Democratic messenger., 1881-09-24

filed with q thick smoke, and lifting
the letters spread out upon the table,
scattered them in every direction.
The postman uttered an exclamation
of anger.
"Bah! it is nothing" said he who had
caused the accident. "We two will
speedily gather them up"
And without needing the refusal OF
Martin, VINO wished to avoid his help
and do the work alone, he began to
search for the letters.
When they had collected all they
could find tho postman carefully exam
ined them; then he seemed worried, as
if he had not the full number.
care any missing? ?" asked his COM
panion.
"It appears to me that there was
another letter."
"Bah either you are deceived or you
forgot it at the post Office"
"That is quite possible.
He said to himself that it must be so
However he resumed his hunt and
searched beneath the furniture. He
found nothing and concluded that his
memory had not served him faithfully,
for he had watched his companion S
movements andit did not seem admis-
sible to him that he had stolen letter.
Nevertheless he fastened to depart, re-
GREETING that he had entered the drink
with him inspired in him veritable
repulslon, aud it was his rule, because
of the habits of discretion which the
post Office imposes upon all its agents,
to keep at q distance all who did not
appear to him worthy of confidence.
The storm had somewhat abated its
fury, the rain soon ceased to fall, and
bright sunshine lighted up the country
when the postman reached the nearest
village.
A woman was at the door of her house
awaiting his passage. She was still
young, and, without possessing remark
able beauty, had a neat and sympathetic
countenance.
"Monsiem Martin" said she to the
postman, "have you letter for me 2
"No, Madame Andre, [ have not
"That's strange; my husband should
have written to me to day; you cam o
imagine how much his silence trouble
me-"
She grew pale and seemed scarcely to
have the strength to sustain herself.
The postman assisted her into the
house aud handed her a chair upon
which she let herself fall. Two charm
ing children fixed on her sad and anx-
ious looks.
"You will receive letter tomorrow.
Madame Andre" said Pere Martin
"the delay of q day is easily ex-
planned: your husband was disappointed,
some unforeseen business suddenly de-
manded his attention and he missed the
mall"
"No; I know him and cannot under
stand his silence. You are aware that
he departed two months ago for the
city. Some work YVES to be attended to
which promised to bring him in a great
deal of money; small inheritance was
also to be received. But all is conclud-
ed. He sent me word that he would re.
turn this evening; he had made his ar
rangements to that end. Tomorrow
the farm Of La Name is to be sold he
has decided to purchase either all or
part of it. 1t is an opportunity which
viii never again present itself, but /
would prefer thousand times that he
should miss it to having MIN return
without notifying me"
"Why?"
Because some one has wicked de-
signs against him and at night terri
BILE blow is soon struck. You know
there are two routes by which to return
here one is longer than the other, but
safer. | am afraid lest he may return
by way of the Moulin Brule, the more
so as there is some one to see in that
direction. l tremble at the mere thought
of it. If / only knew"
The postman strove to calm her fears,
but she shook her head.
"You cannot think" resumed she,
"what certain men are capable of, when
they have a grudge against anybody"
She seemed to hesitate and then
added:
"It l tremble, it is not simply be-
cause my husband will have to pass
through dangerous spot with money
in his pocket, but also because there is
In the district wretch whose dearest
wish is to put five feet of earth between
them.
"This hatred dates from long ago.
When 1 was young girl he wanted to
marry me, but he filed me with horror.
He has never pardoned me for having
repulsed his offers and has enveloped in
the same animosity the man preferred
to him. He hates Georges and myself
for being in easy circumstances while
he vegetables in want, as if honest peo-
pie were responsible for the mistakes of
idlers and drunkards. This is not all.
A crime was recently committed sus-
picions were reused, but the proofs
were wanting. I possess them and the
guilty man knows it. All it is a dan
gerous secret for woman who has only
children around her.
Yesterday he accosted me to sound
me; did not hide from him my con-
tempt. He saw clearly that he was un-
masked in my eyes; he overwhelmed
me with insults and threats. I took the
unfortunate notion of saying to him
that soon, when my husband had re-
turned, when he had man before him,
he would be less presumptuous. Oh
If you knew what glances his eyes shot
at me, what an expression of hatred
his features wore I know that often
during the night he haunts the ruins of
the Moulin Brule. If this man should
discover that my husband is to pass
through that place, ! tell you Monsieur
Martin, he is lost -
What is the scoundrel's name?"
jean Bruno. 1t is not astonishing
that you are unacquainted with him. for