Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-08-29
Do SIeRY.
FROM THE FRENCH on GUY Dr.. afAu--
81 Sst s. ri ssANT. 81 50 81


Ibeaut ful they seem to rs, with their
fine noses, delicate mon Jas, eyes rather
close together and Of indiseribable
grayish blue, and that cold grace Of
theirs, . Little severe. They have
something about them at once wicked
and seductive, naughty and gentle, ton
der and harsh, which is very charming
to Frenchman. But, after all, it
may be only the difference OF race and
type which causes me to see SO much III
them. si# Y, t53@s
Her physician had for several years
tried to induce her to settle in the
south of France, rs he observed that
she was threatened with consumption.
But she obstinately refused to leave st.
Petersburg. Finally, last autumn, be-,
Heying her lite at stake, the doctor
warned her husband, who immediately
ordered his wife to leave for Mention.
She took the train, choosing to re-
main all by herself in the car, while her
servants occupied another compartment.
She leaned out at the door, a little sad,
as she watched the fields and villages
passing by-feeling herself very isolat
ed, very lonely in that life Of hers,
without children, almost without rel
atives, with . husband whose love had
grown cold, and who was sending her
thus far away to another part OF the
world, without ms much as offering to
accompany her-jnst as he would send
a sick patient to the hospital. r.. .,
nlarly came to the. door to find If his
mistress needed anything. He was an
aged domestic, blindly devoted to her,
and ready 70 fulfill any order that she
could possibly give him. Night came
on, and the tram was rushing forward
at full speed. She could not sleep. for
excess of nervousness. Suddenly the
idea occurred to her tocount tho money
her husband had placed in her hand at
the last moment, in gold coin Of France.
She opened her little bag and enptied
Che shining mass Of metal into her lap.
{, Just then Whit Of cold air smete
her in the face. She lifted her head in
surprise. The door Of tbs railroad ,car
had just opened. Hastily the Countess
Marie dropped her shawl owe: the mon
ey lying in her lap and waited. A SEQ
ond later man entered, bayeheaded,
wounded in his hand, painting violently
and attired If. evening full dress. He
closed the door, sat down, gazed at his
neighbor with glittering eyes and COM
menced to bind handkerchief about
his bleeding wrist. .f...
The young woman felt herself ready
to faint with fear. That man certainly
must have seen her counting the gold,
and he had come in only to rob and
murder her. .-
He kept his gaze upon her, still out
Of breath as he was, his face working
strangely, as though he we've preparing
to leap upon her.
Then he said sharply:
5,"Don't be afraid, matlan!'
She could not speak; there was O.
sound Of buzzing in her ears, and she
could hear her own heart beat.
,He spoke again. II SIN not Grim
inal, madam"
Speeches. with fear, she could s1-
swer nothing, but in the sudden move
ment Of her start at the sound Of his
voice her knees coming together caused
the gold to tr1ckle down upon the floor
piece by piece, as the water trickles
from a spout. .e-
The man observed with surprise the
falling stream Of gold pieces, and sud
denly bent down to pick them up.
Then, wild with fear, she rose to her
feet, dropping all her fortune on the
floor, and rushed toward the entrance
to leap cut upon the track. But he
comprehended what she was going to
do, and turning, seized her III his arms,
resented her by force, and grasping her
wrists, exclaimed: !: r.
Listen to me, madam. I am not a
robber; and the proof is that / am 60
ing to pick up all your money and give
it back to you. But I am lost man
I am dead ulan--if you do not aid me
to pass the frontier. ] can tell you
nothing more. In another hour we
shall reach the last Russian station; in
enc hour and twenty minutes we shall
cross the frontier line. If You do not
succor me I am lost. And never theless,
madam, u swear to you that / have not
killed anybody, stole anything, or done
one dishonorable act. This swear to
you. But T cannot tell yon anything
more.n' & a #t -
And, going down upon his knees he
picked up every coin to the very last,
seeking the gold pieces under the
benches, and grasping after those
which had rolled into obscure places.
Then, when the little leather bag was
full again, he handed it to his neighbor
without a word, and retired to corner
Of the car, where he5sat down. Meth
.er Of them made the least movement.
She remained 1notionless and dumb,
still faint with terror, but gradually be-
coming calm. AS for him, he made
not q gesture, not a sign; he remained
sitting erect and immobile, with eyes
looking straight before hinl, and so
pale that he seemed to be dead. From
time to time she cast quick side glance
at him, which was as quickly turned
away. He was a man Of about thirty,
very handsome, with all the outward
appearance Of 9 gentleman.
The train rushed on through the
darkness, finging out It's piercing
shriekes TO the night, sometimes slack
ening its pace a moment, only to start
of again under full steam. But at
last its course became steadily slow, it
whistled several times, and stopped
short. III SS a.I55t /.
Ivan appeared ct the door to receive
orders. B. 5s5 4 III @ y. 8. . 5} ID. a
The Countess Marie gave a final look