The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-07-05
THE PRESS.
[From Time.l
Tricked and Tracked.
Adventure in Paris.
By'Mdty Mark-Lemon.
ICONCLUDED.l

CONCLUDED.
rshowed him the little sack carried un-
der my cloak and he was satisfied; we then
left the hotel silently, scarcely noticed by
the servants busted about the entrance-hall.
Once out in the open air l seemed to breathe
more freely; but my heart was too heavy for
speaking, and we pursued our way in ST.
lence.
The noise of the traffic, the lights of the
shops streaming across our path, and The
number of foot-passengers passing and re-
passing us, bewildered me at first, all unac
customed as I was to walking through the
streets SO late; but we pressed steadily on
through the ever-increasing crowd, and peo-
pie seemed too intent on their own business
to take much heed of two wayfarers like our
selves. After time we turned into less
frequented part of the town, and the lights
became less brilliant and the streets more
deserted. Suddenly the boy stopped, and
seemed uncertain as to which road he should
take. He paused a moment, and then, turn
ing to me, said:
Madame, fear have missed my way
little; but my mother told me she would give
me some directions in her letter; will ma
dame give it me that may right myself?"
Without thinking handed him his moth
er's letter; and, standing beneath neigh
boring lamp, he read over slowly the direc-
tons contained in the note; then, holding it
still open in his hand, he resumed his walk,
referring to it every now and then, as though
still in doubt as to our whereabouts. There
was certain mysterious quiet about the
neighborhood we were in which preyed up
on my spirits-a certain silence could not
fathom; and my courage began to flag
strangely as we continued our lonely road.
/ experienced sensation of intense relief,
therefore. when my young guide stopped
suddenly before tall, dark house in a quiet
street, and listened eagerly for an answer
to his gentle tap at the closed door. A voice
from within asked softly in French: "How
fares 1t my son?" and in English the boy an
swered: Stately and fairly; open the door,"
The door was then unbarred and opened
without the least noise, just wide enough to
admit us; and we entered hallypoorly light
ed by small lamp held by tall woman
clad in rags The Pickering flame of the
lamp gave forth so dim light that 1 could
not distinguish her features, and she spoke
in a voice scarcely above whisper. / in
quired eagerly for my brother and begged
her to conduct me to him at once. She shook
her head and then said:
"Ah, madame, your coming may do great
things for him; you will be able to ease the
poor mind that runs on nothing but money,
money, day and night, without ceasing.'
She barred the door by which we had en-
tered, and then preceded me up a broken
staircase, the boy following us with the feeb-
lie oil lamp. The house sounded hollow, and
our footsteps echoed drearily as we went.
Presently we stopped before the door of a
room which | imagine to have been at the
back of the house, and the woman. entering
first, beckoned me to follow her.
In one corner large, almost empty
apartment was bed shrouded by thick dark
curtains; in the CRATE a low charcoal fire was
Ia,.,,. too II IL ID E..
where the bed was, and was about to I'M
draw the curtains from the poor boy had
come so mysteriously to visit. Suddenly
from behind me a cloth was tied tightly
over the whole ofny face, a strange burning
sense of suffocation overspread my senses,
and I remember nothing more; all was
silence, darkness, hideous blank, until /
awoke in my BEDROOM at the Hotel de L.,
with my head aching strangely and be-
frame. My maid, an English doctor with
whom was slightly acquainted. and anoth-
er doctor who was a stranger to me, were
anxiously watching for my return to consci-
BUSINESS. TWAS quite light, and the sun
was shining into the room. As one by one
the events of the preceding night rose be-
fore my mind, was utterly at a loss to i'm
agine how had been rescued from that
horrible house and brought back to the ho-
tel in safety.
The story was soon told. The night por-
ter coming on duty at l O'Clock, had found
me lying on the steps leading to the side
door of the hotel, which opened on an I'M
frequented passage or street. Finding was
unconscious, he had summoned the day
porter, who was waiting for him, to render
assistance, and this man, knowing me by
sight, identified me as lady staying in the
hotel. He at once reused the house. NV
maid, who was waiting up for me, wonder
ing and alarmed at my prolonged absence,
speedily secured the services of two medical
men from the adjoining neighborhood, and
they had since been using every method to
restore me to consciousness, when I might
perchance unfold the mystery of my strange
return.
There was no trace of any violence having
been used, nor any proof whereby they
could discover where had been. The only
thing they found upon me which was not
my own was handkerchief tightly clasped
in my hand, on which were embroidered
my brother Richards initials, and which
at once recognized as having been worked
by me some years previously for my unhap-
Ply brother. The money had, of course, all
been taken; also the ring, brooch, and lock-
ct had worn. My wedding ring was left,
and the bag in which had put the money
was still hanging from my arm.
As soon as was able told the doctors
all could remember of the past nights ex-
periences, and, at the conclusion of the re-
cital they both advised me to put the matter
into the hands of the police. | entreated
that this might be done as quietly as posi-
Bile; my brothers name being SO much
mixed up in the affair, that outsiders would
most probably be led to believe that he was
an accomplice in the robbery, though in my
own mind felt certain he vas more sinned
against than SHINING.
The sergeant of police who waited on me
showed great interest in my adventure; but
could plainly see that, Notwithstanding all
his civility, his suspicious pointed at once to
my brother as chief agent in the case. 1
could swear to the signature being genuine;
the handkerchief, too, l recognized. Alas,
it really seemed only too certain that my
brother had at all events been the compan-
ion OF these people, and must have discussed
our affairs freely with them, even if he were
not criminally concerned in the dark trans
action. ft tsft
The Partisan police made every effort to
trace the offenders, but in vain; house after
house was searched in the quarter to which
believed myself to have been taken, but no
trace of the woman or child could be found.
And so for the time the matter dropped.
PART u.-TRAcKED. 90
Two years passed, and the night of nv
strange adventure in Paris had become al
most like dream to me. We left France
after my husbands return from abroad, and
on his gu ting the army, we took up our
residence | London. l had meanwhile,
received several letters from my brother
written from the Cape, and, in answer to
one wrote him in reference to the robbery
he replied with the most solemn assertions
of his entire ignorance of the transaction /
believed him; my husband was silent on the
subject, and / felt thankful the Cape was so
far Off We seldom referred to the circum-
stances before recorded, for could not bear
to recall the horrors of that evening in the
dark, desolate house.
One evening, however l was startled by
my husband saying suddenly as he looked
up fIom letter he was reading:
81 say Madge, they think they have found
clew at last to your Partisan exploit; read
that"
Bureau de Police, Paris
To CAPTAIN BRANsCoMBE:
MoNsIEUR,-We believer we have in custody
the boy who acted so prominent part in the
hhar cd Tod