Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-03-23

covering myself, said:
asYou acof with in finite grace, Fatirna. z
have heard your wits spoken Of no less
than your beauty, and see that ] have
heard the truth "
aAhi" she exclaimed By whom,
then7"
HBy Dutertre."
" DutertreT'
Eyes, Raymond Dutertre, the young
officer who fell over the precipice Of the
Kasbah. He whom you loved, Fatima.
She opened her great eyes in surprise.
Who told you that loved himT she /
inquired, looking at me with a strange /
expression. " II il falset Did he tell /.
y0G SCI
aNo. But / know IT. This letter
proves II to me--this letter, which ycu /!
wrote, and which was the cause OF bis
death, for it was to get 70 you that he /
risked himself at night upon the rocks
Of the Kasbah."
Scarcely had altered the words when
the young Oriental rose up abruptly, her
eyes III up with 3 gloomy passion.
g was sure of it, she exclaimed.
Yes, when my Nubian brought me
word Of the accident, said TO her,
Aissa, it 10 he who has done IT, The
wretch
Whom do you mean, FatimaY |
said, astonished at her anger. " do
not understand you.
"Of whom7 OF Castagnaci You
are the Taleb at the hospital Well,
made me write 70 the young officer to
| tell him TO come here. refused 10 do
| It. Yet this young man had sought my
acquaintance for long time, but knew
that Castagnac owed him a grudge.
When | refused, he declared that be
would come out Of the hospital to beat
me n did not, so ! wrote. Here is
his letter.
/ went forth from Fatima's with
heavy heart, but my resolution was soon
made Without losing a minute on the
way, | ascended 10 the Kasbah, entered
the hospital, aud knocked at Castagnac's
door
Come inl What, is it you r be sale, !
forcing a smile I" / did not expect
your
For all answer showed him the letter
that he had written 10 Fatima. He
turned pale, and, having looked at il for
second, made movement as If to
throw himself upon me. q
If you make a step toward me,
said, placing my hand upon the hilt Of
my sword, / win kill you like dogf
You are a wretch You have assassin
ated Dutertrel / was Mt the amphi.
theatre; heard il all Do not deny iti
Your conduct toward that woman Is in
famousl A French officer 20 lower him
self TO such degree Of infamyi Listen !
/ ought to deliver you over to justice,
but your dishonor would defile us all.
If an atom Of heart remains within you,
kin yourself | grant you till to-mor.
row. Tomorrow, by seven, il i find yen
still living, win myself take you before
the commandant de place
Having said this, / withdrew without
waiting for his reply, and went at work
TO give tbs strictest orders that Lieut.
Castagnac should not be permitted 20
leave the hospital under any pretext
whatsoever. Since Castagnae's guilt
had been rendered evident to me, / bad
become pittiless. felt that / must
avenge Raymond. Having procured q
torch, shut myself up in the ampithea-
tire, closing its strong doors with double
bars. took up position at the window,
inhaling the fresh breeze OF the evenings
and thinking over the horribie drama 10
! which was called to play so prominent
part, till night came on. Some hours
had passed thus, and all was buried in
the deepest silence, when hes RI stealthy
steps descending the staircase. They
were followed by knock at the door.
l bal a
for the key.hole.
at IL Castignac," / said to myself
"Openl" exclaimed voice from
without was not deceived; it was him.
A stout shoulder made an effort to shake
the door from its hinges. / moved not
scarcely breathed Another and a
more vigorous effort was n ade, but with
the same want of success. Something
then fell ON the ground, and the foot
steps Feceded. 1 had escaped assassin
alton. 81
But what would become Of him2 Once
more, "a if by instinct, took up my POI
sition at the window. / had not waited
long before / saw the shadow Of Castag-
mac advancing along the wall The
hardened criminal stopped some time to
look up at my window, and, seeing moth
ing moved on slowly with his back to the
rampant. He had got over half the dis.
, tence when | cast the shout of death at
him;
Raymond, where are yeu goingY
But whether he was prepared Cor
whatever happened, or that be had more
hardihood than his victim, he did not
move, but answered me with ironic
laughter.
"Ah, ahl you are there, doctor;
thought so. Stop a moment; will come
back; we have little matter to arrange
together.
Then, lighting my torch and raising il
over the precipice:
at is too late I said. "Look,
wretch, there is your grave"
And the vast steps Of the abyss, With
their black shining rocks, were illumin-
ated down to the depths OF the valley
II was SO terrible a vision that / involun-
tarily drew back myself with horror at
the scene. What must it have been 10
him who was only separated from il by
the width of brick His knees began
to tremble; his hands sought TO cling to
something on the face of the wall
Mercyf' exclaimed to the assassin
in hoarse voice; "have mercy on NEIL
/ had no heart to prolong bis punish
ment cast the torch forth inte space.
1t went down slowly, balancing it's fame
to and fro in the darkness, lighting up
rock aud shrub on its way, and casting
sparks on the void around. 1t had al
ready become but as a luminous point in
the abyss, when shadow passed By it
with the rapidity of lightning,
Ithen knew that justice had been done
As reascended to my own room, my
foot struck against something. picked
it up; it was my sword. CastagnRc,
with characteristic perfidy, had resolved
| 10 Ill me- with nv nun srrnrd 50 "a 10