Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1876-03-25
THE
Pariciion Detective
OF,
A DESPERATE DTED.
EE&KlNE BOYD.
AurnoH OF "1'mh Srorry Crln," "rriv
FROM ioME. &c. Ar.
EE@KIN f BOYD.
CHAPTER NLI".

pavement oe.iilatcI beneath his feet. and
thst the hop-e> and p"orie ur"uni iiia
were whriur rnrnd ant round in a sort
of mad waltz. His mun.'. Wa, purcilet
an.i dry. h, eyes Si.il.t", ~ though he
had Been "eortUc, aud every nov @ut
then he felt - -jrk that he WlS forced 10
lean for support against 4u,n" doorway or
lanp-po-t; hat al the sam" time. -ulInse-
ly enough. he rnlt 4 sort oI relief.
Everything wa- hnown--i.uisbcd- overt
He had pIalc MS game. and had lost!
the fpar--the hope--thc It ,rfible SUSPENSE
He had played his terrible part out, aud
could now take of his mask, and once
more breathe ut rase.
An overwhelming and rrr-is'ahle sink
ing of the spirits succeeded H." r-rvous
excitement which had supported lIn since
the day Of the murder. The burning te-
Yer which for the last eight days had gal
vanized him into an unnatural sort Of lie
had lei; him, aud he felt an ius;,erious de-
sire for resi- and quiet, accumi,a panied ut the
same time by aching void and an in
difference for rything that took place
around him.
This inSenSihiIity upon his part resem-
hled that of persons overwhelmed by saa-
sickness, whom nothing atfe"i---to whom
all things are perfectly indifferent who
have neither the strength or the courage
to think. and 10 whom the immireuce Of a
great danger--nay, even death Itself
cannot rouse from their sad detection.
II he had been arrested whilst in this
fame Of mind he would not even have at
tempted denial. but would have yielded
without Il mtiiiuur.
At last, after wandering through tie
Paris streets without any aim or end in
view, a reaction came against this weak
ness and exhaustion of mind and body.
\ vivid consciousness Of his fearful situa-
lion and the inminence Of his danger
rnshed back on his memory, and Tho
thought of the scaifold came across him
as when in 4 flash of lightning one sees y
fearful abyss yawniug at ones feet
Little by little night had creot on, and.
with the darkness. Noel felt a return of
mis- old courage and audacity.
81 have money" he Thought 'I'll 90
to America--Ill change my name--Ill
comIn"nc" a new life: and, with my en-
ergy and abilities. ii will he my own fault
il [ don't make IA fortune Eve ready
money, and that, aitnr all, is the principal
thing. Besides, can always draw upon
my father. He hates publicity, and the
honor Of the family must be maintained
al any price,
He laughed Il bitter laugh at this last
reflection, when suddenly the thought of
Nelly Nicholson darted across his mind.
Was he to leave without her!-never to
see her again 2-never to speak to her
moref What! was he to fly, ike hunt
ed beast. before the police. aud she re-
main in Paris. in comfort and luxury
she, for whom he had sinned'--he, for
whom he had committed the crimc2 Who
had reaped the benefit! Nelly, and Nelly
alone: and wasn't it lust thai she should
take her part in his punishment
tla walked on iii ne came TO II cab
stand- and, ErttiE into q fonr-wheear,
gave TIA" number ol tha hulse in the hua
ue Province, tla' reet hicil had already
been so fatal to him.
Crouching back in Il corner Of the cab,
half riddy with its rambling and ioitng.
Noel forgot all about the future; the
present became a blank. Even Nelly was
forgotten. The past rose before him; and,
like spectator at theatre, he reviewed
the tragedy of his own life.
He saw how hi, love for Nelly Nichol-
son had ured him into debt. He saw
himself on the brink of ruin, when q
chance made him the possessor of the
Valcourt---unt only Of the letters read by
Daddy Tahar"'. aud communicated to
Albert, but of others still. when the Count
thought The substitution had been accom-
plished, and all fear III detection at an
end.
The reading of these letters had turned
his head. He felt delirious with excite
ment aud JOY. Bu, he was soon awaken
ed from his brief day-dreaiu by his moth
er. She told him the truth proved it TO
him by letters written TO her by the Wild
ow Lerouge-made him call on Ciaudine,
who cOrroboiated his mothers assertions,
and showed him the scar witch her hus
band made on that memorable night at
the village inn.
But drow ming man does not choose the
plank that il tn saw. him. Noel determine
ed to ilse the letters, and to exert his in
fiuence over his mother to write TO the
Count. and swear !" him that the substi-
tuition had really taken place.
This proposition his mother repudiated
with horror-and il was then that the
thought of the murder entered his mind
The unhappy man WAS stopped in his
retrospective review hy the sudden pull
ing up of the cab, which had arrived at
its destination.
LeItnS uoWn me 'front.' "inIUW. lie
thrust some silver into the drivers hand,
opened the door himself. and was mp the
stairs before the man had time to turn his
head.
"If any one calls" he said 10 Jeanneite.
"say that your mistress is out--say my
thing; but, a. you value your place, don't
admit mortal soul. So. TO your work.
aud hold your tongue"
At the voice of Noel. Nellie ran into the
hall. He pushed her back into the din
ing-room. aud, following, closed the door
behind him. 1t was then, and then only,
that the girl saw the face OF her lover
How changed il was How pale. How
hnggard.
whats happenedf' ahe ga-ped.
Noel made No answer. He had sunk
into IL chair. and was wiping his forehead
and hands with his pocket handkerchief.
"For heavens sake, s,,eak" said Nellie.
"iou are a. white as II ghost! You are ill,
Let n.e call Jeannette."
Springing 10 his feet, he caught her by
the hands.
'Nciiie," he asked, in a hoarse voice,
liking on her his haggard, bloodshot eyes,
--"N"llie. be- sincere, Speak the TRUTH