The morning call., 1890-10-10
THE FATAL RING.

IL the business which had called ME there
kf being finished, was intending to return
to london on the following day; and L de-
termined that my last evening in that gay
city should be spent in nv hotel So having
no friends in Paris, invited my landlord,
Pierre BouSalle, a joval. good-hearted man.
. to make one of my large party OF two he
accented the invitation, and after hearty
supper had been duly discussed, we Setted
ourselves tn make night OF it.
After telling some of the most weird and
horrible stories we could remember, sud
denly he said: There is a love and muir
der narrative connected with this very build
ing in which you are sitting.
In answer TO my questions and entreaties,
lie tod me the following story;
Long years ago in a building, which has
since been pulled down, in the same street.
lived beautiful young maiden alone with
= her father and the old hOuSekeeper. She,
of course, was often lonely, for her father
would never let her step outside the grim,
forbiGding mansion without him. lie was
wealthy and had admission 10 many fashion,
abe circles, although seldom allowing his
daughter TO 20 TO the many entertainments
10 which he was invited.
AT the time of which | speak Marie lie
Vegue WAS Is years of age. Six months be-
fore she Il d gone with her father to a fash
irnahle jewelers. shop where she had met
and been secretly spoken TO by the hand-
sumr young owner If the establishment, and
an att chmtnt sprang up between them,
strengthened by occasional meetings Ia the
shop.
Finally NJ lie Vogue met the young An
tome Duysl at the house Of mutual friend
and, when leaving, invited the young man
to make one Of the next party which was TO
meet at his house.
The Young Jew eer went and was soon q
constant visitor, always calling, however, at
the same time with one or more Of the gen
tleman's crOnieS, and talked with ana to
them alone; so that Marie'S father had no
suspicion of the real obirct Of lis visit But
it would have been contrary to the old adaee
ii the course of their true love had run
smoothly; so. after four months had passed,
new actor put in his appearance, in the
form of Henry Lodi, and old friend of NJ.
Ia Vogue; but though old and weaZpn-faced
very wealthy. Marie understood her
fathers plans perfectly; but how could she
endure this aged sutton when one, young,
handsome aud deyOtedly attached to her,
knelt at her feet?
She managed to see Antoine Duval fire.
quent,y, until one day her father came upon
them suddenly, and heard enough to con
vince him Of the true stale Of the case. He
drove the young man from the house, for
bidding him ever TO see Marie again and
10 accept Nous Lodi as her husband, as he
had promised the old man that she should
lie his wife. Tears, prayers and entreaties
Me ere of no avail, and the preparations for
The wedding went rapidly on.
Notwithstanding her being closely watched
she had managed TO communicate with h-r
lover, and he had told her that he would see
that she was not sacrificed, but to trust in
piicitly to him.
Day after day passed on, till she was al
of harf
was a certainty now that old Henri Lodi
lad even brought her a rlng-an antique
gem, said to have been found in the ruins
near ROme-Whlch was composed OF SER
penis twisting round a stem; their heads
represented by TubleS, surrounding quaint
love device in tie center. He had brought
. her this, and when she had refused to ac-
cept il he wore it himself and troubled her
no more with the subject
AT last it was only three weeks before the
day appointed for her welding. Sull no
news II Antoine although each day at
noon Marie managed TO steal away from the
women and mOdisteS employed on her trOuS-
ssau 10 W ten TOR his coming.
She vas not now prosecuted with the hate
ful presence of her aged betrothed. He was
i'll, very i'll, she heard some Of them around
her say. One day there was great confusion
In the hall; and, starting 10 inquire, she met
her father, WHO Informed her that Monsieur
Lodi was dead. Too sincere to feign emo
hlhl WHICH W NV IL St4C ANNALCN W 4lOi
room.
Afierward she found that in his will he
had left her all his property tut she cared
naught for this. The knowledge that she
was free was more to her than all the gold
and silver that ever was coined. Then, as If
10 punish her for such wicked feelings, she
heard thar, week after Monsieur Ludrs
death, Antoine DuYal has sold his shop with
all its appurtenanceS and disappeared, none
knew whittier.
cod Iar- 81 hon
LOL's house, remoie,ed it and spent i'm
mems sums in return Sting it. He gave his
name as Pierre Beranger. Introduced into
society, he sOun became a faYorite with
every one, especially NJ. lie Vogue Meeting
With Marie, he vas struck with her beauty
and proposed for her hand. She had not for
ao,jen Antoine; bat she reasoned that, if he
~,iii cUTeI fOr her lie would have come TO
her or lave made his whereabouts known
to her in some way. This stranger was
pleasant with a sort of nameIesS attraction
about him " hich she could not but like, and
lie WAS good as any one whom she might
ever marry. SO she accepted him and pre-
AIRED 4 second time for her bridal On the
muruing OF her wedding day he asked an in
jITvIeW with her, which, being granted,
lasted about half an hour and after it she
raulr from the room locking pale and agi
ated. b tsIpremely happy.
hu,n Size stood before the priest, with
h'r haud in that of Pierre Beranger, a look
o. test anu Ctultntlltnl WIS Ot UtI CdiUl.
pale lace, till ali present thought they never
d seen more beautiful bride. After the
ceremony, while the carriage stood at the
door waiting to receive the newly welded
couple. the bridegroom stood for a moment,
with his bride on his arm, and then said:
ii. IL Vogue, will now undeceive you.
MyyTeal name is Antoine Duyal. l am
---7-1-s5thy, not only IN paltry gold and silver,
but also in the, priceless treasure of your
daughters love"
Then removing his wig, mustaehe and
beard lie stood before them moment, as II
10 verify his words, and then quickly de-
parted with his young wife, amid the sur
prise and CONSERVATION of the assembled
guests. After a short journey through the
northern provinces of France, they returned
to their elegant home, and lived there in
peace aud quiet, frequently visited by
Marie's father, who soon forgave his rich
son-iH-law for his deception.
thirty years had passed NJ. lie Vogue
hal long since died. Four children, three
boz and one girl, had blessed the union of
Antoine and Marie, and now they stood
grouped round their fathers death bed,
while their mother supported him in her
arms. After bidding mis- children a last
EO0d-by Oh earth, he signfied his wish TO
speak to their NO her alone, whereupon, in
accordance with his wishes, they ali left the
room.
servant. who was in an adjoining room,
loCkirg over some private property of Nine.
bhNdi - was ~ LIclT utpdIluIS
that, fearful Of being caught in her ques-
ii nable position, she quietly stepped into
small closer, separated only 10y thin p rti-
ton from the bed upon which NJ. Duval lay
dying. Being detained in this closet. She
unavOidably heard the whole conversation
between the dying man and his wife.
To her horror, among other things, she
heard him confess to the murder of Henri
Lodi. Henri had purchased the antique ring
from him, aud when he found Marie would
not wear it he had taken it back and ordered
his own initials TO be engraved upon it,
Fooled in every other attempt, Antoine, as a
Last resort. determined TO murder the un-
suspicious bridegroom. He accordingly re-
moved tne of the rubies in the setting and
replaced it by hollow glass globe. in exact
imitation OF the ruby, which he filed 18th a
deadly poison. This exQded from n single
point in the under side OF the seeming ruby.
After wearing this for a time the poison,
from outside pressure, passed from the ring
into the abrasions of the skin made by the
small point underneath. This slow poison
worked for days in the system of the poor
man, and finally caused his death.
He was ale 10 tell no more. With a
10 es,, f,,I u