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INTO MARVELOUS LIQHT
(Continued from last week.)
CHAPTER XXI.
‘0 thou invincible spirit of wine! If thou hast
no name to be known by, let us call thee devil.”
—Shakespeare.
All the evil passions in Julian Deveaux had been
aroused. Before the supper was ended, one desire
mastered him to rid himself of Horace Bradmore.
He slipped away from the party wondering, in his
half crazed and intoxicated condition, from whom
he could secure a pistol. He knew of a gambling
house not far away, where he could find acquaint
ances who always went armed. Entering he found
a number of those with whom he had associated in
his most dissipated days. They hailed him with
delight, as they saw his condition. They took him
by the hand, slapped him on the shoulder, and
pushed him into a chair by one of the gaming
tables. He tried to explain that he did not have
time to sit down, that he was in a great hurry,
and had come only to get a pistol with which to
shoot a dog that had run up against him.
One of the men gave the others a wink, and
locked the door.
41 Hold on Deveaux, old man. Haste makes
waste. You have given us the 44 G. B.” so long,
you must take one social glass, for the sake of
4 auld lang syne’ and help me out on this game,
don’t you know, or I shall be completely swamped.”
11 Yes, yes,” another called out, 1 ‘Deveaux brings
back the good old times. Let’s give three cheers
and a song, and drink to his health and happiness.”
I ‘Hurrah! Hurrah!” rang out from a chorus
of voices, mingled with coarse jests about the woes
of a married man.
Deveaux drained his glass, then took up the cards.
1 i Here goes, boys, what stakes are up?”
II Five hundred dollars,” one answered.
41 Yes,” added another, 11 We ’ll start on that.
Who’ll cover it?”
44 N0, such child’s play,” interrupted Deveaux.
44 Make it a thousand.”
There were numerous winks and grunts of satis
faction in response.
In less than an hour Julian Deveaux was wholly
intoxicated, and was lying on the floor in a stupor.
He had squandered five thousand dollars.
When Christiana reached her room, she shed no
tears. She was like a young tigress at bay. Where
was the husband who had torn her from an inno
cent home and placed her in a veritable hell, then
in a mad hour had deserted and left her to the
mercy of a devil? Was it all a preconceived plot
to test her faithfulness? And had she blindly
stepped into the trap?
All this was torturing her fevered brain, when a
servant rushed in exclaiming, 44 Mr. Deveaux has
been murdered, and some men are bringing him in.
Where shall they carry him?”
She did not scream nor faint. She threw her
hands over her heart, which seemed to have stopped
beating. Her hand fell upon the crimson roses,
still fastened there, and which she had forgotten
until now, so withered and dead and beautiless
they were. She snatched them from her, and
threw them upon the floor, where they fell upon the
white ones that were still lying where she had scat
tered them the evening before. The contrasting
white and red caught her eye, and for a moment,
she gazed as if spellbound. Again they seemed to
be spirits speaking to her, holding up before her
a once spotless life, but now with the crimson
blood of evil passions and revenge blurring it.
Could it have been only yesterday? Surely she had
lived an eternity. She threw up her hands, exclaim
ing, 4 4 Mio, darling father* come back to your heart
broken child. Come back, come back, lest I be
crazed with suffering. 0 mio, I cannot, cannot bear
it.”
The Golden Age for May 17, 1906.
By LLEWELYN STEPHENS
The sound of heavy feet caused her to rush from
her room into the hall. Four men were bringing
Mr. Deveaux up. She thought him dead, and that
she had been the cause.
She fell back against the wall, unable to move
further or utter a sound. One of the men said,
44 Don’t be alarmed, lady. He’ll pull through all
right. ”
44 1 s he dead?” she gasped.
44 0 h no, ma’am. He’s in a right bad way, but
he’ll pull through, I’m sure, so don’t be fright
ened.”
A physician was immediately summoned, and
when he arrived, he found two patients, both very
ill. Christiana had had a complete nervous col
lapse.
As soon as Mr. Deveaux began to revive, he so
repeatedly called for John Marsden, Mrs. Way
land sent for him, and he came at once. He found
Mr. Deveaux still delirious.
44 John, you see I am dying. I had no idea it
would come so soon. Christiana died last night,
you know, so of course I can’t live any longer. And
to think that I killed her. Does any one suspect
that I killed her, John? You see I had to do it,
to save her. Horace Bradmore took her from me.
