Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-07-18
CHAPTER XIV.

| the Qeatl-WarrdQC IN my UremDI0B mana.
1t was no less. This letter, made public,
would seal my doom.
was. then, murderer In my sleep
had killed my uncle, and had afterwards
drawn the rope from his neck and the ring
from his finger. In this way it was that
those articles came into my possession.
Mechanically my hand stole into the
pocket in which they were concealed.
Mdlle Rosalie smiled, and in that smile
saw that she knew the meaning of the
| motion.
could not speak, could not lift my
| head.
well" said Mdlle. Rosalie, 'have you
nothing to say?"
"What can I say?' I muttered.
How much higher than [ was this base
woman? Full of venom, righteousness,
and spite as she was, her soul was free
from blood-guiltiness.
You are guilty" she said.
II must be guilty." 1 said, mechanical
| II. "What do you propose to do?"
I Il propose" she said, in voice Of much
sweetness, Ito save you"
''To save mc.' l exclaimed. 81 am not
| fit to live"
Perhaps not" she said. drily; ''but you
have wife and daughter. What would
your disgraceful death mean to them2"
| This reference to those dear innocent
ones whose honor was my honor, whose
shame was my shame, and who, were 1
{ brought to the bar of justice, would share
my infamy, completely unnamed me. A
sob of agony escaped from my lips
rs it not worth WHILE" said Mdlle. Ros-
allie, ito save yourself so that they may
be saved?"
Eyes, yes" gasped, seizing her hand
and looking imploringly into her face.
ITO save them from ignOminy, from life
| long sorrow. Oh, God, is it possible that
you will do this for me and them3"
| 81 will Hush! There is knock at the
door. Ask who is there"
Her voice, as she spoke, did not rise
above a whisper. I strove to utter the
words she dictated, but my tongue clave
to the roof of my mouth.
Richard! Richard!'
1t was my wife calling softly to me from
without.
''Open the door," whispered Mdile Ros-
allie. 81 will hide behind there''-point-
ing to a screen. ''She will not see me. Do
not let her keep you long. When she is
gone | will show you that you have moth
| ing to fear"
| She glided with noiseless footsteps be-
| hind the screen, and 1 moved to the door.
forgot for moment that it was locked,
and my wife called to me that the kew
was turned. | unlocked the door and ad-
mitted her; but did not allow her to step
into the middle of the room. She was in
her nightdress and | well remember that
| there was piece of narrow red ribbon at
| her neck, which looked to me like blood.
She told me that, waking and finding me
absent from the bedroom, she grew anx-
| 1ous and came to seek me. / responded
with wandering words and looks, and this
appeared to render her more anxious. She
tenderly asked whether was not we'll
o, yes, answered. was well, but I was
engaged upon most important task.
Why had she come to disturb me? Unjust
be alone-alonel And still she fingered
and continued to speak in sweet and low
ing tones, and clasped me round the neck,
and kissed me; but pushed her from me,
and babe her go to her room, and sleep.
you will come soon?" she asked, So
1citously.
Il do not know-I do not know" NUT
tered. 81 have much to do. Good God!
Do you not see how you are distressing
me?"
Shortly afterwards she left me, but not
before she made another effort to soothe
me. She smoothed my forehead with a
| cambria handkerchief, and put it into my
hand, saying it was clean and cool, and
would refresh me- AS she crossed the
| threshold quickly locked the door upon
her, and the handkerchief fell from my
hand. Mdlle. Rosalie, gliding forward
from her hiding-place behind the screen,
picked it up and toyed with it, and I made
no attempt to take it from her. The vital
issue at stake completely engrossed me.
1--WE are free now from intrusion" she
said, land our business will not take
long"
"Business?" I muttered. "What bust
ness?"
1.-The business of saving your life," she
replied. II have terms to propose"
Name them"
First" she said, and now her voice as
sumed new phase of malignity, tell me
what you think 1 was doing while l was
hiding behind the screen?"
Doing? Nothingp'
mot even listeningl"
"Ah, yes; you could not help doing that"
'Of course not. 1t is not to be supposed
that l would play the part of eavesdropper
unless 1 was compelled. Such an infamous
woman as ami That is what you called
me a few minutes ago, believe. I was q
liar and thief as well, was 1 not? I like
to be correct. And, but few short hours
before that, you discharged me in a man
ner that would ruin the fair fame of anv
lady, and informed me that was not fit
| associate for your wife and daughter.
And yet am going to save them-yes, in
deed l am, and to save you, too! But I
must tell you first what was doing while
your wife was here. was taking down
in shorthand every word that was spoken
between you. You had no idea of the ex-
tent of my accomplishments, had you?
am really accomplished. Years ago
| learnt shorthand, and it used to bring me
in few shillings. 0, what hard life
have hadl What bitter cruel lifel But
am going to enjoy myself now that I
have the chance. You see, with this hand
kerchief and this little piece of paper In
my hand, l can go to your wife and say,
Not only is your husband murderer. but
between him and me there is'-Well, she
can guess the rest when l prove to her, by
relating what you said to each other just
now. that was in uOlJr room concealed
while you were so anXiously trying to get
rid of her. Proof positive, call it. And
st such a time of night, tool o, fiep'
She did not speak rapidly; now and again
she paused, to give me an opportunity Of
replying; but / could find no words, so
confounded was 1 by her altered manner.
That was more completely than ever in
her power was evident to me in spite Of
NV aoaou of Tbiaf ror1r-