Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-09-20

and cOndemed TO Qeath. come TO I'M
plore your Majesty to grant her par
don."
AS bespoke hefxed a painful, search
ing gaze upon the eSpaniard. This time
the bolt had struck. The old mans
face was taking on sickly hue and
his limbs trembled.
s'This is a most unusual proceeding" !"
said the Emperor, in amazement, ''Who
is this lady, and what is the nature of
her crimew
Fouche, bent double with suspense,
still, keeping his eye rivited upon the
fanny, changing face, spoke almost i'm
ploringly:
'You have trusted me before, sire. I
beseech you trust me now. Ask me
no questions, but write the pardon
quickly"
There was an instant of silence, bro
ken only by the ticking and low fair
music Of the clock. The second hand
was measuring off the sixtieth minute,
with rapid, teadysweeps. Almostun-
consciously Fouche drew pistol from
his pocket, cooked it unobserved, and,
with a face like that Of corpse, was
raising himself to fre-with a cry to
the Emperor on his lips-when Cha
varri, whose mind seemed torn by con-
tending emotions, bent suddenly over
his mechanism, touched a spring con-
cealed in the rear of the tower, and in
stantly the whole complicated machi-
merry of the clock stopped with a sudden
metallic clang. The music ceased, the
automatons paused, standing like sta
tues, each in his place, the mimic En-
peror stretching out his head for the
crown of the Caesars, and the great
bell in the tower poised midway in it's
swing for the twelfth and final stroke.
"Parbleu!" muttered Fouche, pocket
ing the pistol and wiping the perspira-
tion from his brow. 'Allow me, Mon
sicur," he said, advancing to the table,
''let me inspect this wonderful speci-
men of art
cit is so delicate, Monsieur" said
Chavarri hurriedly, still keeping his
finger on the secret spring and waving
Fouche off with his unengaged hand.
eHere is the pardon" said the EN-
Iperor, affixing his signature to a paper
as he spoke. 81 hold you, Fouche, re-
spnnsible forresults. Wei, what next?''
"Our worthy friends clock is bro
ken, it appears" said Fouche, awkard-
/ ly.
"Broken, SIRE" said the Spaniard,
"and with it the plans of lifetime
And" he added, casting down his eyes
and speaking in querulous, broken
voice, s'since, when ones hopes are bro
ken, one cares but little where he goes,
[ wish passport to leave France"
Fouche took up the cue Immediate
ly.
81 have request, sire" " said he, that
you also make out full and free par
don for the accomplice of the Lady Isl
dore Chavarri-her father, Don Mon
son Chavarri, of Seveille."
The Emperor smiled bitterly. His
active mind had already compassed the
situation, and without word either
of expostulation or of inquiry, he seiz-
ed pen and wrote. Then, having
finished and signed the double pardon,
he advanced with it in his hand.
'Our friend here,' he said, "doubt-
less knows where these persons are to
be found and to him confide these pa
pers."
The old man, still jealously keeping
his hand on the spring or on the me-
chanism, read aloud:
ga full permission to Don Monsen
and Donna Isidore Chavarri to leave
France Immediately, without hinder
ance or question"
"Add," said he, s'and alive"
"You would have made good di-
plomat," " said Napoleon, as he made the
required addition.
Chavarri hesitated for moment, re-
moved his hand from the spring, and
bowling his head, glided toward the
door. Justupon the threshold be turn
ed in sudden dismay.
"Where shall I find my daughter?''
asked Chavarri.
"When she is found we will send
Monsieur word,'' sneered Fouche.
An expression Of the most intense
malignity flashed across the old mans
face, and with an oath he sprang back
toward the table in the room. A pis-
tol confronted him.
''The pardons are forfeited" cried
Fouche.
"No," said the Emperor, "let him
pass"
Chavarai, with look of wonder,
wheeled slowly about and disappear
ed.
After his departure, Napoleon stood
for short time in the centre of the a.
partment, lost in profound reverie.
Then, as his gaze fell upon the clock
and the automaton standing beneath
the suspended crown within, he bent
forward and regarded it attentively.
"So," he said, "this was to have been
my successor
1t is scarcely necessary to add that
the clock proved on examination, to be
an Internal machine Of the most inge-
nious and deadly description. Con-
cealed beneath the metallic slab which
formed the pavements of the mimic