Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-15


" at Marie and said: "Coffee." *
Marie FASTENED to supply the order. As
she filled the little glass with brandy for
his coffee, I thought her hand seemed to be
trembling; certainly her face had a troubled
look. AS I was seated in sladowy cor
ner, could regard the wheelwright with
out attracting his attention. was tempt
ed to observe him closely; for there was a
cruel expression on his face. His dark, an
cry eyes were fl ed contantly upon the face
of Monsieur Leonard, who sat with his back
| half turned toward him. looking thought
| fully into the fire. The wheelwright re-
manned, however, only a few minutes.
Finishing bis coffee quickly, he went out
of the house quietly as he had entered It,
| Meanwhile, Marie had lit the candles.
and was moving about the kitchen, occupy
ing herself in various ways, with a remark
ably serious face
Presently. Monsieur Leonard rose from
his seat and stood before the fire, buttoning
his coat tightly round him. "A light, If
you please, Marie" SAID he, selecting ID
cigal from his case .s+
Marie brought him one her hand iremb-
ling visibly now. What is the matter,
Marie?' said Monsieur Leonard, gently
placing his fingers round her wrist and
looking into her face.
"Nothing," said she, turning away
nothing"
| He held out his hand to her, and said in
sofe tone: "Good night, Marie.'
| She went with him to the door of the inn.
and thought saw him bend down and
kiss her; but it was dark out there, and l
may have been mistaken They spoke a
few words together in a whispered tone;
then Marie called her father. who was
| playing domnoes in the other cafe with his
customers; aud the inkeeper came and shook
hands warmly with the young man, and
stepped out into the road with him, after
| which Monsieur Leonard started off quickly
and disappeared in the gloom; for it was
night now, black nigh
| Taking a newspaper from my pocket, I
| settled down to read, while Marie made
| preparations for the evening meal. The
cheerful log-fre, in this old Normandy inn,
| blazing away in the centre of a large open
chimney, was picture which should have
raised my spirits after the damp chilly walk
| which had just had. But the torbidd:ng
and cruel countenance of the wheelwright
| troubled me more and more; the fierce
blows of his hammer, his angry tone Of
! voice, as he stood in the she'd with the
aroused hfy worst suspicious. | had no
confidence in the man; he appeared to me
capable of committing crime.
At the back of the wide hearth, behind
the blazing fire, was An iron tablet with two
blackened figures in bas-lelief, struggling
in d desperate encounter for their very lives.
e flames threw constant change oflight
and shadow on their faces.
The voice of the innkeeper reused me
from meditations which these figures had
called up. Supper said he, from the
opposite side of the table. He was a chub-
| by-faced little man, with gray whiskers,
and politely held out his snuff b,x as he
spoke, as though it we've part of the repast.
He was dressed in blouse over his coat
| He kept on his cap as he sat at table; for
he wore :hat, observed at all hours and
at all seasons, in doors and out.
| If the supper was not rich, it had the
merit of being, as far as it went, equal in
quality to any that could have been provid-
ed. The soup was. excellent; the CIDER the
best in Normandy.
When had smoked a pipe with him, and
had cbatted with his pretty daughter
babe them both good night, and went to
my room, above-stairs, in a more genial
state of mind
Some hours after had retired to bed
was awakened by knocking at the trout
door; and then Iheard voices in the road,
talking loudly. At first I took no heed Of
these sounds; but as the noise prevented me
from sleeping, gradually began to grow
curious to ascertain the cause of such dis
turbance at this late hour; for. on striking
al ght and referring to my watch, f,udd
that it was past one clock By this time
4 i i
nuw recognized the voice of the innkeeper
speakng in his loud tone with some men
ar tie entrance 10 the inu. My curios ty
was roused The incident of the afternoon
again REQUIRED to me; again | was haunted
| by tha, repulsive face of he wheelwriaht
dress, hastily, and descended As
reached the bottom q! the staircase, | en-
csuntered N'arie. looking frightened and
pale as death Without uttering word
She beclzned to me to en- er the XII chen.
The fire in the hearth had burned out
A small h ap OF white asbes lay there; and
behind them, the blackened stoue tablet
with the wrestlers struggling in desperate
| en- brace Marie placed a cand upon the
table, and clasping her hands, exclaimed:
'-Monsieur Leonardo
[ demanded anxiously: "What of him p
7''He is lasi!" CRIED the girl.
| | looked into her face for a clearer
meaning to her words. ''Who says this ?''
She pointed toward the door. ''The two
gentlemen who have just arrived"
How do they know he is lOst?"
EsThey have been dining" said she, eat
his fathers house. He had not returned
home when they left Fecamp an hour
tago"
| tsBut" said |, 'that does not prove he
is lost. There may be many ways of ex-
planning his delay in reaching home"
The g RI burst into tears. s'No," said
she-"no: There is only one" Her desire
to overcome the terror which had evidently
taken hold of her was painful to witness.
'ETell me-" said 1. as soon as she became
calmer-'tell me what it is you fear. Per-
haps may be able to render you some as
sistance.
"Indeed, you can," said she, looking up
into my face. s'The two gentlemen who
are no in the cafe with my father, who
are resting here on their way home, have
evidently been drinking; they cannot take
Gerious view of the affair. But am con-
fdent that Faubert is the cause of this
trouble. He swore to me this afternoon
that he would take the life of Monsieur
Leonard tonight"
I uttered an exclamation of horror
''Why," said I-"why did you not tell me
this before?''
81 did not believe it, said she. 'But l
4 do not doubt it now."
'Why not %
| 81 have been to his house." said she.
| sHe is not there"
"Are you sure p
Absolutely"
| Imoved quickly toward the door. "The
matter is serious" said |; mot moment
must be lost" AS spoke, a loud burst
of laughter came from the cafe opposite. 1
glanced through the glass door, and p r
ceived two men drinking at a table wtl
the innkeeper, as though they had forgotten
the existence of their missing friend.