Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1879-06-18

contumaciously for having instigated the
shooting of the banker Y under the
commune. . . However, As you had
escaped to London before Paris fell into
tho power of the Versaillists, you were
never arrested; and on the whole you
have escaped pretty cheap"
"Well," continued Rsblard, speaking
lower than before, and looking Monsieur
A. steadfastly in the face, II have
been accused Of shooting = from
motives of private malice, and for the
purpose of robbing him."
"No, u people--some of our fellow
communists" replied Roblard with a
kind Of gasp, which was meant to be one
of indignation, but which sounded more
like fear. II had been in London about
. month, when one night three men
called upon me at my lodgings. They
were Dorielle, Faucher and Vuilleux,
all three my enemies. My landlady and
the servants were out, 80 l wa all alone.
Faucher, who is q kind of revolutionary
fanatic, began to abuse me, saying I had
brought disgrace on the communist
cause, and had been playing the game of
the Bonapartists BY shooting y, who
knew all the ins-and-Outs of the Mexican
expedition, and held documents damag-
Ing to the empire, which he would have
published had he lived. Then Dorielle
spoke out, taxing me with having seized
all Us securities and valuabIes, and
having appropriated them to my own
use; Just o. il Y would have been
silly enough to keep his money within
reach of loOters under such a regime as
ours.
"By the way, was it really you who
had y shot~ inquired the police
official carelessly.
"That is beside the question:" an.
swered Roblard, on his guard. can 1
can say il, that these three enemies of
mine took it for granted / had done 30,
and when they had finished abusing me,
Vuilleux pulled u rope out of his pock-
et."
"a rope! What was that forr"
ITO hang me WITH" rejoined Roblard
hoarsely, as if the mere recollection of
the affair strangled him. "They an
nounced that they had sentenced me to
death, and that they would hang me out
of hand. My death, said they, would
look like a suicide. X \ \ o II
Well, they did hang me-"
"COme, come" expostulated Monsieur
A, doubtful whether the communist
were romancing or speaking from hallu-
cination, yet bethinking himself some.
how that the man might be saying the
truth after all.
"They did hang me-" repeated Rob
lard, impressively. at was all in vain
that l struggled, screamed and prayed
for justice; / was forced on to my knees
and a handkerchief was stuffed into my
mouth. Then those three butchers
passed a halter over my neck and strung
me up to a curtain rod. suppose, how
ever, that they must have made off pretty
last, for less than a quarter of an hour
afterwards (having lost consciousness in
the meanwhile) l was cut down by my
landlady and the servant, who had re-
turned. But these poor women con-
cluded l had tried to make away with
myself"
"Of course, though, you went and
lodged a complaint with the police~
Ono; what would have been the use
of it," returned Roblard, with a shrug.
"My enemies had taken their precautions
20 well that l should not have been
believed, and the English magistrates
would either have put me int a mad.
house, or ave sent me to prison for hav-
ing tried to commit suicide, contrary to
their laws. Besides, on the day after
this affair l received an anonymous
letter, enigmatically worded, but from
which 1 gathered that, as l had escaped
the halter. l should be allowed to live,
provided ] did not return to France.
Dorrielle, Faucher, and Vuilleux con-
demned me to perpetual exile"
"Have you this letter with your"
asked Monsieur A, who seemed more
and more doubtful about Richards story.
Eyes; here it is" said the communist,
and he handed his interlocutor a strip of
creased paper, on which the latter read:
You have got luckily cured of your
sore throat, but for such a delicate con-
stitution a. yours the climate of France
will not do. Keep clear of the country
for your own sake, or there will be a re-
lapse"
"Humph" muttered the police Of
ficer. Sand have you ever seen your
enemies since the event you r~elatef"
Yes; l have seen Vuilleux frequent
ly at Geneva" responded Roblard, in
agitation; but there is the horror of
the thing. Whenever / spoke of his at
tempt on me he said he did not know
what l meant, and limited that l was a
monomaniac. l half got to believe that l
was 30 myself, and that prevented me
from ever speaking on The subject to
Others"
Monsieur A rubbed his head.
Roblard's story might be true or untrue;
anyhow, it was expedient to have the
man watched, in order 10 protect him
from others if he were really in danger,
or against himself if he were insane.
After a few moments the police official
said: well, Roblsrd, l will lend you
one OF my detectives, who shall be your
companion till you feel safe. He is
quite a new man; nobody knows him,
so you will not he compromised if seen
in his society"
THANK you, A." said Roblard,
with a sigh. Clancy my needing the
protection of the policel However, I
will pay your man whatever is wanted;
he must be absolutely at my disposal
like a servant"
-" You have grown rich, them" asked
Monsieur A, with a smile.
mo, but l make some money by my
books" replied the communist, coloring.
$50 much the BETTER" continued the
official in the same vein Of banter; then,
suddenly changing his tone: 81 say,
lsoblard, tell me the truth; what became
OF Y--s papers, for they were never
found?"
"How can l tell7" replied Roblard
with . scowL suppose you, too, will
accuse me OF having taken them. Do 1
look like q robber?"
"N0;" but now l come to think of il.