River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-11-10

The postman was thunderstruck.
He saw with fright the heavy response
/ bility thrown upon him. His terrors
| augmented when he remembered that
time and again, at any moment of
opening the mail-bags, a man had pre-
scented himself, asking if there was
anything for Nine. Andrel
| He flew rather than ran to the office
of the coach which carried the passen-
gers from the nearest station on the
railway to the chief town George
Andre had arrived, but had set out inn
mediately on foot for his village.
The news gave Martin a violent
shock. The prospect of catastrophe
| for which he would be responsible arose
before him. He saw this man who had
returned with joy in his heart, encoun-
tering death at the threshold of his
home through his fault, and misfortune
overtaking the widow and orphans.
The darkest clouds troubled his mag
nation.
He did not hesitate, and, without
taking time to enter his dwelling, start
ed off again. Those who saw him pass
absorbed in his thoughts and noticing
no one around him, asked themselves
what grave affair could have caused this
breathless haste on the part of man
who must have come back from his
round broken by fatigue.
After having passed over fourth of
the distance, he inquired concerning
the traveller, and asked if he had been
seen.
He had gone by some time before.
The Joy of return had given ring to his
feet, as the thought of misfortune to
be averted had increased the speed of
the postman. There was no longer
even the shadow of doubt; the fated
man had taken the path which led
straight to the Moulin-Brule. Pere
Martin calculated that by crossing over
another path, which, however, was
rough and dangerous, he could yet ar
rive before him.
He fastened On and reached the IA
tai spot when the night was already ad-
vanced. The place was well fitted up
for an ambuscade. There was a species
of cut through the rocks. On both
sides bushy trees formed an impene-
trable shade, rapidly moving clouds at
each instant yelled the moon, the wan
rays of which added TO the sinister
character OF the landscape.
He paused; amid the rustling of the
foliage agitated by the wind he thought
he heard the sound of approaching
footsteps; it was, doubtless, George An
DIRE, whom he had preceded only by
few instants; he was about going to
meet him, when. the report of q gun
rang out and ball struck him full in
the br east.
The assassin emerged from a neigh
boring thicket, but on approaching his
victim to finish and rob him he found
himself in the presence of new actor
and vented his disappointment in a
horrible oath; he had recognized George
Andre. The blade of knife flashed in
his hand, but he was not allowed time
to use it-a club descended vigorously
upon his head and felled him to the
ground.
A woman, distracted with terror, at
this moment threw herself on the post
mans body.
'Oh how wretched l amp cried
She 81 foresaw it; he has killed himW
Madame Andre had not been able to
subdue her uneasiness, and, at the hour
she supposed her husband ought to ar
rive, she had come to wait for him; at
the report of the gun she had run for
ward precipitately.
Jeanne" said her husband to her,
treasure yourself; am unhurt."
at was not you? Who, then, has he
assassinated?"
They bent over Martins body and
recognized him in the moonlight which
at that instant illuminated his face and
uniform.
The husband and wife carried him in
their home, where he lived only TWEEN
ty-four hours. He related how he had
allowed to be stolen from him the letter
in which George Andre had announced
his return, and how he had decided to
prevent at any price the consequences
of his negligence, even if he should be
compelled to offer his life in exchange
for that of father of family whom
he had involuntarily helped to place in
peril.
Obscure victim OF duty, he had added
another act to the list of Those unknown
sacrifices which are made daily without
being encouraged by the hope of recon-
pense, without even having for indem-
MITIGATION the remembrance they should
leave behind.