New-York tribune., 1885-01-04

Frank" shc cried. "dear dear Frank, you
good cousin, never say again another word Ike that
you will make afraid to walk with Won or talk
with YOU any longer. You arc the one friend have
whom eau trust and coniide in: don't drive me
away by talking Of what is so impossible hate the
mani loathe and abhor him with all my heart but
! can never forget that he is still my husband. 1
have made my choice. and must abide by 1t.
Frank. Frank, promise me-promSe me. that you
" Ill never again speak upon the subectT go
Franks face grew saddenod in moment with
terrible sadness; but he said in firm voice, Il"
promise and lie never broke his word from that
day onward.
vi.
Three years passed away auietly in the Kentish
village and every day Oga's unreasonlng terror oi
MAJ grew gradually fainter and fainter III she had
known that MAJ had escaped from the mines. altor
eight months imprisonment, and made his way by
OF his Tartar friends across the passes 10
Tibet and Calcutta. she would not have aiIOwod
the sense OF security to grow 50 strong upon hsl
Meanwhile Frank. often IN London, had picked up
the acquaintance Of a certain NJ. Dc NoulemOnt,
French gentleman much about at the cinos' Oh
whose delightful manners and wide acquaintance
with the world aud men he was never tired OF talk
ing 10 Olga. A most charming man, indeed. DE
Vouillemont. and very anxious 70 come down here
and see liazclhurst. Besides. Olga he has even
been in Russia. and he knows how to talk admirably
about every body and everything. I've asked nm
down for Friday evening. Now do' Ike n g0ou
grl. break your rule for once, and come ana uino
with us. although there's to be stranger. AZ
only one. you know, and the girls would be SO de-
lighted III you'd help entertain hm. Tor he speaks
hardly any English. and their French poor things
is horribly nsnlar 4 d boarding schoolyh
At last. with much reluctance, Oga consented
and on the Friday she went up To the big house at
Mrs. Daviis and the girls were not yet in the
drawing room when she arrived; but VI. de
Vouillemont had dressed early, and was standing
with h back To the room, looking intently at some
picture. on the wall. ~ Olga entered
A. she came in, and the servant shut the door be-
hind her the stranger turned slowly. In moment
she recognized HIM. HIS complexion was disguised.
so as TO make hun look darker than before; ms
l.. Il NnA Ait al n
differently cut and dressed but still, AS he look d
her IN the face, she knew him ut once. 1t was
p~triiiei with fear. she could neither fly nor
scream She stood still in the middle OF the draw.
ing-room, and stared at him hxcdly in an agony OF
MAJ had evidently tracked her down, and come
prepared for his horrd revenge. Without mo-
ment's delay. hts face underwent hldeous change,
and from the cultivated European gentleman IN
evening clothes that he looked when she entered, he
was transformed IL 10y magic into a grnnng,
gibbering Tartar savage. with his tongue l9ng ont
once more as of OLD III SiDcId, IN HdlcluI uclIsou
of her speechless terror.
Solzing her roughly by the arm. he dragged her
after him, not much untcssting as rlgid WIN
horror 10 the open fireplace marble fender ran
around the tiled hearth. Laying her down upon
the rug rs II she were dead, lie placed her small
right hand with savage glee upon tnat ready'made
block and then proceeded deliberately to take out
small sharp steel hatchet from inside his evening
coat. Olga was too terrified even TO withdraw her
hand lie raised the axe on hight flashed
second In the air-a smart thrOb OF paln-a dreadful
cruncliing of hone and sinew-and Olgas hand lcli
white aud lileless upon the tiled hearthpiaGe.
Without stopping 10 look ut her for second. he
took IL up bruthlly in his own and hung IL Win
horrible oath into the blazing lire.
At that moment We door opened and Frank
Olga. lying faint md bleeding on the hearth-rug,
was just able to look up at hun lmploTingIy and
utter ip share Gry oi rGi th1 one woTG; on N''%
~ told her her hand should pay the penalty the
Tartar crIed with horrible 10y bursting Willy
Z. If.r.l .fftra
fire over wonder rs she herself shall burn next
minute forever and ever in fire and brlmstone.L
As he spoke he drew "a pistol from MS pocket ana
pointed 1t at her with his finger on the trigger
Next moment, before he could nTe' franb had
seized his hand. flung the pistol 10 the further end
of the drdwng.room, aud forced the Tartar down
upon the loor in terrible Iifc-and-death struggle
Nazs face. already liyd grew purper and
purpler as they wrested with one another on the
CARPET in that deadly effort HIS wrath aud ylndic-
tiycncss gave "A mad energy 10 his limbs ana mus
cles Should hc be baked of his far revenge at
last Should the woman who had betrayed nun es-
cape scot-free with just the loss of hand and he
himself merely exchange siberian Tor an EngIish
prison No, no. neverl by ST. Nicholas never
lia madame! will murder you both Inc pst3!i,
the pistol, A thousand devils! let me 90 Twill
kill you yet! | will kill you | will XII youI
Then he gasped. and grew, blacker ana purpler-
blacker and purpler-blacker- -blacker-
ever backer. Presently he gasped again. FRANKS
hand was now upon his nnmbling throat. lhey
rolled over anj over in their frantic struggles.
Then long. slow inspiration After that; ms mus.
cles relaxed. Frank 1oosed him little, but knelt
upon his breast heavily still. lest he should rise
again In another paroxysm. But no ne iay quite
motonless-quite motonless, and never stirred
single finger. ,,
Frank folt his heart no movement; his pulse
onte ouiet: his Inns not breath perceptible! Then
he rose, FAINT and staggering, and rang for the
servants. go
When the doctor camc hurriedly from the village
to bandase up the Russian lady's arm, he immedi;
ately pronounced that NJ. de Vouillemont was dead
stone dead-not doubt about IT,. Probably apo.
plexy under stress of violent emotion, =.
The inquest was good deal hushed up, owing 70
tho exceedingly painful circumstances OF tne case
and to this day very few people about I0rquay
where she now lives) know how Mrs, Frank Dayids,
the quiet lady who dresses herself always IN black
and has such a beautiful softened half-frightened
preston came to lose her right hand. But every
body knows that Mr.. payds is tenderness itself 20
her. and that she loves him IN return with the most
absolute and childlike Devotion
1t was worth cutting of her right hand afteE oil
gained the peaceful love Of Frank Davida7 u
(Belgravta
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