
Il cannot give you the key" he
heard her say. MY husband still has
it."
Then what can we do?" asked the
Italian.
Il will give it to you tonight. 1t
will be safer then" was the quaver-
ing answer.
Then you must give me more than
the key" murEured Palidori.
Golden. dropping back. staggered
away like a stricken animal and heard
no more. His last hope had withered
out. The worst was known. He re-
entered his home, like a man in a
dream. He sat gray-faced at his desk.
a sweat of agony beading his great
body. Then, after an hour of silent
wrestling with his soul, the natural
belligerency of the fighting man awak- |
ened in him. Seeing only one course |
before him, he sent CURLY for three |
of his retainers, three huge negroes |
whom he knew he could trust To |
each Of these he handed out belt and |
holster containing a revolver. Then !
he briefly and coldly gave his orders.
This island" he grimly announced.
makes its own laws!"
He was still pacing the room when
his wife came In. AS she approached
him she caught sight Of the open lock.
ct on the desk and took 1t up. Tears
started to her eyes. Then she crept to
her husbands side. with her hands
hungrily to his shoulders. But
Golden could neither meet her gaze
nor speak to her.
And late that night, when the hour
for his Intervention drew nearer, he
was almost able to exult in finding
against which to centralize
all his earlier vague suspicious. He
moved with both calmness and pre-
,ision. He showed the quick instinct
)f the trained hunter in seeking cover
behind the heavy portieres, for the
French window beside him command
I'd view of both the library within
md the moonlit garden without. And
along the shrubbery of this garden he
'oon detected Palidori stealing, car
wing a traveling-bag in his hand and
! coat over his arm. Through the soft
y lighted library. minute later. the
igure OF Golden's wife slowly ad-
'anced. She crept out through the
french windows. which stood open,
tepped down into the garden. and
,assed on through the shrubbery to
where Palidori stood waiting in the
hadows.
The watching husband could see the
wo come together. he could hear the |
nurmur Of whispering voices. he could ,
zee Palidoris hand go out and clasp ,
he woman's.
Il will not go alone. love you, ,
nd ] want you to be happy,"
The woman's answer could not be .
card. But Palidori. stepping sudden F,
y forward. clasped her in his arms.
nd forced back her head until his =.
ips smothercd the cry that rose to
er own. ,,
II was then that the planter stamped ,
n the wooden floor. not with mere .