Democratic messenger., 1881-09-24

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assured 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.
He hastened away, and when he was
alone his fears gained possession of him.
He again began to doubt, and little by
little was seized upon by terror he
could not explain. He increased his
pace and leaped over the hedges and
bitches with unusual nimbleness. Un-
fortunately, his round that day was ex-
ceptionally long, and the bad weather in
addition had considerably delayed him.
He reached the post Office little
later than was his custom. The woman
who distributed the mail, on being con-
suited by him, affirmed that he had
taken away letter for Madame Andre.
One of her assistants confirmed this
declaration.
The postman was thunderstruck. He
saw with fright the heavy responsibility
thrown upon him. His terrors aug
mented when he remembered that time
and again, at the moment of opening
the mail bags, man had presented him
self, asking if there was anything for
Madame 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. Georges Andre had
arrived, but had set out Immediately on
foot for his village.
This news gave Martin a violent
shock. The prospect of catastrophe
for which he would be responsible arose
before him. lie 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 imagi-
nation.
He did not hesitate, and, without TAX
ing time to enter his dwelling, started
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 a man
who must have come back from mis-
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 wings 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 cal
culated that by passing over another
path, which, however, was rough and
dangerous, he could yet arrive before
him.
He hastened on and reached the fatal
spot when the night was already ad-
vanced. The place was well fitted for
an ambuscade. There was q species of
cut through the rocks. On both sides
bushy trees formed an impenetrable
shade rapidly moving clouds at each
instant yelled the moon, the wan rays of
which added to the sinister character of
the darkness.
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 a few
instants he was about going to meet
him when the report of n gun rang out
and ball struck him full in the breast.
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 hor-
rible oath he had recognized Georges
Andre. The blade of knife flashed in
his hand, but he was not allowed time
to use it-a club descended vigorously
upon lis head and felIed him to the
ground.
A woman, distracted with terror, at
this moment threw herself on the post
mans body.
"Oh how wretched am p cried S he
"I 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 wait for him ut
the report of the gun, she had run for
ward precipitately.
Jeanne" said her husband to her,
"reassure yourself; am unhurt p
"It was not you? Who then has he
assassinated 2"
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 to
their home, where he lived only twenty
four hours. lie related how he had al
lowed to be stolen from him the letter in
which Georges 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
compelled to offer his life in exchange
for that of the factor 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, with
out being encouraged by the hope of
any recompense, without even having
for indemnification the remembrance
they should leave behind him.