The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-02-08
" Yesterday no accosted me to sound

me; / did not hide from him my con-
tempt. He saw clearly that ho was I'M
masked in my eyes; he overwhelmed me
with insults and threats. | took the
unfortunate notion TO say 10 him that
soon, when my husband returned, when
he had n man before him, he would be
less presumptuous. Oh il You knew
what glances his eyes shot nj me, what
m expression Of hatred his features
wore | know that often during the
night he haunts the ruins;of Moulin
Brule. II this man should discover
that my husband is 10 pass through that
place, ! tell you, Monsieur Martin, he
is lost"
"What is the scoundrel's namep"
"Jean Bruno. 1t is not astonishing
that you are unacquainted with him, for
since his return TO the district ho has
not publicly shown himself"
The postmas was silent. He remem-
bered having heard the woman at tho
drinking house call the man he mad met
there by that name. He asked himself
in CONSERVATION if the letter had not
been stolen from him, but he recalled all
the circumstances and banishcd this
suppostion. lie felt certain that the
epistlc had not been i'll his sack he re-
assured himself and sought to rcassnre
the woman; yet he resolved to wait her
husbands arrival ut the chief town Of
the district TO advise him TO be prudent.
He hastened away, and when ho was
alone his fears regained possession Of
him. He again began to doubt, and lit
tie by little was seized upon by terror
he could not explain. lIo increased his
pace and leapcd over the hedges and
bitches with unusual nimblenoss. In
fortunately, his round that day was OK.
ceptionnlly long, and the bad weather
in advance had considerably delayed
him.
He reached the postohcc little later
than was his custom. Tho woman who
distributed the mails, on being consult
cd by HIM, affirmed that he had taken
away letter for Nine. Andre. One Of
her assistants confirmed this declaration.
The pOstman was thund"rstruck. He
saw with fright the heavy responsibility
thrown upon him. His terror augment
cd when he remembered that time and
again, at the moment Of opening tho
mail bags, u man had presented himself,
asking ii there was anything for Nine.
Andrea
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 ont Immediately on foot for
his village.
The ncwsg gave Martin violent shock.
! The prospect Of catastrophe for
which h. wu.'l be responsible arose be-
fOro him. lie saw this man who had
returned with Joy in his heart, cncom-
tcring deathat the thresholdof his home
through his fault, and misfortune over
taking the widow and orphans. The
darkest clouds troubled his Imagination.
He did not hesitate, and. without TAX
ing time to enter li, dwelling, started
Off again. Those who saw HIM pass, ab-
sorbed in his thoughts and noticing no
one around him, asked themselves what
grave affair could have caused this
breathless haste on tho part OF man
who must have como back from his
round broken by fatigue.
After having passed over fourth Of
the distance he inquired concerning tn,
traveller, ind asked il h. had been seen.
He had gone by some time before.
The Joy OF return had given wings TO
his feet, Ms the though Of mislortlncto be
avertcd had increased the speed Of the
pos'man. There was no longer even the
shadow Of doubt the iatcd man had
taken the path which led straight tu the
Moulin Brulc. PcrG Martin calculated
that, by crossing over another path,
which, however, was rough and dnugcr-
GUS, he could yet arrive before linn.
He hastoned ON and reached the fatal
spot when the night WAS already nd
vanccd. The place was we'll fitted NJ
for an ambuscadc. There was u species
Of cut through the rocks. On both sides
bushy trees formed uu impenctrghl,
shade, rapidly moving clouds ut each in
slant yelled the moon, the wan rays Oh
which added to the sinister character OF
the landscape.
He paused amid the ustIing of the
foliage 0gitatcd by the wind hc thought
he heard the sound Of approachin foot.
steps IL WIS doubtless George Andre.
whom he had preceded only by n i.w
instants he was about going TO meet
him, when the report of II gun rang out
and ball struck him full III the breast
The assassin emerged from nrlgh-
boring thickct, but on approaching hi.
victim to finish and rob him he iomt
himself in the presence of new actor
and vented his disappointment in 20 IuI-
riable oath he had Recognized George
Andre. The blade o! II knife iIGahcu 10
his hand, but he was not allowed time
to use it--a club descended vigorously
upon his heOd and lelcd him to the
ground.
A woman distracted with terror, Mt
this moment threw herself on the post
mans body.
"Oh how wrctched ! nm cried
she. 81 ioresaw; he has killed him "
Madame Andre had not been able to
Bubdue her uneasiness, and, ut the hour
she supposed her husband ought to ar.
rive, she had come to wait for him at
the report of the gun, sho had run for,
ward precipitately.
"Jeanne," said her husband to her
PRESSURE yourself | am unhun."
at was not you? Who then has he
assassinated ?"
They bent over Martins body and re-
cognized him in the moonlight which nj
that instant illuminated his face anG
uniform.
The husband and wife carried him tC
their home, whore he lived only twenty
four hours. He related how he had al
lowed to be stolen from him the letter il
which George Andre had announced hi,
return, and how he had decided to pre-
vent at any price tho consequences O
his negligence, even il he should b,
compelled to offer his life in exchange
for that OF the father of family whom
he had involuntarily helped to place il
peril.
Obscure victim Of duty, he had added