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Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips), 1866-1946

"The Yellow Crayon"

"
"My wife," Mr. Sabin said, "has told me nothing. You alarm me."
The Prince shrugged his shoulders.
"I deeply regret to tell you," he said, "that the law has proved
too powerful for me. I can no longer stand between her and what
I fear may prove a most unpleasant episode. Lucille will be
arrested within the hour."
"Upon what charge?" Mr. Sabin asked.
"The murder of Duson."
Mr. Sabin laughed very softly, very gently, but with obvious
genuineness.
"You are joking, Prince," he exclaimed.
"I regret to say," the Prince answered, "that you will find it very
far from a joking matter."
Mr. Sabin was suddenly stern.
"Prince of Saxe Leinitzer," he said, "you are a coward and a
bully."
The Prince started forward with clenched fist. Mr. Sabin had no
weapon, but he did not flinch.
"You can frighten women," he said, "with a bogie such as this, but
you have no longer a woman to deal with. You and I know that such
a charge is absurd--but you little know the danger to which you
expose yourself by trifling with this subject. Duson left a letter
addressed to me in which he announced his reasons for committing
suicide."
"Suicide?"
"Yes. He preferred suicide to murder, even at the bidding of the
Prince of Saxe Leinitzer. He wrote and explained these things to
me--and the letter is in safe hands.


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