The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1881-09-24

] iSAAl1bs Liz saw y ltdt he WIS ull-
masked in my eyes; he overwhelmed me
with insults and threats. [ took the I'M
fortunate notion to say to 1im that soon.
when my husband returned, when he
had a man before him, hegould be less
presumptuous. Oh if Yu knew what
! chances his eyes shot at ne, what an ex-
preston of hatred his feaures wore! I
know that often during the night he
haunts the ruins of the Moulin Brule.
Ii this man should discover that my hus-
band is to pass through tlat place, tell
you Monsieur Martin, heis lost"
"What is the scoundre's name 2"
Jean Bruno. 1t is not astonishing
that you are unacquaintel with him, for
since his return to the district he has not
publicly shown himself"
The postman was silen. He remem-
bered having heard the woman at the
| drinking house call the nan he had met
| there by that name. Heasked himself
IN CONSERVATION if the litter had not
been stolen from him, but he recalled all
the circumstances and banished this sup
position. He felt certain that the epistle
had not been in his sack; he treasured
himself and sought to reassure the
! woman, yet he resolved to await her
husbands arrival at the chief town of
the district to advise him to be prudent.
lie fastened away, and when he was
alone his fears regained possession of
him. He again began to doubt, and lit
tie by little he was seized upon by ter
ror he could not explain. He increased
his pace and leaped over the hedges and
! bitches with unusual nimbleness, I'm
fortunately, his round thai day was ex-
ceptionally long, and the bad weather in
addition had considerably delayed him.
| He reached the postoffice little later
| than was his custom. The woman who
! distributed the mails, on being consulted
by him. affirmed that he had taken
away letter for Nine. Andre. One of
| her assistants confirmed this declaration.
| The postman was thunderstruck. He
| saw with fright the leavy responsibility
thrown upon him. His terrors augment
ed when he remembered that time and
again, at the moment of opening the
mail bags, man had presented himself.
asking If there was anything for Nine.
Andre
He flew rather than ran to the office of
the coach which carried passengers from
the nearest station on the railway to the
chief town. George Andre had arrived.
but had set out Immediately on foot for
the village.
The news gave Martin aviolent shock.
The prospect OF catastrophe for which
he would be responsible arose before
HIM. He saw this man, who had return
ed with JOY in his heart, encountering
death at the threshold Of his home
through his fault, and misfortune over
taking the widow and the orphans. The
darkest clouds troubled his imagination.
He did not hesitate, and, without
taking time to enter his dwelling. started
off again. Those who saw him pass alb
sorbed In his thoughts and noticing no
one around him, asked themselves what
grave affair could have caused this
breathless haste on the part of a man
who must have come back from his
round broken by fatigue.
After having passed over a fourth of
the distance he inquired concerning the
traveller ana asked if hehad been seen.
He had gone by some time before.
The JOY of return had given wings to his
feet, as the thought of a misfortune to
be averted had increased .he speed of the
pOStman. There was no longer even the
shadow of doubt the lated man had
taken the path which led straight TO the
MOulin-Brule. Pere Martin calculated
that by passing over another path,
which, however, was rough and danger
Gus, he could yet arrive before him.
He fastened on and reached the fatal
spot when the night was already adj
yanced. The place waswell fitted up for
an ambuscade. There was a species of
cut through the rocks. On both sides
bushy trees formed an impenetrable
shade, rapidly moving clouds at each in
slant 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 foot
steps ;. it was, doubtless, Georges Andre,
whom he had preceded only by few in
stants. He was. about going the meet
him, when the report of gun rang out
and ball struck him full in the breast.
The assassin emerged from neighbor-
ing thlcket, but on approaching his
victim to finish and rob him he found
himself In the presence of a new actor
and vented his disappointment in hor-
rible 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 wretchedI am % cried she,
" / foresaw it; he has killed him %
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 writ for him; at
the report of the gun, she had run for
ward precipitately.
"Jeanne," said her husband to her.
"reassure yourself; am unhurt p
I" 1t was not you? Who then has he
assassinated ?"
They bent over Martins body. and
recognized him the moonlight which at
that instant illuminated his face and uni
form.
The husband and wife carried him to
their home, where he lived only twenty
four hours. He related how he had al
lowed to be stolen from him the letter in
which George Andre had announced his
return, and how he had decided to pre-
vent at any price the consequences of his
negligence, even if he should be com
PEELED to offer his life in exchange for
that of the father Of a family whom he
had involuntarily helped to place in
peril.
Obscure victim of duty, he had added