Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-01-25

his. death by foul means. and the secret
!!es an mat mark, was my deliberate
Judgment, When I went to bed nv
eeiecp was haunted by horrible dreams.
II Which the dead man and those liyid
marks Were the prominent figures. All
the next day 1 could not Get the story
out of my thoughts. / related il to
eseryooay l met, but no one'except my
sell seemed able to perceive anything
~Partlculafiy mysterious about it. For q
whole week it haunted me, pursued me,
ana DO what | would I was unable to
DANISH this daily nightmare. But the
most VIVID impressions will fade with
tlne, and by the end of q month the
mystery of La Tour-du-Pin was almost
forgotten.
Six years afterward, in the summer
OF 1876, after having done a pedestrian
tour through the southwest and west of
France, l found myself in Normandy
on my way back to England. Ihad in
herlted from my father a sleeping part
nershlp IN a commercial house which
does a large trade with France, and up
on arriving at Caen 1 found a letter
from one OF the partners in which | was
requested, as | was in that part of
France, to run over to Rouen and call
upon a certain firm with which we had
been having extensive dealings. 'We
have heard disquieting rumors about
Messrs. ~" so ran the letter
'and they are some thousands of francs
in u books; try and get the money,
OF which we inclose you a statement,
in whole or in part; and endeavor, at
the same time. to ascertain the truth or
falsehood of the reports that are being
circulated"
l at once took train to Rouen, where
l was so successful in my diplomatic
mission that | not only obtained the
whole of the money referred to, but as
certained that the rumors which had
alarmed my partners were malicious
calumnies. Of course, had | been a
man of business, I should at once have
transmitted the notes through q French
bank; but being n of the most care
less and unsystematic of idlers, I put
them in my pocket and resumed my
strolling tour. [ had walked from Or
leans to Cape Finisterre, thence through
Brittany into Normandy as far as Caen,
where [ received my summons; so, in
order to complete my programme, | re-
solved to walk back from Rouen to
Havre. 1t was the end of October, and
the weather, which had hitherto been
delightfully."- genial, suddenly changed
to cold, and by the time 1 got to Yvetot
there We're signs of a general breakup.
l passed the night at the dull little town
which Beranger has immortalized, and
to my chagrin woke up to a pouring wet
morning. l was just meditating wheth-
er it would not be better to bring my
journey to al end by jumping into the
next train for Dieppe, when about
twelve o'clock the rain ceased and
some CLEANS of sunshine broke through
the gray sky. Under this more favora-
BILE aspect my courage revived and l
resumed my pilgrimage. But it was a
task rather than a pleasure. The roads
were heavy, the atmosphere was damp
and cold, the country embarrassing. l
had not proceeded far when the sun
withdrew himself altogether behind the
leaden canopy; and about four o'clock
the black clouds began to discharge a
mixture of rain, sleet and snow, en-
phasized by a northwest wind that
promised to rise into a gale, a combina-
ton which rendered pedestrianism any
teing but an ex%hilerating exercise.
a. church clock was Ginning the hour
of six when [ entered the town of -.
Weary, wet and hungry, I was only too
glad to get into the first hotel that
offered accommodation. 1t was one of
those ancient houses, with pointed roof
and white plaster walls, curiously
crossed with black beams, SO common
in Normandy. Passing beneath the
low-browed doorway I descended a step
into a wide, rambling hall or passage,
which would have been in total dark
ness but for the light that streamed
through an open door near the entrance.
The sound of my footstep brought forth
a pale, sour-looking woman with a can
die in her hand, who eyed mefrom head
to foot; not without surprise, 1 thought,
as though a guest were an unlocked
for occurrence. Although 1 was not
astonished that my appearance, drip
ping with rain as l was, and as thick]y
despatched with mud as a London ON
nibus on q November day, did not seem
favorably to impress her; yet the place
looked SO gloomy that l hesitated
whether l should not go further on. A
peep, however, into the room she had
Just quilted, which was comfortably
furnished and lit up by a bright wood
fire, indisposed me to turn out again
into the p%itiless storm, and I requested
to be shown to the best bedroom that
the house afforded. Without a word,
and, as | thought, rather reluctantly,
she led the way up a wide oak staircase
into a chamber upon the first floor,
which, with its white panels, polished
oak floor, perfect cleanliness, and COM
Portable and tasteful furniture, looked
SO enticing to my weary eyes that l at
once expressed my determination to
pitch my tent there for the night.
"We charge more for this room, mon
%sieur," she said, again cycling me doubt
fully. II a find you another room.
very good, much cheaper" "This or
nothing, madame" l interrupted; and
to assure her of my ability to pay, not
w%ithstanding my disreputable appear
ance, 1 brought out my pocket-book,
which was crammed with notes and
| GOLD. and nut a. lOuis dor into her hand