Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-01-12

,
stern materalist that l have always
been. something like prayer .or
mercy on the struggling. passionate
souls OF the three victims of this
tragedy welled from my heart:
20 God, have mercy on their
souls"
Gained a little now. but with fast.
beating heart and fevered eyes that
seemed as If they never could close in
quiet sleep again. | went to Brodeur.
| took the crumpled paper from his
hand, now stiffening with rigor NOR
It's. Took it and opened ii, and silent.
ly looked at it with profound emo.
ton.
l. was a photograph, or rather two
framents of a photograph, which
when iitted together made nearly the
whole. Damp charred. and wrinkled,
it still showed Alexandra in the first
rare bloom Of that fatal and impiouS
perfection which they had created for
her only 10 end in horrible catastro'
phe. A photograph-the same as that
when have folded into the leaves
of tins record of the case.
For moment | looked upon this
photograph, taken by my own hand
and probably directly responsible for
the death of the two men Then
laid it on the little table by the bed
side and leaned over the doctor. Ny
foot crushed a glass vial that had
probably fallen from his hand
His face was singularly calm. 1t
had recovered 10 wonderful degree
the rare nobility that must once have
distinguished it.
No Disagreement was visible save
slight burning of the lips. detected
a certain odor as Of almonds
"Prussic acid!" ! whispered. and
stood up again
The method of Andre Brodeur's
death was clear
For a few minutes | remained there
pontering. There was nothing | could
do. Why disturb any of the bodies?
Most OF all, why move Brodeurs? To
have destroyed that yearning attitude
Of appealing tenderness which, even
in oblivion would have been sacri-
lege.
Yet something must be done. |
could no longer stay in that cursed
place. Nor could flee, leaving so
horrible a record OF error and OF
tragedy in the lonely house. The
danger to ne would have been fatal
and appalling The frightfu' story
would come TO be known.
And 7, despite my every eXnlana-
ton would surely be held accessory.
Nothing now stood before me but
life OF torture in a cell--nothing I'M
less all this ghasly record could be
forever obliterated,
All at once | knew what must be
done. and what surely was to do.
With a murmured farewell 10 this
woman and this man | turned and left
them alone together. Quickly re-
turned through the hallway and ~
the stairs TO my room, avoiding En-
gazy by as wide margin as possible.
N'''a me took nothing save the frag,
ments of the photograph that had
found in the dead hand of Andre
Back in my room again. quickly
dressed for my escape to the city. As
| did so | was swiftly perfecting the
details OF my flight, laying my plans
and arranging everything SO that
might go clear Of the terrible web OF
circumstantial evidence enmeshing
me-
Nothing, ! understood, save fire
could ever wipe away this horror that
had developed in the lonely house
among the bleak saltmarshes Who
owned the house | neither knew nor
cared Property.rights had ceased to
interest me. With situation like his
TO race--a tragedy that would flare
across the country on the blast OK
newspaper publicity If discovered
and with my whole future safety to
protect, nothing mattered.
Had | thought that my story. the
,lain truth. would or could have Been
believed would have faced the
world: but such tale. knew. nlight
land me in the madhouse even If !
escaped the penitentiary Nothing re.
NAMED but to destroy all the eTl'
dence, and do it both swiftly and with
absolute effectiveness.
Ny decision firmly made, finished
dressing. packed my vallse and put on
M outer coat
Calm now. and perfectly collected
not even feeling any sense OF "a
tisue--.l went out into the hallway
There stopped, overtaken by a
thought could not risk the sacrifice
of innocent lives. must warn MIS-,
Spragg and her half.witted SOC joel
above stairs.
stepped to the door leading UP the
stairs. laundering in the dark
Mrs. Sprags! Mrs. Spraeg'' !
shouted vociferonsy.
At the third hail heard her QuaFer.
Ing voice.