The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-15

termined that the maker of SO unusulf
splendid coffin could easily be fold,
and that through him was the clesest
and easiest way of bringing to juice
the perpetrators of this foul crime.
Then went back to my paintingnd
again the fever of inspired work seed
me. I was scarcely sensible of the lpse
of time till the clock upon the mattel
/ piece warned me that it was already We.
After considerable trouble | managd to
pack my sketch in q way that wuld
| cover it without injuring the moist cors
| collected my brushes and tubes, led
the handkerchief overmy eyes and Ing
the bell. Almost Immediately L hard
the door unlocked and the sad Vice
whose tones had become so thorouAly
impressed on my memory asked:
GLOW have you succeeded?''
''Well.' H.
81 am very glad. / will now Ike
you to your studio. Come with mel
He led me through the passage, dwn
the staircase and to the carriage. Wen
| had seated myself he took his plac by
my side. The horses were urged Ga
very rapid pace, SO fast, indeed, tht j
wondered the police did not intertre.
My companion did not utter a wed.
When the carriage stopped he hepea
me to descend, took me as far as theirs
staircase and said: TX
when you reach the ne&t74anung
you can uncover your eyes. | shall Seh
for the picture in twelve days. B9men-
Der your promises; keep faith nth ne
and you may secure a more ,owerfui
friend than you imagine. God day,"
heard him pass away. Til tempta-
ton to follow and instantly ienounce
him was almost irresistible. but sober
second thought came to my lid. L re-
Elected that he had at least on and prob
ably two confederates in tb carriage,
and that at so early an bur 1t was
unlikely should find any de to render
me efficient assistance. passed up
stairs and took off the handkerchief,
When l was once safe inny own room
| was torn by distractine doubts as to
what | ought to do. If Ted my tongue
| should make two thousnd francs GER
tain, and possibly more in the future.
Could | afford to- throwlway this Won
derful opportunityP Moreover this was
the course which had tle great recon-
mendation of safety / should inform
the police might very possibly be re-
garded as mailman, orif my story was
believed and the murderer or murderers
traced should undoubtedly incur the
vengeance of rich and powerful villains.
My solemn promise, to-, bound me to
secrecy. But then toll myself | was
not compelled to keep that when the
doing so would involve the escape of a
murderer At last exhausted nature,
which had been subieced to the most
severe tension for twelp hours, claimed
her rights. | slept, BUT my dreams
were hideous. The figure of the dead
woman rose ever before my fancy. She
pointed to the dagger in her breast and
seemed to entreat me to speak, although
| heard no words and could not distin.
guish any sound. ..l
1t was again nearly dusk when | awoke,
troubled and unrefreshed, but with my
mind fully made up to tell the police all
I knew. I understood the necessity Tor
acting with all possible dispatch, bW |
was hungry and felt that | needed some
thing to give me strength aud cOntide ce
before | undertook to make my eXtror-
binary revelation. After l had Gee
decided on plan of action felt easer.
The dread of the ever-haunting presace
of the dead woman began to disappear.
| went to restaurant | had been inthe
habit of frequenting when richer. Sme
of that villains thousand francs shuld
help to give me the strength to denomce
him. This idea pleased me, for it seemed
to SAVIOR of retribution. took up lie SIR
turned over the pages carelessly, alnos
uncOnsciously, and was Just about to lay
it down when on the last page my eye
caught this heading: .-.
Funeral of the Beautiful Marquise de Ben
ville."
The words startled me, for had hear(
of the beauty of the lady about whom al
male Paris had been raving for som
months. had never had an oppotu
nifty of seeing her, though | had mucl
wished to do so. did not know sh
had been i'll, and to learn suddenly tina
she was dead and buried shocked me no
a little. l read the article with consid
cradle interest 1t stated that the Mar
quise had died four days before of diph
iberia after only a short illness. tn
last part of the article gave brief de
scription of the lady's appearance. A
| read on became more and more en-
crossed, for l could not but believe tina
the murdered woman and the MARQUIS
were one. The recognition of this fac
frightened me. could not help seem
that such charge made against ma
occupying the rank and station of tn
Marquis de Bienville would need NOR
substantial proof than was to be foun
in my extraordinary story. %.
1t was with great difficulty that coul
manage to eat part of my dinner. TIL;
done | went back to my studio, took m
sketch and It off for the office of til
Minister dice. / inquired for hin
and after ing stated to one or tw
minor otfiC that my business was {
the utmost secrecy. and Importance
was informed that he had gone home.
t''CouldI not communicate my wish,
to his representatives.
On my replying negatively was tol
that if l particularly desired it / coul
be taken to the Minister'S house, or
could see him at his Office the next NOR
ing. L dreadeda night with that fearfl
secret still undisclosed, so 1 chose til
former alternative.
| -. trapollad a EttIo ,,,ba, 80 - :.