The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-11-05

again present itself, but I would prefer
thousand times that he should miss It
to having him return without notifying
me-" :
"Whyy s.s
&C Because some one has wicked de-
signs against him and at night ter
rible blow is soon struck. You know
there are two routes by Whichsto return
here one is longer than the other, but
safer. am afraid lest he mayreturn.
by way Of the Moulin Brule. The more
SO as there is some one to see IN that
direction. I trenble at the mere
thought of it. IF 7 only knew.
The postman stroye to calm her fears,
but she shook her head.
"You cannot Think. resumed she,
eewhat certain men are capable of when
they have grudge against anybody" !"
She seemed to hesitate, and then
added:
eff T tremble it is not simply be-
cause my husband will have to pass
through a dangerous spot with money
in his pocket, but because there is in.
the district a wretch whose dearest wish
is to put five feet of earth between
them.
sThis hatred dates from long ago.
When was young girl he wanted to
marry me, but he filed me with horror.
He has never pardoned me for having
repulsed mis- offers, and has enVeloped
in the same aninosity the man pre-
ferred to him. He hates Georges and
myself for being in easy circumstances
while he vegetables in vac5, asif honest
people were responsible for the mis-
takes of idlers and drunkards. This is
not all. A crime was recently COM
mitted suspicious were aroused, but
the proofs were wanting. [ possess
them, and the guilty man knows it. Ali
it is a dangerous secret for a woman
who has only children around her."
Yesterday he accosted me to sound
ne; did not hide from him my con-
tempt. He saw clearly that he was un-
masked in my eyes; he overwhelmed
ne with insults and threats. I took
the unfortunate notion to say to him
that soon, when my husband had re-
turned, when he had a man before him,
he would be less presumptuous. Oil
if you knew what glances his eyes shot
at me, what an expression Of hatred his
features wore! I know that often dur
ing the night he haunts the ruins OF the
Moulin-Brule. If this man should dis
cover that ay husband is to pass
through that place, T tell You, Monsieur
Martin, he is lost!"
ssWhat is the seoundrePs name %
tsJean Bruno. It is not astonishing
that you are unacquainted with him, for
since his return to the district he has
not publicly shown himself.
The postran was silent. He remem-
.bered having heard the woman at the
drinking house ean the mamie had met
there by that name. He asked himself
in consternation ii the letter had not
been stolen from him, bnt he recalled
supposiMon. He felt certain That the
epistle had not been in his sack; he re-
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 fastened away and when he was
alone his fears regained possession of
him. He again began to doubt and
little by little was seized upon by
terror he could not explain. He in
creased his pace and leaped over the
hedges and bitches with unusual nim-
bleness. Unfortunately, his round that
day was exceptionallylong, and the bad
weather in addition had considerably
delayed him.
He reached the postoffce 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 Madam Andre.
One of her assistants confirmed this
declaration.
The postmau 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, a man had presented him
self, asking if there was anything for
Madam Andre!
he few 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. He saw this man,
who had returned with Joy in his heart,
encountering death at the threshold Of
his home through his fault, and misfor-
tune o7ertaking 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,
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 os return hal given wings to
his feet, as the thought Of misfortune
to be ayerted 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
to the Moulin-Brule. Pere
Martin calculatedthat by passing over
another path, which, however, was
rough and dangerous, he could yet ar
rive before him.
He FASTENED on and reached the fatal
spot when the night was already ad-
vanced. The place was we'll fitted for
az ampuscade. There was a species of
cut through the rocks. On both sides
bushy trees formed an almost impene-
trable shade; rapidly moving clouds ct
each instant yelled the moon, the wan
rays of which added to the sinister
character of the landscape.