Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-05-11

happened. He shrugged his shoulders,
as he exclaimed ra u.
Monsieur, like the rest Of mankind,
must pay the penalty of making love.
But, said /, shocked at his sang .troid,
81 have not made love. Since l have
been here am not conscious of even
having looked at woman, much less
spoken to one"
There is an enigma, he replied.
"The only solution can offer you is
| that YOU have been mistaken for some
one else"
Bon Dieu" / exclaimed. 80" You
have undoubtedly hit the mark. have
been mistaken, and | know for whom.
Have you not seen man in this town
bearing a striking resemblance to me?
mo, was the answer.
Well, my friend, i have. The mo-
ment / saw him / felt uncomfortable. |
had presentiment Of evil. Obhge me
by letting me have my bill, | shall go to
Paris tonight If / stop here another
day, my life, which | left England to for
tify, will be snuffed out like candle.
The hotel keeper, seeing matters come
to point that affected his interest, en-
deavored to laugh down my doubts. He
argued that the ball | had received in my
hat might have been destined for.a bird;
that it was the shot of wretched marks
man, who might have mistaken my hat
for crow. fl e,-au
"That may all be very well, ! an
swered; "but suffer me to tell you that
your excuse only makes me more reso-
lutte to leave the place; for of what value
is mans life in district abounding
with sportsmen who can mistake hat
for a crown
A train left for Paris at 235 1t was
an express, and | found it to be due at
eight o'clock / dispatched my port
manteau by porter to the station, and
having twenty minutes before me, sat
down to light repast of cold fowl and
uin ordinaire The position of my table
enabled me to get view of the street.
As the porter strode away with my lug,
gage, observed man cross the road
and accost him. In reply to what was
obviously question, the porter, with
the gesticulation of "a Frenehman, pointed
with his thumb to the hotel, and vigor-
ously nodded his head. The man crossed
over again to the pavement, came on
until he was opposite the hotel, caught
sight of me through the window, and,
abruptly turning on his heel, walked on
in the direction taken by the porter.
Having discharged my bill, walked
on to the railway station. On one plat
form there was much tumult, train from
Paris having just arrived. But upon the
platform against which stood the train
that was to bear me to the North, |
counted only five persons, exclusive Of
porters
The shrill whistle of the guard sound
ed. The engine gave a snort, and the
line of carriages clanked to their chains
as they tightenee to the train. Sudden
ly several voices cried Stopl stop
\ Now, then, quickl Which class-hrst?
Let's see your ticket Right. Here you
are-jump in" The door of my car
riage was opened, form boundedin, the
door was slammed, there was another
shrill whistle, and off went the train.
looked at my companion. He was the
man whom l had noticed speak to the
porter and stare into the window of my
hotel.
A thrill passed over me. My recent
escape had greatly shaken my nervous
system, and the apparition of the man
whom / felt / ought to suspect, sent a
chill through my blood. As a peasant,
which he was-not expressed only in his
dress, but in his hands, which were dirty
rough and horny--what did he do in a
frst-class oarriage2 would have given
something to have changed carriages
But there was no communication with
the guard. Moreover, the train, as |
have told you, was an express, and did
1 not stop until run of sixty-six miles
had been accomplished. We were now
running along with great rapidity.
began after time toregain my com
posure. struggled to laugh down my
fears. What, / thought, had i to fesr
from q man had never seen-who had
never seen me2 The thing was prepos-
ferrous. i extracted a paper from my
pocket and commenced to read.
Half an hour passed away. All at
once, over the edge of my newspaper, i
saw him put his hand out Of the window
as if to open the door. ! had not time
10 conjecture his intention when, with a
wild, screaming whistle, we we're hurled
into the night Of a long tunnel.
The rapid disappearance Of the day
light made the oil lamp suspended in the
carriage emit but the dullest light for
some minutes. -. III.
laid the newspaper down, with all my
old fears revived in me. ! had scarcely
done so when | saw the outline ofa man
rise in the carriage. He leaped oyer TO
where was seated. saw the CLEAN of
a knife in the air
Mad with passion and surprise, ]
grasped the descending ar.A. A furious
determination to save my life inspired
me with the strength Of giant The
ferocity with which | seized his wrist
forced the hand open The knife fell;
and then commenced furious struggle.
He seized me by the collar, and clnng
with the tenacify of tiger heard his
swapping teeth, as if he were endeayor-
ing 10 bite. Weswayed 70 and f--m one
end Of the carriage to the other ] felt
how weak ili-heslth bad LEFT me and
prayed 10 pass out into the light, lhat !