I tried to kill him. too, but he escaped me. When
I am gone, John, have the dog hunted down, and see
that he is shot through the heart—hearts—hearts—
hearts—yes these hearts of ours—that’s where it
hurts, John. Isabelle Conrad tries to make me
think she has a heart. Ha! Ha! And she thinks
I am sorry I did not marry her—ha! ha! ha! What
a world this is. Hearts—hearts—hearts. Look
on the walls and ceilings, John, at the hearts—
hearts everywhere! They are all dripping with
blood, too. Oh,” he shrieked, 44 the blood is
dripping all over me. Cover me up, John, cover me
up quickly. See, see, on the floor, the blood is
flowing like a river! Let me out of the room at
once, or I shall be drowned in the blood!”
He sprang up, then fell back from exhaustion.
CHAPTER XXII.
When Julian Deveaux came to himself his o’m
desire was to secure a reconciliation with his wife.
His mind fell upon John Marsden as the mediator.
He dispatched a note asking him to come at once.
He then inquired for Christiana, begging that she
come to him, not knowing that she had been pros
trated and was still unable to leave her bed. When
he learned of this, he insisted on going to her, de
srite the remonstrances of his nurse. In an al
most fainting condition he reached her bedside, and
fell on his knees by her, imploring her forgiveness.
Tn her face he saw no anger, no love, no passion of
any kind, only submissive indifference. He realized
that he had lost her. Into his eyes came the look
to be seen in those of a man who knows he has been
wounded unto death. He buried his face in his
hands. Then his eyes filled with tears. Passion
ately he exclaimed, 44 1 wish I had Tlied, no matter
what other form of existence, what other hell I
might have entered. It could have'been no worse
than this. It’s all my fault I know. I had onlv'
one thing for which I cared to live, and that I wil
fully crushed. Annie, Annie, do you not at least
pity me?”
44 0 Julian, why did you do it? I cannot under
stand it all! I cannot understand it all! Why
must life be darkened by so much suffering?”
He stroked her hair and caressed her with his
trembling hands. 44 P00r little girl. That why is
one of the great unanswered questions of life.
We are all like dumb driven cattle, beaten wb 1 ’
many stripes; or if for a moment we imagine our
selves as resting upon the secure plain of peace and
happiness, we awake to find that we had been de
ceived into abiding upon pastures green, that we
might be prepared for the slaughter, as is the fatted
calf. When the butcher’s knife sinks into the
strong heart it struggles and surges against the
slayer’s hand much more desperately than does the
weak one, with but a faint hold upon life.. So,
poor little girl, for seventeen years you wandered
in pastures green, you slept and dreamed that life
was 4 beauty, ’ you awoke and found that life was—
what, my darling?”
44 My whole being is experiencing such anguish,
I only know that would to God I could tear my
heart from my own bosom. I am unable to talk
about it all now. You must let your nurse assist
you back to your room, for you look very ill.”
When John came, Mr. Deveaux at once broached
the subject uppermost in his thoughts. 44 John, I
have sent for you again to ask your help. I want
to make peace with Annie. That I should have
forfeited her love and respect is what hurts. I wish
you to help me convince her that it is not all so bad
as it seems to her, that it was not my real self that
did all this, that I do love her with all my soul,
and that I am ready to make any amends she wish
es. Help her to see that all men have faults of
some kind. Taking me all in all, for the year we
have been married, I hardly think she could have
found a man in all the world who would have lav
ished upon her more affection, more tender care,
more thoughtfulness for her every wish. She lacks
tor nothing that love or money can buy. Show her
John, that in return for all this, she should forgive
and forget a few days in which the devil had pos
session of me. If you had ever realized what it
was to love a woman and trust that she loved you,
then saw her look at you with scorn, —yes worse—
with passionless indifference, then you would feel
for me a little, John.”
John could not speak. Every fiber in his being
quivered from the inward struggle. His was a suf
fering that could be poured into no human ear. He
hastily arose.
44 Julian, I must think before I answer you. I
do not feel quite well this morning. The close
room seems to suffocate me. I must get out and
take a few breaths of fresh air. When I feel bet
ter I shall return and talk with you.”
He hastened out into the hall, but soon returned,
determined to act-the friend that self-sacrifice de
manded.
44 1 have been thinking over the circumstances
that surround your request, Julian, and I promise
to do all in my power for you and for her.’
44 1 knew you would not fail me, John.”
(Continued Next Week.)
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