The daily gazette., 1879-01-27
THE BLACK MASKS.
BY l.. 5. W.

was 50 perfect and whose movements
were so sudden and mysterious, that, al
though they spread death and desolaton
In all directions, Yet the officers of the
law failed utterly in all attempts to bring
them to justice.
The members of this fearful league
were reported to be young men of good
family, and the leader was described by
common report as man Of noble pre-
sence, solder-like bearing, and most in
domil able courage, joined to mind
dark and cunning, and heart that was
a stranger to reinorse or pity.
This formidable band was known far
aud wide as the .Black Masks" for all
accounts agreed in describing them as
clothed completely in black and having
their faces covered with black Masks
However, the mystery surrounding them
was disspaled and their devastations
brought to a termination by the incident
| am about TO relate.
There lived, at the period to which
refer, in the suburbs of Louvane, a
worthy clrate, Father Gervaise by name.
and with him resided the son of an only
sister some time deceased. whose educa-
ton Father Geryaise had superintended
and whose manhood he watched with al
most fathers care.
Julian had just entered his twenty-first
year he was tall, nearly if not quite six
feet, well formed, with a handsome face.
He was also weil-educated, accomplished
and agreeable, so that his company was
most eagerly sought, more especially by
those ladies having marriage able daugh-
tiers. Only one thing In relation to his
nephew troubled Father Gervaise, and
that was his very frequent and prolonged
absence at night.
: One evening in the month of February
they were seated together in the COM
Portable library OF Father Gervaise's s
) residence, enjoying the warmth of bla-
ziDg wood-iire, when Sudden summons
came from the curate to attend the death
bed of one Of his parishioners, who lived
: at a considerable distance.
Without a moments hesitation this ex-
cellent man rose from the soft cllsbi ons
of the armchair in which he had been
reposing, and gathering the folds of his
CLOAK about him, set forth.
The wind blew fiercsly in his teeth,
and a dreary sheet drove in his face, but
still, with a stout heart, Father Gervaise
kept on his way, and in about an hour
arrived at his destination. He was just
0 in time to administer the last rites and
consultations OF religion to the dying and
. after remaining about half au hour, tC
afford what comfort he might to the
mourning survivors, he set out on his re-
turn,
He had walked perhaps a mile, wher
suddenly he was startled from his rev
erie by the catter of what seemed &
troop of horse. Pausing, he looked
around he could see nothing, but still
heard distinctly the sound, and all the
, time il drew nearer. Presently however
= comii L around IA turn in the road at fu
galop, "a party of about "A dozen men
mounted on fleet steeds, dashed past
, him, and through the darkness Father
Y Gervaise was just enabled to Distinguish
that each rider wore over his face Z
black mask,
He had not proceeded many steps fur
thcr before, on passing a house, he wa
astonishcd TO see light burning, and til,
door wide open. Conjecturing at once
: that this bad been tho Gene of one o
the midnight exploits of the bold roh
bers, Father Gcryaise entered. and hi
suspicious were terribly confirmed b,
finding, stretched in death across tn
main passage an aged man, whom he a
n once recognized IA, the master OF th
= house. Duly pausing TO assure himsel
that life was extinct, the priest passed o
into the man apartment, from which
4 strong hRhl ISSUED, when WHtt WAS III
horror and dismay at finding the wit
likewise hrutally murdered, her bod
lyinl beneath a table.
Sickened at the fearful sight, the CT
rate was about TO hurry out and alarI
the neighborhood, when his attentlo
1 was attracted by strange gurglin
| sound proceeding from the chime,
L place. Looking IN the direction indici
ted his blood curdled for an instant, h
nf mi "a al al rn1
for there he beheld hanging in sight
pair of feet, which gave several convu
sive movements, the gurghng sound sti
continuing. Recovering his self-pos5e
:, sion, however, Father Gervaise rusht
forward and found the female domest
Of the family suspended by the neck.
= the last agonies of death. To seize
knife, that luckily lay near, and cut IL
cord that held her, was the work of g
instant, but some time elapsed afterwa
A before be was enabled to restore her
a.. suffi cient consciousness TO give an a
count of the circumstances attendii
this horrible deed.
The poor girl, on recognizing the goc
ey curate, and being earnestly entreate
'nt with many sobs told how the blat
III masks, some dozen in number, had hr
ken into the house and murdered the ms
ter and mistress IN cold blood, she ht
!, self had found temporary safety by hi
/, ing behind the freboard, and fancyll
On their work of death accomplished Z
rufiians proceeded to ransack the hou
in search of gold, which it was W,
/, known the aged couple kept secreted
the buildlug.
r Having succeeded in their search, tn
-: r. turnt Il to the room in which she W
hidden, in order TO divide their boot
Y. and having seated themselves arou
BYs the table, they all removed masks, {
cept the leader and the poor girl beg
N to relate how, through crevice IN t
freboard, she recognized the coun
nances of every one of the robbers Il
were unmasked, and, to the horror a
Ter amazement of her listener, disclosed t
w. names of young men OF the highestfal
fur lies, before unsuspected.
rye. SO eager did the girl become in pro-
cutting her scrutiny, however, that, lea
ays ing too heavily against the screen, lt
forward. The robbers sprang to tn
feet and instantly replaced their masl
= then the leader rushed upon her and sc
7, ed her, already halt-dead with fright,
the neck They consulted together as
,,r the manner of her death, and conclude
. with savage laugh, to hang her by
: neck IN the place she had chosen to
cret herself in.
, Moved by despair of hearing u
dreadful doom pronounced, she ma
one vain effort to free herself, ana III