Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-09-17

NO, sir" Again Mrs. Takers called upon
the celestial powers. no, sir. my husband
may have been poachcr, but he is not
thief, still less murderer Whatever
money he had when he went away he came
by that money honestly. 1t was given to
him us free gift"
"That won't do" said the colonel
| just at this moment there ran through
the old cottage an awful blood freezing
sound. 1t was a peal of laughter, long and
loud and wild and shrill; such laughter as
no one would expect to hear outside lu-
matte asylum.
"Why, you have n maniac on the prem
ses," exclaimed the colonel. "lIow is
that" The laughter died away, and then
there came a wild snatch of song:
Grevy a Charenton Gambetta Toulonl
Vive lie sang Vive lie sangl
That was enough for Col Stukely.
Without waiting for leave from Mrs. Jaker
ne made for the narrow staircase in a cor
ner of the room and rushed upstairs as il
he had been mounting a breach. There
were two rooms abOve-the door of the
first was wide open Mrs. Jaker's den evil
IDENTIFY. The door Of the second was shut,
and from within came another peal of
laughter, almost demonac in its wide
shrillness.
"Otro toro," cried voice as shrill as the
laugh. "Otro toro' Seville, the land of
poetry and love, the land of song and
dance, of bull fight and beautiful women.
Spain yes, Spain Is the place for me-"
This time the words were English,
spoken as only English lips can speak.
/ Yet, surely, it was Frcnchman who sung
that snatch of the Carmagnole Just now;
and IL was Eraurhtnnr of v.bor, r,l
| Stukely was in quest
He opened the door and stood on the
threshold looking into the cottage bed
chamber, a fair-sized room, under slop-
ing roof, and lighted by good old dormer
window.
The young man whom he had last seen
lying among the gorse and leather was
stretched on pallet under the
window. His head was prOpped up against
the plastcred wall, and his eyes were
staring straight before him, while hi, thin
hands played with the coveret.
Suddenly, while the colonel stood watch
ing him, he crouched into a corner of the
wall, and 'Ing up his arms above his
head like man rccoiling from an enemy.
"The bull!' ne shrieked. the bull is
coming at me-keep him OFF, keep him off.
No, it is not the bull. Worse, worse, ten
tIIIltS NOlSt. II - ItI IuSDdilt, IN MS
winding sheet. bclabbled with blood. |
could never sta&d blood-keep him off,
keep him of"
He fell back upon his wretched mattress,
his face flushed to crimson. his pupils
dilated, his eyehnlls rolling restlessly,
perspratiOn rolling in thick beads down
his forehead and hollow cheeks. He was
! a victim to a disease which the colonel
knew only too well, and had seen but too
often among Anglo-Indian brandy
drinkers, men who had succumbed to the
temptation of the climate, and who were
slipping brandy and water all day long.
He had seen just such paroXyms. and he
knew that for the time being they meant
raging madness And this unhappy
wretch was Grace Darnel's plighted lover,
and if Mr.. Penwcrn came to the cottage
by and by with his search warrant, he
would see this young man, and discover
the real state of the case-arrest him, most
likely, on suspiclon-an rrest which
would be followed by an inquiry that
might bring Grace's name before the
public. How could this wretched creature
maddened by drink. be expected to keep
Miss Darnel's secret?
The colonel looked at his watch 1t was
quarter to seven. There was vet time
y do something before the detective
should appear with his warrant Mrs.
Jaher had followed him upstairs she was
stron,.. io,I,,or ma
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