The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-07-22

brought her to her door. / went to my
club, but / was too tired to play, lost a
few napoleons, and came home " g
"Did you see the lady to this door ??
inquired the detective.
"This? No, mol She would not
even let me leave the carriage. II may
whatever value the information
possesses, that the windows were lighted
up when I came home a second time"
Scan you form any opinion about
| this crime ?"
Really I !; know 50 little Of the Mont.
fort family"
Excuse me, my Lord, !" said Lecoq,
with pretended bluntness, "but we
know your Lordship to be quite in the
world Of fashion. Who has, been &C.
cused of being this poor lady's cicisbeo ~
The Count of Montfort," answered
he, testify, turning red after paling, els
splendid fellow. She idolized him.
Why, this will break his heart when he
learns it. But who will impart the
news ?" s %sle45 ,3aa Sa. 2fy@ s@sa-
"That's been DONE" answered the Of
fetal. E9 a$aanT .E1S9T s 50 N3}5
An hour after, the body having been
placed on the bed, magnificent mass
of rare flowers came from the Marquis,
which Betsy, released as guiltless, ar
ranged with taste.
By the midnight train and cab driv-
en- at tearing speed the Count arrived.
His wife, surrounded by the blossoms,
and upon black velvet, in that gloomy
room seemed only sleeping. Betsy had
plated her long faxen tresses. Con
tran de Montfort strobe up to the bed,
having kept his countenance up to that
moment, but then, nature having been
overstrained, he fell on his knees, en-
bracing the clay-cold idol, and sobbed
her name. The servants repeated
through the mansion, in q tone which
testified to the rarity of the event, My
Lord had tears in his eyes,
In the morning Mr.. Lecoq called to
say that he had been specially trusted
with the case. ...''.... -. .>.
ct am sorry to tell your Lordship,
though" he remarked, 'sthat the case
is inexplicable SO far. But we are bound
to pierce the mystery"
The nobleman looked at him sadly,
and answered:
cit is useless for you to look after the
murderer of my loved one. He is no
common criminal. I have no other aim
in life now. And when I meet him, be-
lieve me, I shall not. call in the law to
execute him." 9''s IL.
This speech seemed out of place on
the lips Of a Breton gentleman, race
noted for religious aud law-abiding traits.
CHAPTER II. ~
BEFORE THE BULLETS.
Like all rich capitalists, Marquis Hec-
tor de Medranc found himself ruined
by the Franco-Prussian war. He hast
ened to Paris the moment the gates were
opened from his italian retreat, and
found his house property, nearly all
centrally located, in good preservation.
Absorbed in his preparations, he was in
Paris on the 18th of March, 1871. Per-
haps he was the only nobleman who was
not In London or the South, preferring
to see their country desolated without
them rather than pass under democratic
rule or into the army, forgetting all but
France. .. -. ~
The town was not pacifed, and the
thunder rumbled on the heights off
Belleville and Montmartre. The spring
came delightful after the vigorous Win
ter, and the Partisan little rocked that
the ilacs given his lady love came from
ground rocking under the batteries Of
CLAIMANT, manned by Frenchmen firing
on their own capital. g. .s.rqsf.. ,..e-..
The Marquis had hidden in his hotel
Of the Rue Carmartin. The gates were
solid; his servants well paid. He heard
the firing on the Pare Monseau with Joy,
as it betokened an advance of the Gov
eminent troops against the insurrection-
lists. It was at this juncture that a young
woman in the red zouave dress Of a Vi
vandiere Of Flourens' Avengers present
ed herself at the gates-her name, AISLE
Koragou. A Breton girl, from his own
estates, passed her into his presence.
My Lord" said she, CT heard at the
Council of the Commune in the Emiatory
Chapel that you are known to be here,
and detachment is on the way to take
you out. They are enraged that you
should have lived here as spy, they
say, so long," al .ss.a}. :
His laugh of contempt was cut short
by one of those knocks at the guard-door
which seldom come to noblemen's port
als-either from Kings lackeys or the
peoples. It was dozen musket butt
ends. Some one fred shot from with
in. That's FOOL said the Marquis,
against my order. Those men of mine
will get massacred." s..-v #a. p
"And me, too," said the girl. in
" Don't you tremble, my lass the old
fox has more than one gap to his bur
row." -.
The listener smiled secretly with un.
accountable joy. s.r... .Es.- ....
In the cellar?" .-u.s...
"The cellar? Nonsense -! The day
has gone by for trap doors Of old-style
construction" ........-,
Meanwhile the doors had been broken
down. A dozen shots were fred. A
shoal Of men invaded the mansion, yell
ing: ........ 49,.
"The Marquis! Your plaguey Lord!
The people were fired upon! A rope!
And the Marquis!"
The girl chung to the gentleman in
trepidation. -" ~.
''Make haste! This way" he said.
There was suit OF >armor on a panel.
He pressed one of the hundred orna-
ments on the frames and the whole panel
turned round so as to disclose hole in
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