The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-05-09
Percnna's eyes narrowed.


Perenna's eyes narrowed.
1.-The accomplish is here, in this
house, in the midst Of everything,
by my side. He is lying in wait for
me. He is following every step !
take. He is living in my shadow.
He is waiting for the time and
place to strike me. Well, l have
had enough of it.. l want to know,
| will know, and / shall know.
Who is he2"
The girl had moved back a little
way and vas leaning against the
round table. He took another step
forward and, with his eyes still
fixed on hers, looking in that i'm
mobile face for a quivering sign of
fear or anxiety, he repeated, with
greater violence:
"Who is the accomplice? Who
in the house has sworn to take my
life?"
II don't know" she said, 81
don't know. Perhaps there is no
plot, as you think, but just a series
Of chance condolences"
He felt inclined to say to her,
with his habit Of adopting a
familiar tone toward those whom
he regarded as his adversaries
You're lying, dearie, you're
lying. The accomplice is yourself,
my beauty. You alone overheard
my conversation on the telephone
with Mazeroux, you alone can
have gone to CASTOR Sauverand's
assistance, waited for him in a
motor at the corner Of the boule-
ward, and arranged with him to
bring the top half Of the walking
stick here. You're the beauty that
wants to kill me, for some reason
which | do not know. The hand
that strikes me in the dark is
yours, sweetheart"
But it was impossible for him to
treat her in this fashion; and he
was so much exasperated at not
being able to. proclaim his GER
tainty in words Of anger and in
dignation that he took her fingers
and twisted them violently, while
his look and his whole attitude ac-
cused the girl even more forcibly
than the bitterest words.
He mastered himself and re-
leased his grip. The girl freed
herself with a quick movement,
indicating r~epulsion and hatred.
Don Luis said:
VERY well. I will question the
servants. If necessary l shall dis
miss any whom I suspect"
"No, don't do that" she said
eagerly. "You mustn't. l know
them ALL"
Was she going to defend themY
Was she yielding to a scruple of
conscience at the moment when
her obstinacy and duplicity were
on the point of causing her to sac
rifice a set of servants whose con-
duct she knew to be beyond re-
proach, Don Luis received the i'm
preston that the glance which she
threw at him contained an appeal
for pity. But pity for whom9 For
the others? Or for herselfY
They were silent for a long time.
Don Luis, standing a few steps
away from her, thought of the
photograph, and was surprised to
find in the real woman all the
beauty of the portrait, all that
beauty which he had not observed
hitherto, but which now struck
him as a revelation. The golden
hair shone with a brilliancy un-
known to him. The mouth wore a
less happy expression, perhaps, a
rather bitter expression, but one
which nevertheless retained the
shape Of the smile. The curve of
the chin, the grace of the neck re-
vealed above the dip of the linen
collar, the line of the shoulders,
the position Of the arms and of
the hands resting on her knees:
all this was charming and very
gentle and, in a manner, very
and reassuring. Was it
possible that this woman should
be a murderess, a poisoner9
He said:
81 forget what you told me
that your Christian name was.
But the name you gave me was not
the right one."
eyes, it was" she said.
"Your name Is Florence: Flor
ence Levasseur."
She started.
"What' Who told you? Flor
ence9 How do you know!"
Here is your photograph, with
your name on it almost illegible."
"Oh!' she said, amazed at see
ing the picture. Il can't believe
it Where does it come frOm9