Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-21

o1spatco lOuno on tue bullet-pierced bosom
of courier. The letter read:
Madame: picked up in my drawing.room
yesterday that which you must have sought in
vain upon returning home. 1 win be discreet.
be sure-no one shall know anything of it.
Moreover, IL is the case more or less with all
ladies, but If l had the honor of being your
friend for longer period. how I would scold
you. SO young, so pretty, and alresdy-but
90 not want to cture you, although have al
most right to do so, since you are under my
jurisdiction. will call tomorrow to bring you
the terrible object Of damaging evidence. You
can guess how much would have liked to keep
1t had 1t been yours, but under the cireum-
stances that would have been pure theft.
II write YOU these lines TO reassure you, for
others than myself might have found the treas
ure. and people are so malicious in small townsi
DO not dare to present myself to day, for you
must e exhausted; but tomorrow will come
fully, sENEpoRT.s
Mile millions de tonneresr' howled
Goudeiin, striking the table with his
cienched fist. Il see what ii is-my wife
must have dropped love-letter from her
bosom What | have always dreaded has
come upon mel Oh, infamy And that
evil-eyed SUBJ Perfect pretends to take nv
part and give wise advice By the devils
horns! he won't give them very long But,
first OF all, mean TO show them that Gou-
delin. though he may be mystified, is not
an imbecile. They will find me posted on
the strategies of war, non, d tne bomber
Having put the letter back into the en-
velope, which he carefully sealed, the
Colonel placed it in the box where the
carrier always left the mail. Then he re
samed his patrol of the garden, his Drows
bristiirig, his eyes bloodshot, looking many
years older, but as terrible to see as in
those days, long ago, when he moved with
his saber harvest of human flesh, Stop
ping only to wipe his bloody hand on his
horses name.
Toward 8 o'clock in the evening the
Colonel saw feminine form gliding to
ward the outer gate. He bounded forward
and seiz I'd il by the arm. sinking his nails
into the yielding flesh. The woman uttered
faint cry.
Hush, or | win strangle you" Kissed
Goudelin through his clenched teeths
Where are you going?' he demanded of
the woman, whom he recognized as the
maid servant OF the household.
Monsieur" articulated, SIS well as she
could, the poor girl, who was devoted to
her mistress, my mother is ill.,
You are lying-you have letter to de-
liverl'
No, Monsieur" groaned the unlucky
maid. whose arm was bleeding under the
vice-like pressure of those cruel nails. ~
have no letter.
Listen" said Goudelin hoarsely, II am
going to search you. and if l find what
seek verify believe shall kill you'll
The poor girl, upon hearing this, fell,
fainting at his feet, and it was lifeless
mass which the Colonel searched with
hands trembling with rsge. He sought a
letter; he found two, and FASTENED to the
privacy of his own chamber to peruse
them, leaving the poor servant lying across
the path. One of the missiyes, addressed
to the Count, was conceived in the follow
ing terms:
Monsieur; am covered with confusion, end
will never be able to look you in the face again.
Return, II you please, what you have found to
my Request, since 1t is he to whom il belongs
have every confidence in your discretion, to
which an unfortunate circumstance commits
me, and beg you to accept my sinceres,
thanks MARGUERITE GoUDELIN'i
The second note contained the following
lines:
at is NJ. de seineport who has found it. I'm
agine my confusion. Go and ask him for it in
my name. How l regret having listened to
you But no matter-it is found; that is the
essential point. NJ. g."
On the envelope was written the address:
"Monsieur Alexandra, rue DIES Hautes
Treilles, Rockville"
to know. He took down from his mantel
a brace of pistols as big as his carronades.
rushed precipiiately from the house, leaped
over the yet unconscious body of the girl
without so much as glancing at it, and five
minutes after was al the door of the sub.
Prefecture.
Seineport was reading in bis study when
the Colonel was announced.
What could man whom he had moi
seen three times in mis- life want with him
at ten O'Clock at night, wondered the Count
as he heard the unfamiliar name.
SHOW him in said he Strengthening up
and rubbing his eyes, for he was beginning
to grow sleepy, not having slept much the
preceding night.
Monsieur" began the Colonel, entering
like bomb-shell, without making any
salutation. MY wife lost letter here last
evening. Please return it to me"
Count de Seineport was, under ordinary
circumstances, Que of the most amiable of
men, but he had too, his irritable moments,
and was not one TO tolerate an impoliteness,
especially when digesting his dinner.
" Monsieur" replied he ia the same
brusque tone, Madame Gondelin did not
lose any letter that l am aware Of But
had she lost twenty five, you do not sup
pose, hope, that would return them to
anyone but herself?"
"Well, them" said the Colonel, pulling
out his battery from his immense pocket,
I'VE are going to fight right here p
The sub Project regarded with astonish-
ment, but without any trepidation, the fu-
rious mailman before him.
You have lost your Senses replied he
calmly. IF you wish to fight duel, send
me your seconds, and let us wait until day.
light. For the present do me The honor of
not disturbing me further?"
You are Journalist. Very well to.
morrow at daybreak you shall hear from
me. intend that all shall be finished be-
fore time to go to work. Meanwhile / am
going to kill Alexandra !"
With that he bounded from the room,
leaying Saineport completely dumb
founded.
A few minutes later, an old man engaged
in extinguishing the gas ligh hts in Hautes.
Treilles street was nearly knocked down
by colossus who shook him by the collar,
while yelling into his ear.
Where does Alexandra live.n
The poor fellow, thinking he must be in
the grasp of an escaped lunatic, threw down
his stick and attempted to flee.
But the claws which were holding him
did not relax their hold and the same
hoarse voice again demanded:
Alexandra Where is be? quickr'
"Grand Dieui is it you Monsieur Goude
lin? Why, everybody knows Alexandra
See, there is his shop"
And, indeed, by the light of the only un-
extinguished gas light, he read, above the
closed shutters, the following inscription:
ALEXANDRA, HAIRpREssEK.
so. disgrace /" roared Goudelin. "a
hair. dresser! All, scoundrel, your last
hour has come
Already, with feet and hands, the Colo
mel was stacking the shutters, which,
fortunately, were strong and solid. From
the upper story feminine voice was heard
through the closed blinds:
What is the matter? What do you
want? Will you stop making such q
racket
Il want to kill Alexandra p' cried the
assailant. LET him come down, if he is
not the greatest coward in the world /
will teach him to NEEDLE with Colonel
Goudelinl'
And once more the oak panels were SUBJ
jected to an assault still more furious than
the first.
On the part of the beseiged, however
the most profound silence reigned. Evi
IDENTIFY Alexandra had no desire TO come
down.
Miserable coward I" howled Goudelin,
II will have you if I have to set fire to
hruol