Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-11-26

stopped and lamp flashing into the
carriage woke me up from my day
dream TO hear these strange words
and 10 see 8 couple OF men in police
uniform aud railway inspector peer
ing into the compartment
':Hulio, This must be wrong; they
aren't here and yet this is the right
number. Excuse me sir; how far
have you come in this carriage2''
From Stroud ] replied a bit
dazed BY drOwsiness and my strange
reception sszs
Have you come all the way
alones'
Some mad idea connected in a con-
fused way with the beautiful woman
whose soft elinging clasp could
still feel on my hand stopped the
truth that rose to my lips and in
stead uttered the foolish lie:
Yes; have been alone in the car
riage all the way.
A moment later / would have given
all possessed TO have recalled my
words; for as l uttered them the
railway inspector turned his lamp IN
der the seat opposite to me. and said
in a hoorse whisper:
.'5ood heavens what's that2"
Ny eyes followed the glare OF the
lamp and saw the toe or mans
boot on the floor OF the carriage a
few inches back +. ON the front OF the
seat
A minute later and the corpse OF a
somewhat undersi ed man whose face
was still drawn in the agony OF
violent death was dragged out lifted
up. and laid upon the seat
Of course ! spent the night in the
cells; for if could have procured bail
to any amount il would not have been
accepted
Not only was ! charged with the
most terrible OF all crimes but the
charge was supported by prima facie
evidently that looked practically
conclusive The handouts had been
in my pocket and ! was accused or
procuring the escape from Justice Of
the notorious Marie s. the wife
Of a member Of the Nihilist Inner
Circle, then serving a life sentence in
Siberia
No fewer than four murders had
been traced TO her and now / was
charged with completely in a fifth.
that Of we'll known English de-
tective who had sought to make a
brilliant co lp by taking her alone.
She seemed to have the power OF
fascinating men with her beauty till
they became her slave and then
striking them dead BY some terrible
ana mysterious agency that left no
trace save death behind it.
Once she had actually been seen TO
use this horrible power whatever il
was A wealthy young Frenchman
whom she had enslayed in Paris for
political purposes escorted her home
from the theatre one evening. and
was seen BY her maid to lean forward
10 admire curious brooch she wore
as he took his leave OF her in tho
sa on.
As he did so Marie drew herself up
little, and suddenly the man uttered
a choking scream and fell bacS wrlth-
ing 70 the floor. The Mortified girl
fell down in a tit. and when she re.
covered the murderess had vanished
and left no trace behind her.
There is no need to dwell on the
horrors OF the time that followed NV
arrest Everything that money and
skill could do for me was dome. but |
was committed for trial on the circum-
stantial evidence to answer the charge
Of murder.
While | lay in jail awaiting my
trial the search for Marie s. be.
came an absolute hunt TO death.
Despite all this. SO perfect was her
skill IN disguise and so unlimited her
fertility OF resource that she might
have evaded pursuit after all had it
not been for one Of those slips that
the cleyerest OF criminals seem to
make sooner or later
A smart young chemists assistant
at fashionable watering place one
evening on the pier made the acduain-
lance OF very pretty girl. who said
that she was study ng chemistry for
the science and art examinations
This turned the conversation on
chemicals and she ended by asking
him 10 get her quantity OF a very
poisonous substance. which she wanted
for an experiment and which she
could not buy because she was a
stranger in the town.
The chemists assistant was sharp
young fellow and he saw the chemical
she asked for was not in the syllabus
Of the science and art department.
He told his employer OF the occur
renee the next day, and in the even
ing took the girl some crystals OF
harmless salt which resembled what
she had wanted somewhat closely.
This is not what / asked you for"
she said as soon as she looked into
the packet.
NO you can't make prussic acid
out of that miss. out it's safer to
play with " cooIly replied the youth.
and as he spoke man who had been
leaning over the rail OF the pier a
few yards away moved silently up be- |
hind the girl pinioned her arms 10
-. = Il