Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-08-12

Iieve you OF all annoyance imnedi
ately,' said he, hastily quitting th
shop.
The old lady. passive as a child
and half bewIldered, reseated her
self.
The pastry-cook was not long be
fore he returned. His face, which
was naturally ruddy, had turned
quite pale. He was so panic-strirker
that his legs trembled under him, anC
his eyes rolled like The eyes Of q
drunken man.
'Are you trying TO get our throat:
cut for US, you rascally aristocrall
cried he furiously. DO you think
you can make me the tool Of con.
spiracyl Quick! show US your heels
and never lei me see your face againI
So saying, he endeavored to
snatch away the box, which the old
lady mad placed in her pocket. No
soo3er, however, had his hands
touched her dress, than, preIering
any perils in the street 10 losing the
treasure for which she had paid so
large a price, she darted with the
activity of youth toward the door,
opened it violently, and disappeared
in a moment from the eyes ol the
bewildered shopkeepers.
Uoon gaining the street again, she
walked at her utmost speed; but her
strength soon failed, when she heard
the spy, who had so remorselessly
followed her, crunching the snow
under his heavy tread. She in
voluntarily stopped short: the man
stopped short tool The old lady,
finding that she experienced no an
noyance from her imaginary perse-
cuior, tried 10 convince herself that
he might be a secret friend, resolved
at all hazards TO protect herself.
ForgetfuI, therefore, of The fear
with which he had inspired the
pastry-cook, she now went on her
way with greater confidence. After
walk Of helf an hour, she arrived
at house situated at the corner OF
a street leading to the Barriere
Pantin--even at the present day the
most deserted locality in all Paris.
A cold north-easterly wind whistled
sharply across the few houses, or
rather tenements, scattered about
this almost uninhabited region. The
place seemed. from its utter desola-
tioE, the natural asylum OF penury
and despair.
The stranger, who still resolutely
dogged the poor old lady's steps,
seemed struck with the scene on
which his eyes now rested. He
stopped--erect, thoughtful and hesi-
tating-his figure feebly lighted by
lamp, the uncertain rays OF which
scarcely penetrated the fog. Fear
had quickened the old lady's eyes.
She now thought she perceived
something sinister in the features Of
the stranger. All her former ierrors
returned, and she took advantage oil
the mans temporary indecision, TO
steal away in the darkness toward
the door, Of a solitary house. She
pressed a spring under the latch,
and disappeared with the rapidity OF
phantom.
The stranger, still standing mo-
lionless, contemplated the house,
which bore the same appearance oi
misery as the rest Of the Faubourg.
Built Of irregular stones, and stuc-
coed with yellowish plaster, il
seemed, from the wide cracks in The
walls, as if a strong gust Of wind
would bring the crazy building IL
the ground. The comIortless, iSola-
ted dwelling resembled some old
tower which time had forgotten to
destroy. One faint light glimmered
from the windows OF the gable in
which the top Of the building ter.
minated; the remainder Of the house
was plunged in the deepest obscuriiy
Meanwhile, the old woman as
cended with some difficulty rude
and dilapidated fight of stairs, as.
sisting herself by a rope, which
supplied the place Of banislers.--
She knocked myteriously at The
door Of one of the rooms situated
on The garret floor, was quickly lei
in by an old man, and then sank
down feebIy in a chair which he
presented TO her.
Hide yourselfl hide yourselfl she
exclaimed. Seldom as we venture
out, our steps have been traced
our proceedings are known'
what is the matterP asked an
other old woman, seated near The
fire.
The man whom we have seer
lettering about the house since yes
terday has followed me this evening,
she replied.
At these words, the three inmates
of the miserable abode looked or
each other in silent terror. The ole
man was the least agitated-perhap'
for the very reason that his danger
was really the greatest. The ex
nression in the faces of his two