Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-07-16

that before anyone could intscf9s IL I'm
would be tragedy for ma ! III q o0o
might do who stands before . loaded gun
with the hair trigger up.
This guiiiotine did not work - haA
rsa son to anticipats. for l felt my BODY
slowly swaying through ths air. my fsst b.
ing fixed e 4 thsy wsFs pivot. end - my
body SWING around . sicksuing sensation
came over ms and closed my sye& WAsa
opened them was on my back with my
neck directly under that glittsring knife.
The two men knelt beside ms. The
nephew said in a distiAct whisper: Non.
sieur, allow US to extend our sympathy to
you
Hang your sympathy said; let me
go. You're drunk, and the next thing you'll
know there will he q mistake and q murder
here. After that you'll find to your sorrow
that I'm an American citizen
Excuse me- he whispered every word
as distinct as poinarj thrust, you are an
unworthy citizen Of France, and you have
forfeited your life for her. You are Mouch-
ard, the wife murderer. Let me explain.
Mouchard. who was to be executed to-day,
unfortunately lied in his cell that you have
occupied, three days ago. We had an in
teresting experiment that be had agreed to-
My friend here is interested in science. He
believes the head lives and is conscious a
few moments after decapitAtion- You may
| have read an instance where such thing
was apparently proven II this was so,
Mouchard had agreed to wink with one eye
immediately after the ak fell For this we
| were to give him all the brandy
| lie wished. He took too much and
now, alas! he is dead. You are moro
intelligent and will answer the purpose bet
ter. beg Of you monsieur, that you will
| allow no foolish resentment against me to
prevent you from adding to the treasures OF
| science and gratifying my friend, who
please TO remember, has harmed you not
| My God. gentlemen, you cannot be in
| earnssti
Why noti We arc alike. you and L
| You are content to break the laws Of good
manners-of social usage in quest Of infor-
nation. Good. We are content to break
| other laws to secure other information.
Which is the important lawi Who shall
judges We shall depend on your co-opera-
| ton, monsieur
With that ttsy rose and I looked up at
he steely glitte, Of the knife, in the place
If the steeiy glitter of that brutal French
mans eye.
| They stood back The masked execu-
| honer held his hand on the lever felt my
heart beat wildly and very brain throb
| against the strap across my brow. An
artery in my neck pulsated SO strongly that
| | remember wondering if it would burst
| feared 1 would become insane. The execu
toner kept his eyes fixed on the two men.
The physician took ont his watch and held
it in his open palm. The other gave a signal
and / glanced at the ak heard the jerk OF
the lever and saw the drop of the blade In
that one instant was compressed the
| fear and agony of century. Tie
next i knew l was in a room in the
prison and the two men. somewha,
sobered, were looking down I'll me. l feli
limp and nerveless They We're talking oil
my whitened hair. They had placed plank
| where 1t would intercept the knife and Il
| show the recklessness Of those men they
made 10 calculation for the king Of the
knife III the wood and 50 You see this sca'
across my throat"
Don't you intend 10 do anything about
| ifn
do! What am l to dor
Why, tell the American minister Of the
outrage
Il did tell Vice Consul Hooper about itr
What dill he say.'
| ale has known me some years. He JUS
laughed and said if l stopped drinking SC
much brandy these little episodes would no,
/ occur"
With this my tall white-haired friend Or
,ierel his seventh glass Of brandy.