The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-07-10

melanchClie madmen, laboring under
liked hsliucinatiOn. Roblard noticed the
glance that was being fixed upon him
ana caught the tone of doubt IN his IN,
teriocutors wo1ds but he paid no heed
You kr.0w what was the crime alleged
agsl4st -ne % he asked.
-es you were sentenced to death
corAtumaciously TOR having instigated
Ghe shooting of the banker Y under
the commune. However, as you
had escaped TO London before Paris fell
into the power of the Verssillists, you
were never arrested; and on the whole
you have escaped pretty cheap"
Well" continued Roblard, speaking
lower than before, and looking Monsieur
A-steadiastly in the face, " 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 of gasp, which was meant to be one
of indignation, but which sounded more
like fear. had been in London about
q 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 was all alone.
taucher, who is kind of revolutionary
fanatic, began to abuse me, saying had
I brought disgrace On the communistic
cause, and had been playing the game of
the Bonapartists by shooting Y-,who
knew all the ms 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 Y-'s securities and valuables, and
having appropriated them to my own
use; Just as If Y would have been
silly enough to keep his money within
reach of looters under such regime as
"ours."
"By the way. was it really you who
had Y--shot ?" inquired the police
official csrelessly.
"That is beside the question:" an
sWered Roblard, on his guard. GAN I
can say is, that these three enemies of
mine took it for granted had done SO,
and when they had finished abusing me,
Vuilleux pulled a rope out of his
pocket"
" A ropel What was that for 3''
" To hang me with" rejoined Roblard
the affair straDgled 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 suicide *
Well, they did hang me-" X
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, impressivelg. 1t was all in vain
that 1 struggled, screamed and prayed
for Justice " as 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 a curtain rod. suppose, how
ever, that they must have made off
pretty fast, for less than a quarter of an
hour afterwards (having lost conscious
ness in the meanwhile) was cut down
by my landlady and the servant, who had
returned. But these poor women con-
cluIed had tried to make away with
with myself"
"Of course, though, you went and
lodged a complaint with the police ?"
'No; what would have been the use of
it ?'' returned Roblsrd, with q shrug.
''My enemies had taken their precautions
30 well that / should not have been hee
lieved, and the English magistrates
would nave either put me into a
madNhouse, 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, enigmatically WCrded, but
from which I gathered that, as I had
escaped the halter, I should be allowed
to live, provided 1 did not return to
France. DoTielle, Faucher and Vuil-
leux condemned me to perpetual exile"
Have you this letter with you p
sske6 Monsieur A---,WhO seemed more
and more doubtful about ROblard's
story.
Eyes; here it is" said the communS
ist, and he handed his interIocutor g
strip of creased paper, on which the lat
ter read You have got luckily cured
of your sore throat, but for such deli
cate constitution SIS yours the climate of
France will not do. Keep clear of the
country for your own sake, or there will
be q relapse"
''Humph I'' muttered the police officer.
'And have you ever seen your enemies
since the event you relate 2''
eyes; I have seen Vuilleux frequent
ly at Geneva" responded Roblard, in
agitation " out there Is the horror OF
the thing. Whenever 1 spoke of his
attempt on me he said he did not know
what / meant, and hinted that 1 was
monomaniac. half got to believe that
1 was 80 myself, and that prevented me
from ever speaking on the subject to
Others"
Monsieur A rubbed his head.
Roblsrd's story might be true or untrue
anyhow, it was expedient to have the
man watched, in order to protect him
flom others if he were really in danger,
or against himself if he were insane.
After few moments the police official
said " Well, RoblaId, will lend you
one OF my detectives, who shall be your
companion till you feel safe He is
quite q new man; nobody knows him,
so you will not be compromised if seen
in his society"
"Thsnk you, A." said Roblard,
with a sigh. Fancy my needing the
protection of the police! However, 1
will pay your man whatever is wanted
he must be absolutely at my disposal
like a servant"
1Ou nave grown rlcn, Lhen ASKED
Monsieur A, with smile.
"No, but make some money by my
books" replied the communist, coloring.
Z" So much the better" continued the
official in the same vein o. banter then,
suddenly changing his tone: 1 say,
R0blsrd, tell me the truth; what became
of Y---'s papers, for they we're never
found p
IE How can I tell T' replied RobIard
with Il scowl. 81 suppose you, too, will
accuse me of having taken them. Do l
look like robber ?''s