Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-01-01
THE 0CFQR0ON.I
4 NTORY OF SLArEEY DAYS.

"T0RY OF SLATERY DAYS. scmi-conscousness, which Is noiIher sleeping nor waking, he fnncied he saw dark figuro glide softly in at the door of the chamber and conceal itself behind tho amplo folds of the window curtains.
 This figure entered the room with so noiseless q tre4d, and disappeared so quickly, that Paul, whose eyes had been half closed all the time, thought the ap- partition formed part of his dream. | He fell into a deep slumber, from which he was suddenly aroused by the shutting of the door of his apartment.
 This door had been closed so quietly, that the sound would have been unhcard by an ordinary sleeper; but the over strained state of the young mans nerves was such that whisper would have | awakened him. | The room was darkened by the closed | Venetian shutters, which excluded the burning sun. and left the apartment in | shadow.
 about him. The chamber was empty.
 He tore aside the window curtains but thero was no one lurking behind their voiuminous draperies.
 His next impulse was to look to the safety of the portmanteau. It was gone. He had placed 1t on a chair near the | couch, on which he lay, but the chair | was empty.
 He searched the apartment, but in vain; the portmantcau had disappeared.
 He rushed from the room, and to the hall below; the first person he met was Pepita. He inquired of her. if she had met any one carrying portmantenu.
 "A little leather box, massa2'
 "Yes, yes."
 'Tristan jes carry ono out of de house den, massa; Pepita see him." answered | the mulattress. l .,NU ;ot, Paul, breathless with agitation.
 "Out Q door, MAssa Paul to de wood house, Pepita tink." | Paul waited to hear no more. but rushed to the back premises, amongst which the | wood house was situated. | Tho wood-housS was a rudcly-con- | structed building, in which timber We4s kept for tho stoves. As Paul approached tho door, he perceived wreaths of paio | blue smoke issuing from tue crevices in | the wood work.
 This smoke indicated the burning of timber in the hut. Paul tried to open the door, but it was boltcd on the inside. He flung himself with all his force against it. but it resisted his efforts | He felt that the slave Tristan had takeE the portmanteau into tho hut for some evil design.
 "Tristanv he cried, Tristan open the door or l will shoot you through 6 | crevice in the wood."
 The negro only answered with a mock ing laugh. Meanwhile the smoke in- creaslng every moment in volume, almost suffocated the young man with its stifling | fumes.
 Suddenly, Paul remembered that on the other side of the wood house there was a small window which admitted light into | the building.
 He ran round to this window. | The shutters were nailed together, but the wood was rotten and the hinges worn | and rusty.
 Paul wrenched them asunder with the rapidity of lightning, dashed his hand through the dingy glass of the window, flung it open and sprang into the hut. | A log fire was blazing in the center of the building, and Tristan, tho negro, knelt over tho flames with the portman- | teau in his hand.
 Paul sprang upon him and tore tho leather case from his grasp, but the negro was the stronger of the two. He reganed possession of the port manteau and made toward the door of tho | hut.
 Again Paul flung himself upon him, and this time the struggle between the two | men was terrible in it's intensity. l The face of Paul was white with con- centratcd rage, while the diated eyes of the negro gla:ed likc those of flend. Tristan's superior strength had nearly l desperate effort, Paul grasped the port | manteau, and with one we'll planted blow, brought the negro to the ground. He lay where he had fallen, stunned and motionleSS.
 Paul returned to the house, carrying | the preci ous burden with him. The two hours had nearly expired, and the time | approached for his interview with Don | Juan.
 He carried the portmanteau to his apartment. unlocked it, took out the documents and placed them once more | in his bosom, determined to carry them l on his person at any risk.
 "They must kill mo before they obtain | them," he muttered. He looked at his watch. The two hours had fully expired. The interview was to take place at one o'clock. Tho
 He left his room in order to proceed to Don Juan's apartment; but upon the landing place his steps were arrested by a strange and appalling sound.
 That sound was the report of a pistol which reverberated through tho hall | below.
 Paul was not the only person who heard the ominous sound. As hepaused for a moment motionless with horror and alarm, tho door of the apartment op- posite to him was opened and Pauline Corsi stood upon tho threshold. | oAo WdS uOI ClO6c DeuluO n0r appeared the pale face of Camilla Mora quitos.
 Both the women were terribly agitated.
 The Spanish girl endeavored to rush out upon the landing, but Pauline threw her arms about her and arrested her steps.
 keep her back" she cried, of you
 70 her, keep her back, Paul, while I go and see what that sound means"
 Paul obeyed; he led Camilla back into her own apartment, and endeavored to calm her agitation.
 But in vain. She would not listen to his attempts at consolation; but im- plored him again and again to let her go to her father.
 II know that something dreadful has happened" she said; you are all in league to deceive me. My father is in