Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-21

chicken, asparagus and tart believed
with sauce that smelled like violets.
You can readily understand that [ was
blissfully happy at the side of this pretty
woman, who laughed continually and
never for second permitted my glass or
plate to be empty.
In spite of the fact that we were dining
in this friendly way found them singu-
larly reserved in regard to their affairs.
[ had tried to question them adroitly of
course, for you must understand that l
vas curious to discover whose guest had
the honor of being, but they responded
in such an evasive way that all that
I could learn was that they were pass
ing through Tours and lived at New Or
leans.
People are never so agreeable but that
an hour comes when they must separate,
and with the discussion of the tart that
hour had arrived. I had done ample
justice to the repast before US, and feel
ing very jolly, thanked them cordially
for their hospitality, stoutly asserting
that I had never in my life enjoyed more
agreeable society. The young wife was
very much amused at my earnest
ness, but the husband never answered a
word, and when [ extended my hand in
taking leave accepted it with perceptible
hesitation.
II shall never forget, never as long as
[ live" cried Chabot, with shudder,
''the feeling that thrilled me at the touch
of that icy flesh and those fingers hard-as
steel"
'Perhaps you Will return, [ said to him
at parting; we may me meet AGAIN."
"'Oh, no. he replied, with singular
accent; no, we leave tomorrow and with
courteous bow, but with evident relief,
he closed the door.
"'What the devil is the matter with
him. 7 said to myself as Returned to
the city, but it was months before I real
ly knew.
''Three months precisely after this
memorable Sunday [ was sitting in my
office; when gentleman entered and
presented to the clerk at the window
draft to be signed. In passing it to the
messenger to return to the window clerk
[ happened to glance over it. It was an
order for the payment of 500 francs to
'Etienne BIGGER, chief headsman.' Start
led and curious to see for myself man
at once celebrated, abhorred, and shunn-
ed throughout the whole Of France. [
rushed to the grating. I was too late
the bearer of the sinister draft was just
departing, his back was toward me, and
the tall and muscular figure just vanish
ing through the door.
Queer as it seemed, there was some
thing singularly familiar in the carriage
Of that massive frame. l seemed to rec
ognize it knew that l had seen it be-
fore, and that it was the back of a man
man whom I had known. But where
had I seen it? Where had I known him?
That I had done both I was certain as
that lived and breathed.
''Was if BIGGER himself?" asked Of
the clerk.
eyes, NJ. Chabot, BIGGER himself with
a terrifying glance in the direction the
man had taken.
Il can't pretend to explain it," con-
tinued ChabOt, ''but from that moment ]
began to worry. it was impossible
of the question, that could have known
BIGGER. [ might have seen him, of that
there was remote-a very remOte-pOs-
sibility, but knowing him, knowing the
headsman, the man so hated, stunned,
and execrated, a Pariah among men,
reprOach among Women, the terror Of
children and evil doors, was altogether
different thing.
"A chance for me to verify my haunt
ing suspicion arrived. A murder had
been committed, the assassin arrested,
tried, and was on the eve of sentence.
The Judge was delivering the dread words
to the doomed man as I entered the court
ROOM"
'Weighted with dread I was really far
more agitated and nervous, as | waited
his coming, than the murderer himself;
but a look would be enough, and the
door was opening - BIGGER was before
me!
"Mon Dieu! imagine my horror. Ell
Ienne BIGGER, the man who had just en-
tered the room-who had presented that
sinister and disturbing draft, who cut off
heads as you cut off turnips was the
husband of my charming pupil, the man
who had fed me on 'metelot,' chicken and
tarts-my er-to-be-fOrgotten host Of
the Golden Pigeon.
in thinking it over now recalled that
an excursion had taken place at Loches
the very day before our Whitsunday fish
ing party, and twenty hours later I had
dined with, and not only dined with,
but taken the hand of the executioner.
mo wonder that had felt that know
him.