Year: 1879

through the gold back, as you see
when l hold it up to the light. There,
you sec this sponge within this wire
case f-this is saturated with deadly
poison--poison that you inlla1e day by
day, until you gradually die, and none
know the cause of your death. Lady,
he who gave you this wished to muir
der your


As white as snow, and trembling
with excitement, Lulu cried:


"No, no, no! 1t was given me by
my dear governess, Viola Hale"


''Viola Hale! The first name is
hers; she must be the one who is
your foe, lady. Is the woman you
speak of in this house r.


As the Gypsy spoke the governess
glided into the room, and as her eyes
fell upon the tall form near Lulu, she
stopped, turned livid, and with a cry
upon her lips, sank upon the floor.


"Oh, sir, call the servants, for she
has fainted," cried Lulu, in alarm.


'Lady, let her lie there while l tell
you she is not worthy of a kind
thought. That woman is my wife!"


"Your wife 2" whispered Lulu.


Eyes, lady, she is, like myself, a
Gypsy, and at IA years Of age became
my wife and queen of the band; but
the year after the birth of our boy,
whose life you have saved, she ran
away from me to 90 with an Italian
prince, and when she had squandered
his money she left him, too, to attach
herself to q Spanard, u sorcerer, and
the man who made this death charm
hold in my hand. She killed him
with his own poisons, and came back
to me protesting repentance. Alas it
was from desire to get her boy; as
still doubted her, she gave me this
very charm to wear aronnd my neck,
telling me it would bring back my
love for her.


Accidentally, l found paper one
day that told me the secret of the
death charm and it's poison, and l ac-
cused her Of her treachery, and SO
great was her assumed grief that l did
not make known her intent to kill me
to my band.


"The following day she disappeared
and carried the charm with her. Since
then I've never known what became
of her: but thank heaven. | came
here to-day!''


In horor Lulu had listened to the
awful story, and then she felt that it
was all true, for 1t came to her now
how her old nurse had said that the
governess wanted to marry Fred De
Lancy herself then how she had in-
sisted that for love of her the death
charm should be worn day and night,
and the first time she put it on her
health began to fail.


''Oh, how could she be 50 wickedr


"It is her nature, lady. All, she is
recovering consciousness" and the
Gypsy chief stepped toward the pros
trate woman, and, in his own
language spoke to her firmly.


With every nerve quivering and
her black eyes looking wild with, terror
the woman arose and stood before
her master thoroughly conquered.


Mady, please send this woman's
things to this address in the city,"
and Carl handed Lulu card, while
he continued: "Keep that death
charm, but take from it that deadly
poison ,9eep it as a souvenir that
Captain Carl repaid the services you
did his son.


Then turning to the guilty, trem
bling woman, he said to her simply:


1'COme!"


Without a word and bowed head,
she followed him, and Lulu was left
alone in horror and grief. Thus her
father found her, and from her lips
heard the terrible story. He folded
his daughter in his arms in rapture at
her escape while he said:


II do believe her guilty now, Lulu,
for l remember believed she loved
me at first, yet her manner changed
as soon as met with financial mis-.
fortunes; and it was evidently her in
tent to kill you and Fred De Lancy,
for she frequently asked about his
riches. / wonder what her band
will do with her?'


~ cannot tell, father"


"Then we will drive to their camp
tomorrow and have talk with Cap
tain Carl, who seems to be splendid
fellow"


And the next day Lulu feltso much
better that she drove to the Gypsy>