Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-06-01

his rights. 1t was not shown that / act
ed f1om covetousness, for by his own
statement nothing had been stolen from
the dead. He went further, and de-
clared that the governor must give an
account of his daughters early life, for
had told the truth or not. He adjourned
court to examine the murdered girls
letters, delivered to him by her father,
l was led back to prison, where l passed
B sad day, only hoping that some con-
nection might be discovered between
the dead woman and the man of the red
cloak.
Next day | hopefully entered the
courtroom. Many letters lay on the ta-
bic. The old senator asked me whether
they were in my handwriting. Hooked
at them found thew were written by the
same hand who wrote me the two notes.
l told the senators this, but they Aid not
heed, and said l must have written
them, as the signature was ~" the ini-
tial letter of my name. But the letters
contained threats against the life of the
dead girl, and warnings against her ap-
preaching wedding.
The governor seemed to have some
mysterious information concerning me.
They dealt with me suspiciously and rig
orously. To vindicate myself I called
for my papers, which must be in my
room, but was told they had sought
vanished.
The third day I was convicted of pre-
mcaiated murder, and the ~death-sen-
tence was read. l had come to this
forsaken, far from home, to die in nv
prime by the axe!
The evening of the dreadful day that
decided my fate Isat in nv solitary cell.
thinking on my coming death, when the
door opened and a man entered who
contemplated me In silence for some
time.
SIS it in this plight I find you again.
Zalenkos?"
I had not recognized him by my dim
lamp, but the sound of his voice revived
old memories. 1t was Valetty, one Of
the few friends l knew during NV
%student-life in Paris. He said he hap
pened to come to Florence, where his
father resided, who was o man of great
responsibility. He had heard my story.
and came to see me once more, and
learn from me how I could have COM
mitted so awfula deed.
l told him all about it. He was
amazed, and adjured me to tell him, my
sole friend. everything, and not bass
away with fslsehood:,on my lips. Isyors
to him by the hottest oaths that / spake
the truth, that my only error was in be-
ing 30 blinded by the CLINT of gold that I
had not seen the improbability of the
unknown's story.
$50 you never knew Bianca7" he
asked.
I assured him 1 had never seen her,
Valetty now told me that a deep mys-
terry shrouded the affair. The governor
had fastened my trial, and there was q
,,ypNr that r hoI 1o-, -.
and had murdered her from revenge for
her marrying another. l told him this
all fitted the red cloak, but I could NOS
prove his share in the deed. Greatly
moved, Valetty embraced me, and
promised to do everything to save nv
I had little hope, but 1 knew valetty
was wise and understood law, and would
do all he could to rescue me. [ was in
suspense two long days. At last Y9aletty
appeared.
full sort. You will live, and be set at
liberty, but with the loss of one hand"
Overcome with emotion, Thanked nv
friend for having saved my life. He
said the governor had been inexhorable
and would not allow another trial; but
finally, not to appear uEiist. he had
agreed that if q similar case might be
found among the Florentine archives,
my punishment might be the same
which had then been inflicted. Valetty
and his father had been reading the old
records day and night, and at last had
found a precisely similar case, where the
sentence r IN:
His left hand must be cut off, his
property c%onfiscated, and he himself
forever banished."
So ran my sentence now, and 7 was to
prepare Immediately for the fearful or.
deal which awaited me. / will not de-
scribe the horror of the scene when I
stood in the open market-piace and laid
my hand on the block, where the life
blood leaped from me in torrents.
Valetty, took me to his house until I
recovered, and then generously provid-
ed me with money for travelling expen-
ses, since all my property had been
seized by law.
I went to Sicily and took the first ship
for Constantinople. My hope now lay
in the sum I had given my friend. I
begged him to let me reside with him,
but he astonished me by asking why /
did not go to my own house. He saba
strange man had bought in my name q
mouse in the Greek quarter, and told
the neighbors l was coming soon. ]
went Immediately with my friend and
Wao WCICOluCu ny OVA ACIudllltduGS6s
One of the merchants gave me a letter,
which the man who bought the house
left for me. I read:
ZALENoos: Two hands are ready to work
without ceasing that you may not feel the
loss of one. The house and all in it are
yours, and each year you will receive enough
to place you among the richest of your peo-
pie. Forgive one who is more unfortunate
than you.
I could not imagine who had written
it. The merchant answered my ques-
tons with: "He appeared to I've q
F%renchman; he wore a red cloak"
l knew enough to understand that the
unknown was not quite lost to all honor
able feeling. I found everything in my
new house arranged in the best man
ner, and a shop stocked With goods finer
than I ever had.
Ten years have passed, and more from
habit than necessity, I go on myjourneys
with my wares; but l 4 have never again
seen the land of my great misfortune.
Every year [ receive a thousand gold
pieces. But the burden on my soul can
not be lifted. The terrible picture Of
the murdered Blanca is forever in my
mind.-Translated from the German for
the Argonaut.