The Osceola times., 1879-07-05

aoquaintanceship, but held out his hand
TO the returned exile, saying: "I am
glad to zee you back, Roblsrd what can
we do for you ?"
81 want you 10 ssve my life," said
Roblsrd, sitting down unbidden. and
lowering his voice 81 am in danger of
assassination"
Explain the matter" replied Mon.
sieur A, incredulously and he mar.
rowly watched the communists features.
The pale face, dark, SPARKLING eyes, dry
voice, and eneral teverishness of man.
uer, were such ss may often be seen in
melsnchClic madmeD. laboring under
i fixed hsllucinstion. Roblsrd noticed the
glance that was being fixed upon him,
aud caught the tone of doubt In his in
terlocutor's words 4; but he paid no heed
to them.
"You know what was the crime alleged
against me p he asked.
Yea; you were sentenced to death
contumsciously tor having instigsted
the shooting OF the banker Y under
the commune. However, as you
had escaped 10 London before Paris fell
into the power of the Versailists, you
we're never arrested; and on the whole
you have escaped pretty cheap"
"Well," continued Roblsrd, speaking
lower than before, and looking Monsieur
A--stesdiastly in the face, al have
been accused of shooting Y from
motives of private malice, and for the
purpose of robbing him."
"No, our people--some of our fellow
communists" replied Roblard with a
kind o. gasp, which was meant to be one
Of Indignation, but which sounded more
like fear. az had been in London about
month, when one night three men
called upon me at my lodgings. They
were Dorielle. Fsucher and Vuilleux,
! all three my enem es. My landlady and
the servants were out, go ! WAS all alone.
ksucher, who is a kind of revolutionary
fanatic, began to abuse me, saying ] had
brought Disgrace ON the communistic
cause, and had been playing the game of
the Bonspsrtists by shooting Y--.who
knew all the ins.and~outs of the Mexican
expedition, and held documents dsmsg.
ing to the empire, which he would have
published hsd he lived. Then Dorielle
spoke out, taxing NE with having seized
all Y-'s securities and vslusbles, and
having appropriated them to my own
use; Just rs 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 2" inquired the police
official csrelessly.
"That is beside the question" an
swered Roblard, on his guard. Gan l
can say is, that these three enemies of
mine took it for granted had done 50,
and when they had finished abusing me,
Vuilleux pulled a rope out OF his
pocket"
"a ropel What was that forY'
10 hang me with" rejoined Roblard
hosfsely, as If the mere recollection or
the affair strangled him. They an.
nounced that they had sentenced me to
death, and that they would hang me ont
Of hand. My death, said they, would
look like a suicide
Well, they did hang me-"
"Come, come" expostulsted Monsieur
A, doubtful whether the communist
were romancing or speaking lrom 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. 1t WAS all in vain
that | struggled, screamed and prayed
for justice was forced on to my knees
and handkerchief WAS stuffed into my
mouth. Then these three butchers
passed halter over my neck and strung
me up to curtain rod Isuppose, how
ever, that they must have made off
pretty fast, for less than quarter of an
hour afterwards (hsving lost conscious
ness in the meanwhile) was cut down
by my landlsdy and the servant, who had
returned, But these poor women CON-
cluIed | had triei TO make away with
with myself"
"Of course, though, you went and
lodged complaint with the police ?"
"No what would have been the Use of
it 2" returned R1blsrd, with a sbrug.
"My enemies had taken their precautions
80 well that / should not have been he,
lieved, and The English magistrates
NOuiu nave Situci put hic INV
madshouse, or have sent me to prison
for having tried to commit suicide,
contrary to their laws. Besides. on the
day after this affair received an anony-
nous letter, enigmsticslly wcrded, but
from which ] gathered that, rs | had
escaped the halter, / should be allowed
to live, provided did not return TO
France. Dorielle, Faucher and Vuil-
leux condemned me TO perpetual exile T"
"Have you this letter with you p
ssked Monsieur A---,who seemed more
and more doubtful about Richards
story.
"Yes here it is," ssid the communs
ist, and he handed his interlocutor a
strip OF creased paper, Oh which the lat.
ter read: You have got luckily cured
of your sore throat, but for such deli
cate constitution rs yours the climate of
France will not do. Keep clear of the
country for your own sake, or there will
be relapse
"Humph l" muttered the police officer.
"And have you ever seen your enemies
since the event you relate ?"
Yes; ] have seen Vuilleux frequent.
ly at Geneva" responded Roblard, In
agitation " out there Ia the horror Oh
the thing. Whenever ! spoke of his
attempt on me he said be did not know
what | meant, aud limited that was a
monomsniac half got 10 believe that
was 80 myself, aud that prevented me
from ever speaking on the subject 10
others"
Monsieur A. rubbed his head
Roolard's story might be true or untrue
anyhow. 1t was expedient TO have the
man watched, in order to protect him
nom others if he were really in danger,