The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-06-17


smoke curling up from the densest por-
ton of furze and twigs caused by the
hasty flight of some one.
picked up my hat. The ball had
passed through it. Had it struck two
inches lower it would have entered my
skull.
hastened toward the town, possessed
with much the same sort of enviable
feeling as you might imagine Upper.
airy landlord or agent would feel who
sees threats of his life carved on every
other tree. Bravery in q situation of
this sort was quite out of the question
OF what use is pluck when you have to
deal with invisible foes. l might al
most confess to have broken into down
right fright as | neared the town, so ex-
tremely anxious was to escape the vi
cinity of every sheltering bush, tree or
hedge in the neighborhood.
On gaining my hotel, i began to re-
fleet on my narrow escape. had been
too much excited to attach to it the sig
niticance it demanded But the hole in
my hat conveyed the most shuddering
information on my narrow escape. Be-
yond all reasonable doubt my life with
in that hour had only been worth two
paltry inches.
| repeated the question to myself:
Who wants my life? And if anybody
wants it, what are his claims. What
have | done to merit assassination?
Being wholly unable to answer these
queries, / resolved to make confidant
of my host, the hotel keeper l called
him to my room and told him what had
happened. He shrugged his shoulders
as he exclaimed:
monsieur, like the rest of mankind,
must pay the penalty Of making love-"
"But," said 1, shocked at his sang
troid, "I have not made love. Since 1
have been here, L am not conscious of
even having looked at woman, much
less spoken to one."
"Then it is an enigma" he replied.
1.-The only solution 1 can offer you is,
that you have been mistaken for some
one else.
"Mon Dieu," exclaimed, "you have
undoubtedly hit the mark. have been
mistaken-and 1 know for whom. Have
you not seen man in this town bearing
a striking resemblance to me?"
"No," was the answer
"Well, my friend, have. The mo-
ment l saw him L felt uncomfortable. 1
had presentiment of evil. You will
oblige me by letting me have your bill.
l shall 60 to Paris tonight. If 1 stop
he re another day, my life which 1 left
England to fortify, will be snufled out
like candle"
The hotel keeper, seeing matters come
to point that effected his interests, en-
dea vored to laugh down my doubts.
He argued that the ball had received
in my hat might have been destined
for bird; that it was the shot of some
wretched marksman, who might have
mistaken my hat for crow.
"That may all be very WELL" l an
swered, "but suffer me to tell you that
your excuse only makes me more resO-
lutte TO leave the place; for Of what val
ue is mans life in district with
sportsmen who can mistake hat for q
crow?"
A train left for Paris at 2:35. 1t was
an express, and I found it to be due at
eight o'clock. / dispatched my port
mantcau by porter to the station, and
having twenty minutes before me / sat
down to light repast Of cold fowl and
Gin Ordinaire. The position of my ta-
bic enabled me TO get view Of the
street. AS the porter strobe away with
my luggage, / observed man across
the road accost him. In reply to what
was obviously question, the porter,
with the gesticulation of Frenchman,
pointed with his thumb to the hotel,
and vigorously nodded his head. The
man crossed over again to the pave
ment, came on until he was opposite
the hotel, caught sight of me through
the window, and abruptly turning on
his heel, walked off in the direction ta-
ken by the porter.
thought nothing of this. The man,
l conjectured, probably wanted the job
l had given to the porter, He was a
common looking fellow, dressed in
leather CATERS, blouse, slouched hat
and belt. There was nothing singular
III his face. He was dark, with black
beard and moustache. He was famil-
lar type of the middle.aged peasant of
southern France.
Having discharged my bill, l walked
| 10 hn
there W as tumult, a train from Paris
having just arrived. But upon the plat
form against which stood the train
which was to bear me to the north, l
counted only five people, exclusive of
porters.
But l had little time for observation.
The train would leave in three minutes.
I saw my portmanteau slowed away in
the luggage van, procured myself a
first. lcass ticket and took my seat.
The shrill whistle of the guard SCUM
ded. The engine gave snort, and the
line of carriages clanked to their chains
as they tightened to the strain. Sud-
denly several voices cried, "Stop stop!
Now then, quick Which class-tirst?
Let's see your ticket. Right. Here
you are-jump in!" The door of my
carriage was opened, a form bounded
in, the door was slammed, there was
another shrill whistle, and off went the
train.
l 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 1 felt l ought to suspect, sent a
chill through my blood. As neasant.