The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-09-15
dog from strangling mine, said his new

Bah! it is nothing, said the person
who had caused the accident. sWe two
will speedily gather them up. .
And without needing the refusal Of Mar
tin, who wished to avoid lis help and do
the work alone, he began to search for the
letters. ID
When they had collected all they could
ind the postman carefully examined them:
then he seemed worried, an if he had not
the full number.
Are any missing?" asked his compan-
IT appears to me that there was another.
Bah either you are deceived or you for
got it at the postofice" 81
hat is quite possible"
He said to himself that it must be so.
However he resumed his hunt and search
ed beneath the furniture. He found moth
ing and concluded that his memory had not
served him faithfully, for he had watched
his companion g movements and it did not
seem admissible to him that he had stolec a
letter. Nevertheless he fastened to depart,
regrettng that he had entered the drinking
house. The man who had chatted with
him inspired in him veritable repulsion.
and 1t was his rule, because of the habits
OF discretion which the postofice imposes
upon all its agents, to keep at a distance all
who did not appear to him worthy Of con-
fdence. s.
The storm had somewhat abated it's FURY.
the rain soon ceased to fall and bright sun
shine lighted up the country when the post
man reached the nearest village.
a woman was at the door Of her house
awaiting his passage. She was still young
and, without possessing remarkable beauty.
had q neat and sympathetic countenance.
Monsieur Martin" said she to the post
man, have you a letter for me?
No. Madame Andre, I have not
That's strange; my husband should have
written to me to- day; you cannot imagine
how much his silence troubles me-
She grew pale and seemed scarcely to
have the strength to sustain herself.
The postman assisted her into the house
and handed her chair upon which she let
herself fall. Two charming children fixed
on her sad anxious looks.
You will receive letter Tomorrow,
Madame Andre, said Pere Martin; athe
delay of a day is easily explained your hus-
band was disappointed, some unforeseen
business suddenly demanded his attention
and he missed the mail"
No; know him and cannot understand
his silence. You are aware that he depart
ed two months ago for the city. Some
work was to be attended to which promised
to bring him IN great deal of money;
small inheritance was also to be received.
But all is concluded. He sent me word
that he would return this evening; he had
made his arrangements to that end. To-
morrow the farm of La Name is to be sold;
he has decided to purchase either all or
part Of it. It is an opportunity which will
1, r
fer thousand times that he should miss
it to have him return without notifying
me. ~, sA--'-A
~Why2"
Because some one mas wicked designs
against him and at night terrible blow II
soon struck. You know there are
routes by which to return here: one
longer than the other, but safer. I 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. I tremble at
the mere thought Of it. If I only knew 2
The postman strove to calm her fears,
but she shook her head
3You cannot think, 2 resumed lie, what
certain men are capable Of, when they have
a grudge against anybody
She seemed to hesitate and then added:
If tremble, it is not because my hus-
band will hive to pass through dangerous
spot with money in his pocket, but also be-
cause there is in the district wretch whose
dearest wish is to put five feet of earth be-
tween them.
This hatre dates from long ago. When
l was a Young girl he wanted to marry me,
but he filled me with horror. He has never
pa-doned mefor having repulsed his offers,
and has enveloped in the same animosi.y
the man preferred to him. He hates
George and myself for being in easy cir
cumstances while he vegetables in want, as
If honest people were responsible for the
mistakes of idlers and drunkards. This is
not all. A crime was recently committed;
suspicious were aroused, but the proofs
were wanting. [possess them and the guilty
man knows it. All! it is dangerous Sc
cret for woman who has only children
around her!
Yesterday he accosted me to sound me;
I did not hidefrom him my contempt. He
saw clearly that he was unmasked in my
eyes; he overwhelmed me with insults and
threats. I took the unfortunate notion to
say to him that soon, when MY husband
had returned, 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 feat
ures wore! I know that often during the
night he haunls Tho runs of the Moulin
Brule. If this msnsshould discover that
my husband is to pass through that place,
I tell you, Monsieur Martin, he is lost!"
What is the scoundrel's name?
| Jean Bruno. It is not astonishing that
you are unacquainted with him, for since
his return to the district he has not public
II shown himself.
The postman was silent He remember
ed having heard the woman at the drinking
house call the man he had met there by
that name. He asked himself in consterna-
ton if the letter had not been stolen from
him, but he recalled all the circumstances
and banished this superstition. He felt
certain that the epistle had not been in his
sack; he reassured himself andsought 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. I
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 q terror he could not
explain. he increased his pace and leaped
over the hedges and bitches with unusual
nimbleness. Unfortunately, his round that
Iday was exceptionally long, and the bad
weather in addition had considerably de-
layed him.