The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-04-06

I'LL T AIhL NUUSE
The diligence from Paris to Chalon:
stopped one evening, just after dark
some miles beyond the little town OF
Rouvlay, to set down an English lady
and her child at a lonely roadside auberge
Mrs. Martin expected to find a carriage
ready to take her to the Chateau de
Senart, distance of some leagues
whittier she was repairing on visit, but
was told that it had not yet arrived
The landlady, tall, coarse looking
woman, who showed her into the vast
kali that served at once as sitting-ro0m
and kitchen, observed that the road.
were 50 muddy and difficult at night
that there was little chance of her friend
arriving before the morning. "You had
better, therefore," she said, make UP
your mind to sleep here. We have a
good room to offer you, and you will be
much mere comfortable between a pair
of clean, warm sheets than knocking
about in our rough country, especially as
your dear child seems sickIy."
Mrs. Martin, though much fatigued by
her journey, hesitated. A good nights
rest was certainly tempting prospect
but she felt so confident that her friends
would not neglect her, that, after a mo-
ment she replied, " [ thank you, madame
| will sit up for an hour or so; it is not
late, and the carriage may come, after
all. Should it not, | shall be glad oil
your room, which you may prepare fol
me at any rate"
The hostess, who seemed anxious that
her guest should not remain in the great
room, suggested that fire be made above
but Mrs. Martin found herself so com
Portable where she was-a pile of fagots
was blazing on the vast hearth-that she
declined first to move. Her daughter
about five years of age, soon went tt
sleep IN her lap, and she herself found
that whilst her ears were anxiously
listening Tor the roll of carriage wheels
her eyes occasionally closed, and slumbel
began to make its insidious approaches.
liz order to prevent herself from giving
way, she endeavored to direct her atten.
ton to the objects around her. The
apartment was vast, and lighted more
by the glare off the fire than by.the dirty
candle, stuck into a filthy tin candle
stick that stood on one of the long tables
Two or three huge beams stretched
across halfway up the walls, leaving 8
space filed with fitting shadows above
From these. depended rusty gun OF
two, a sword, several bags, hanks Of
onions, cooking utensils, etc. There
were very few signs that the house wa,
much visited, though pile of empty
wine bottles lay in one corner. The
landlady sat at some distance from the
fireplace with her two sons, who had laid
their heads together and talked in whis
pers.
Mrs. Martin began to feel uneasy
The idea entered her head that she had
fallen into a resort of robbers; and the
words " Gees etle," Git is she), which was
all she heard of the whispered converse
ton, continued to alarm her. The door
leading into the road was left aiar, and
for moment she felt an impulse to start
up and escape on foot. But she was fan
from any other habitation, and if the
people of the house really entertained
any evil designs, her attempt would only
precipitate the catastrophe. So she re-
solved on patience, but listened atten
lively for the approach of her friends.
All she heard, however, was. the whistling
of the wind and the dashing of the rain,
which had begun to fall just after her
arrival.
About two hours passed in this uncom-
Portable way. AT length the door was
thrust open, and man, dripping wet,
came in She breathed more freely, fol
this newcomer might Illustrate the evil
designs of her hosts, if they entertained
any. He was red-haired, jovial- faced
looking man, and inspired her with
confidence by the frankness of his man
ners.
- A fine night for walkingr cried he,
shaking himself like dog who has scram-
bled out of pond What have you
to give me? / am wet to the skin. Hope
/ disturb nobody. Give me bottle of
wine"
The hostess, in surly, sleepy tone,
told her eldest son to serve the gentle
man, and then addressing Mrs. Martin,
said:
You see your friends will not come,
and you are keeping us up to no purpose.
You had better go to bed
81 will wait little longer" was the
reply, which elected kind of shrug of
contempt
The red-haired man finished his bottle
of wine, and then said:
Show me room, good woman. I
shall sleep here tonight"
Mrs. Martin thought that as he pro-
nounced these word he cast protectino
glance towards her, and she felt less re-
pugnance at the idea of passing the
night in that house When, therefore
the red-haired man, after polite how
went up stairs, she said that as her
friends had not arrived they might as
well show her 90 bedroom.
I" thought it would come to that at
last" said the landlady. Pierre, take
the lady's trunks up stairs"
In a few minutes Mrs. Martin found
herself alone in a spacious room, with a
large fire burning on the hearth. Her
first care after putting the child to bed
was to examine the door. 1t closed only
by a latch. There was no bolt inside.
She looked around for something to bar
rieade it with, and perceived a chest of
drawers. Fear gave her strength. She
half lifted, half pushed it against the
door. Not content with this, she seized
a table, to increase the strength of her
defense. The leg was broken, and when
she touched it it fell with crash to
the floor. A long echo went sounding
through the house, and she felt her
heart sink within her, But the echo