The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-06-14

rowly watched the communists features.
The pale face, dark, sparkling eyes, dry
voice, and general feverishness of man
ner, were such as may be often seen in
melancholic madmen, laboring under a
fixed hallucination. Roblard noticed
the glance that was being fixed upon
him, and caught the tone of doubt in his
interlocutor's words; but he paid no
heed to them.
"You know what was the crime alleged
against me2" he asked.
Eyes; you were sentenced to death
contumaciously for having instigated the
shooting of the banker Y under the
commune. However, as you had
escaped to London before Paris fell into
the power of the Versaillists, you were
never arrested; and on the whole you
have escaped pretty cheap"
"Well," continued Roblard, speaking
lower than before, and looking Monsieur
A steadfastly 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
month, when one night three men
called upon me at my lodgings They
were Dorielle, Faucher and Vuilleux,
the servants were out, so | was all alone.
Faucher, who is kind of revolutionary
fanatic, began to abuse me, saying l 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
al Us 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 hooters 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. "AIl
can say is, that these three enemies of
mine took it for granted l had done so,
and when they had finished abusing me,
Vuilleux pulled a rope out of his peck
et"
GA rope! What was that for?"
"To 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.
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-
lar d, impressively. cit was all i'm vain
that | struggled, screamed and prayed
for justice; | was forced on to my knees
and handkerchief was stuffed into my
mouth. Then those 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 (having lost consciousness in
the meanwhile) 1 was cut down by my
landlady and the servant, who had re-
turned. But these poor women con-
cluded | had tried to make away with
myself"
"Of course, though, you went and
lodged complaint with the policeW
"No; what would have been the use
of itw returned Roblard, with shrug.
'My enemies had taken their precautions
so well that l should not have been
believed, and the English magistrates
would either have put me int mad.
house, or have sent me to prison for hav-
ing tried to commit suicide, contrary to
their laws. Besides, on the day after
this affair / received an anonymous
letter, enigmatically worded, but from
which L gathered that, as l had escaped
the halter, 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 Roblard' story
Yes; here it is" said the communist,
and he handed his interlocutor strip of
creased paper, on which the latter read:
you have got luckily cured of your
sore throat, but for such delicate con-
stitution as yours the climate of France
will not do. Keep clear of the country
for your own sake, or there will be a re-
lapse"
Humphp muttered the police of
ficer. "And have you ever seen your
enemies since the event you relate?"
Yes; 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 meant, and limited that l was q
monomaniac. half got to believe that l
was so myself, and that prevented me
from ever speaking on the subject to
Others"
Monsieur A. rubbed his head.
koblard's story might be true or untrue !;
| anyhow, it was expedient to have the
man watched, in order to protect him
from others if he were really in danger,
or against himself if he were insane.
After few moments the police official
said: "Well, Roblard, / 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 be compromised if seen
in his society"
"Thank you, A." said Roblard,
with sigh. "Fancy my needing the
protection of the police! However, l
will pay your man whatever is wanted !;
he must be absolutely at my disposal