The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-27

cherished wish rs to the marriage OF
their children, and planning what he
would do for the poor wayfarer who had
so strongly excited his interest and COM
passion. AS no lay there he looked the
very picture Of an honest, healthy, hap
by man, strange contrast to the villain
ous countensnce Of the man who now
bent over him.
Romond had approached the bed at the
side farthsst from the window. but his
keen eyes soon perceived the corner Of the
pocketbook he was In search OF project
ing little from under the pillow at the
side opposite to yhere he stood. He ut
once perceived ID he had somewhat
difficult fob before him. He dared not
risk stretching across the sleeping man,
who lay with his face toward the win
dow, In order TO reach IL. for the bed was
wide, and in such strained attitude ~
he would have 10 assume he could not
rely on the stsadiness Of his hand. The
only alternative was to 60 around to tho
other side OF the bed, where IL would be
within easy reach, In which case there
would be the danger of q shadow In con-
sequence OF his having to pass between
the sleeping man and the uncurtained
window, and he knew by experience
how little soms.imes awakened sleep
or. Any attempt at closing tho curtains
was Of course quite out Of the question.
1t would be much too long and risky a
process. All this passed rapidly through
his mind, and he promptly decided to
try tho other side Of the bed.
II was . largo, old fashioned 4-post
bed, and getting softly down on his
hands and knees he crawled noiselessly
round Hike some noxdous reptile BY this
device hs avoided shs danger Of throw
ing his shadow on the sleeper. When he
got opposite The place whore the pocket
book lay, b esut1ously put himself in
such . position - - b able 10 spring at
once 10 his feet n necessary, then raised
his head till his eyes were on o level with
the surface Of the bed. And slowly,
gently, cautiously. very cautiously, that
hand with IL rapacfcus fingers crept over
tho coverlet till ID touched the prey IL
sought-hrst touched, then grssped, then
gently, gently. drew back again.
But what was thati What unheard Of
sound disturbed the sleeperi Was it per-
chance the grating Of Atropos' shears!
Who can tslli Warned by that almost
imperceptible movement, tho hand lay
still as though cut in marble, while q
baneful gleam shot from the evil eyes
which watched the sleeper. After .
pause the gentle, gliding movement be-
gan again. Slowly the pocketbook was
drawn from its hiding place, and success
seemed certain. With shudder-the
shears must have grated more loudly
than before-the sleeper opened his eyes.
Those eyes which had closed on happy
smiles and loving looks opened to fall
on that rspacious hand and evil face.
Great Godl how came they there?
He had no time to think, to look, to
breathei At one fell bound the robber
springs upon him, and the long hands
clutch his throat In grasp Of steel.
The need has como, and he looks to-
ward his companion.
"Come," he motions with his lips rather
than speaks The old man struggles
hard for his dear life, and he is strong,
but that avails him not. Bertrand ap-
proaches, white with fear and trembling
in every limb, not at the idea Of crime,
but at his own danger
"The knifew mutters Remond hoarse-
ly, with motion toward his pocket.
Bertrand takes 10 out and opens it-a
wicked knife 1t is, with long, curved
back blade. he opens 1t and offers it to
Remond, who, however, seems to read
something in his hangdog face and in
stead OF taking It mutters savagely, while
his grip tightens on the old mans throat:
"No. sacre cochoni You don't play me
that trick q second time. You'll take
your full share now. Cut and be quick
about it," Seeing the other hesitate,
"Cut, or by all that's damnable I'll slit
your throat from ear to ear and leave
you here TO keep him company II swirr
for IT," he said this with q savage fes
rocity Of look and tone that convinced
his companion he was in earnest
One quick movement Of the venom
ous curved knife, one convulsive shud-
der, and II. Gornenil fell back dead,
his throat cut from ear 10 ear, while tho
red blood ooEcd slowly out of the gaping
wound and saturated the snowy linen
sheets
Remond wiped his knife carefully on
the sleeve Of N. Germenil's coat--the
coat he hsd intended to wear at his
daughters wedding and which hung
over a chair beside the bed along with
his embroidered waistcont and flanked
by his silver buckled shoes. He then
shut IL mp and put 1t in bis pocket, took
the pocketbook from under the pillow,
opened 1t, took ont the notes. which no
carefully counted, and put it into his
breast pocket, returning the empty pocl-
etbook TO its place under the pillow.
Then, as though sudden thought struck
him, he said:
1--WE may as we'll divide now" so taxi
ing the parcel Of notes out of his pocket
again no divided them into two equal
shares and handed one TO Bertrand, his
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