Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-01-23
ARD NONE; WITH CHARITY FOR ALL.-..Linco,n.

than 1T any previous tlmeaduring the day
especially if he was rogae, and was not
lacking in their usual @i.unning, braced
Henri somewhat. Lighting lamp for the
quondanl gamestcrs, and smother for him.
self, he camped on the luunge. IIo had
but got comfortably settled, however,
before resonant rap on tho street door
brought him instantly to bis feet. School
ing himself to meet the probable crisis
with quiet deliberation, hc leisurely pro.
ceeded to the door and opened it. From
Ireue's graphic description he had NO dif:
ficulty in recognizing bis visitor. The
expected man Of tho cross stood before
him. His heart gave tremendous thump
against his breast; but his voice was
steady and quiet, ~ he sslatcd the stran-
ger with, =" Good evening sir"
"Good evening, SIR" responded the Wis.
'tur, scrutiniziug Henri closely. "ls the
madam at home p
My wife is the lady to whom you refor,
|, I presume" said Henri. "She is abse nt
on q visit. Can serve y.tuin ANYTHING?
Viii sen not step itS sid fTfNenr; threw
the door wide open, that tho man might
see tho room 1as vacant; and hence
might imag agine him to be alone.
"Ah! you are the hush and Of the lady,"
remarked the stranger, who after peering
in, walked in.
~ have tfe honor. Pray be seated"
IL will trespass upon your hospitality
but for few moments --"
"No trespass, assure you. Solitude
not the best Of companions"
Without removing his hat, the stranger
took the profered chair. II can tarry but
short time," he said. "Probab,y your
wife has informed you Of an offer she
received, week ago, for . small, fancifal
cornelian cross that was in her posses.
sion?"
"Ycs; she did mention the matter to
me, and we both wondered at the strange
fancy Of the man, and the excessive price
ho offered"
"Well." replied the stranger, with
forced laugh, the fancy can not matter
to you; and as for the price, if you get it
that ought to satisfy you on that point
I am tho man and renew the offer:"
*Ah! No, certainly not, the fancy doe.
not concern us-ot course sot," and Henri
eyed the stranger keenly. "But you
know that unusual occurrences will set
the least curious of mortals to surmis-
sing'
"Of course-of course" said tho stran-
ger with strong symptoms of uneasiness.
" People can not help thinking-that's
what brains wcro made for. But to the
! point, if you still possess the cross, and
will exchanged it for the sum offered, that
sum is yours. Your answeri You will
excuse my seeming abruptnoss l am
pressed for time, and can not daily"
II hold you perfectly excusablt," said
Henri, drawing the coveted cross from his
pocket, and noting the eager flashing Of
the strangers eyes, Us bis gaze fell upon
it. Deci ling to thrust the probe home at
once, he deliberately added: "Another
reason, other than want of time, may exist
to occasion your abruptnes,, my friend !;
want Of confidence"
"What sir ~ calculated the man, start.
ing up in threatening, apprehensive way.
What do you moan by that remark ?"
"Listen, and will tell you;" replied
Henri, fully &C nvinced that he was on the
right track, rs his visitor indecislvely sat
down again. "Liste3, and l will toll you
what l mean. This GROSS, ior which you
have taken such an inexplicable fancy,
came into my possession under very
peculiar circumstances ces-circumstances
that iavest it with extraordinary interest"
Pausing moment to note the effect of his
language, Henri fixed his burning eyes On
the strangers. Speaking slowly, and
emphasizing every word, he continued :
" I found this cross on tho Sd of January,
l849, on the Rue de Germaine, on tho
very spot on which three days previous
the C0mte de st. Armande had been bru.
tally murdered"
During the utterance Of the concluding
words Of the above, the countenance of tho
listening man underwent most appalling
change-as dreadful indeed, a. though he
had heard the sentence for his immediate
execution pronounced. The muscles Of
his face twitched convulsively, his under
aw fell, and his eyes rolled in their sock.
cts is though following the fantastic
egolutions Of some horrid goblin.
The paroxysm lasted but for moment.
By superhrmam effort of the will he
recovered his bewildered faculties, sprang
to his feet, and with the demoniac fury oi
q madman, dashed at Henri Kissing bs.
tween his teeth, "D--you; the telling
Of that tale is your death-knell."
Just as tis muscular hand closed op.
pressively on Henri's throat, he was
violently jerked backwards, and found
two gendarnes
$50 ho! my fine fellow p calculated
one of the officers. "We are altogethe,
too deeply concerned for the future vel.
fare of your soul to permit you to perpe
trate such crime. You have done bad
enough already to bring you to hanging
and that is qnite sufficient Tor our pur
pose."
The foiled villain glared suddenly from
one to the other, and made no attempt K
escape.
"fhat is right" remarked the Officer
who spoke before. "Takc it easy-showl
you to bo philosopher and q man o
common sense"
The prisoner oooly folded his arms, ant
stood sileut.
"Monsieur Cardone;" continued th<
officer, "as your friend seems to tax
kindly our Interference with bis lit 10 plal
to avoid you long resting spell, will you
with equal disinterestedness, provide u
with a rope for his benefit Unluckily
We came from town and forgot to bring
the professional bracelets--an unintention
al oversight, which assure you," ad
!, dressing the prisoner, 1--WE d"plore eve,
more.than you yourself can. In fact W
were rather uncertain OF having the pleas
ure Of your company on our return"
sNor will you have that pleasure,
growled tho hitherto quiescent captive
suddenly kicking out with his two power
, full arms, upsetting both officers kickinI
, , over the table on which stood the lighi
! and leaping out of the door into the dark
; ness. As be vanished, bullet hissed b,
! either eur, but he escaped unhurt.
> Tho report Of the pistols hurried Henri
back into the room, from which he ha,
:. gone in quest of a rope.
"Quickw exclaimed one of the officer.
"The denil has outwitted and escaped u,
= We must be after him ut once. 1t j
) Leone Breme, the most reckless and fero
cious of the many cut throats who invest
;, cd Paris six years ago. He most miracu
lously disappeared about the time Of til
St. Armande murder, and the departmer
3 had gwen him up for dead. We mu.
: : allow him to have bis length for the MI
ment. Our first move is to lodge informs
: ton at the three heads Of the Polio
!; Department lie ia an astute dog. {
) infinite resource, and the whole force o
the scent will hardly suffice to captur
! him.
:, a Breme WAS eventually taken. But 4