The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-02-08
Tanrl The sharp little hammer Of

\ Tangl The sharp little hammer of
the bronze clock ON the chimney piece,
as it struck the hour of one, suggested to
me the necessity of being prompt and
cool, j i would save Cecil Manners from
a worse peril than the mere loss of
money By this time only five persons,
excepting my pupil, remained in the
room, for even the bsron's scared wife
and dull-eyed daughter had disappeared,
and one of these five, two were the
serving-men in theatrical livery. The
other three were the baron himself; a
cadaverous little old fellow, with q
hatchet face and harsh voice; and a
big, blaok-hrowed man, whose sharp
white teeth, filled to point like those
of ssvages, looked disagreeably wol6sh
whenever he smiled or spoke. I grew
seriously alarmed as I noted the signi-
fcsnt chances which these worthless
exchanged, ~ they surrounded the
sleeping STRIPPING. That they would
allow the lad to carry OF his winnings 4
had never thought probable, but now it
seemed evident that something beyond
commonplace knavery was in question
"Who sleeps, fsups," remarked til
senior of the group, with a cackIing
laugh that chilled nv blood as I heard
it. =" Your soothing syrup Duplessis,
did the trick we'll"
"Ay," replied the baron, as he passed
the flame of candle before Cecil's un-
conscious eyes; sit was time, comrades,
to pour out something stronger than
Chcquot, for, pestel what cards that
English boy did hold, as if the devil had
shufied the pack; and, trust me, we'd
not have found 1T easy to make him lose
the gold he woBl Young as he isy he
mas sense and spisit too, and ne had the
to tell me tonight he was
of playing tricks on his good
1atared tutor, and that, win or lose,
ned gxmFle the more"
The stout-built mRn responded with
'Ome brutal joke about o tender young
,igeon that was ready fbr the spit.
"These is no risk, no risk Mt all, /" Haid
he eldest of the sconndrels what can
iey.prove against us, klein 2 The young
gentlemen has won our money, not we
ia. HE has drunk much wine. He
insisted ON returning hsme ON foot, with
lis gold in his pockets. Ia is ear fault,
e. lie President, if those pockets were
mpty when the body, discovered in the
cine, was laid out ON The wet slabs OF
he M0sgneg"
j shuddered, for there was sonsething
eculiasly h5deons in the affectation of
he old Williams manner as, drawing
imseEup, and extending one arm in
,renaie fashion, he pleaded his own
ause before an imaginary tribanal.
nut the two evil-visageda serving men c
nd the|burly black-browed ruffan were !
f anotaer mimd, for they laughed with Z
vident enjoyment of the Jest.
!" ThaSa for the Cour RAssisesr" re-
,rted the big man, swapping his fingers; !
and new, mon vieux, if you hke, i am Z
lady to-administer the comp de-psaee to :
lis yoang aristo,' and he sasetched =
nth his bnawny hands, half joealarly,
wizards gecil's throat. .
G Not yet, returned the baron, per-
nr torily; mot yet this hour to come.
M O'Clock is too early for our good
lie nds, jacques and Jean Bapriste here, y
carry such load through tine river
de streets. Botter wais till the last
il le-shsp closes. and theslast drankard
BIS reelsd homeward."
And Then all five sat down tegether
!, the. table, in families conversation,
nch of which was to- me nnintel
gible, slipping Curacos and Chartreuse
be while with apppecisti~e relish. The
My one who looked casewosn and anx-
,us was the colonel hinaaeH I did not,
oweger, hnger long to play the part OF
avesdropper. Clearlys if 4 would save !.
ecila must lose no time In snmnonipgl }:
sscne. Noiselessly, cautiously, 4 dreaded
" way through tho darkling ante
hanbers and down the solitary stair
ase. Il reached the osart-yard. It was
mpty, md the portars lodge dark and