The Bossier banner., 1894-12-27
BENTON, LOUISIANA THURSDAY, DECEMBER q, 1894. =

until her footsteps died away, and
then slowly, thoughtfully, returned to
his room.
The first thing his eyes rested on
was the order of the nihilist chiefs
that he. Cecil Austen, should take the
life of Ivan Bronski, the traitor. 1t
was lying on the floor, with the por-
trait of Dora Penfield, the girl he
loved. With a shudder he cast the OBJ
noxious paper in the fire, where it was
quickly consumed, and, kissing the
picture lovingly, he replaced it on the
mantelpiece. His mind was no longer
exercised as to where he should spend
the evening. The fire was out, the
gray dawn just creeping in at the win
dows, when he . last threw himself
on the hed and fell into troubled
sleep. sft
1t was high noon when he awoke.
The first thing that arrested his atten-
tion was the shouting of newsboys in
the street. Mysterious murder in
'Am'stid this mornin'!" was the burden
of their cry. As dramatist his in
stinct for the sensational prompted
him to send for a paper. 49,
Turning to the column headed by
the words forming the newsboys cry.
his eyes rested upon name that sent
a sudden agonizing thrill to his very
heart center.
SAT an early hour this morning" !"
read the account, "P. c. Robson found
the dead body of man lying under
the trees in Beech Walk. Hampstead.
Great reticence is maintained by the
local police regarding the affair, but
our inquiries have elected the fact
that the deceased was shot through
the head, the course of the bullet be-
ing from back to front. The weapon
has not been discovered. No one in
the neighborhood seems to have been
| disturbed during the night, but this
may be accounted for by Beech Walk
| being somewhat lonely thorough
! fare. The nearest house to the scene
of the murder is fifty yards distant.
From papers found on the body it is
believed that the murdered man is a
Russian named Ivan Bronski
| "a later report states that Bronski
has been identified by 6. woman as a
man who lodged in her house during
| the last few months under the name of
Peter Dumaroif. Our representative is
prosecuting further inquiries, the re-
suit of which will be published in our
| special edition"
The rattat of the postman here re-
sounded through the rooms, and let
| ter was brought in. Austen was con-
scious of faint recollection of the
writing on the envelope. He broke it
| open. Yes, it was from Olga Dobrou-
| loft:
DEAR CECIL. MY LOST LovE-You were
wrong to think tightly of the power of the
| nihilistic chiefs to punish with death those of
| the brethren who fail to stand by their oath.
| Had taken back to them your refusal to carry
| out their vengeance on a traitor you would as
suredly have been door ed. But 1 win save
you When you read this Ivan Bronski will
| be a dead man, and my hand will have slain
| him, this partly to avenge my father, but
chiefly to protect you. / am sufficiently ac-
quainted with Bronskis movements to know
that the opportunity l require will occur
within few hours of my concluding this let
| ter Escape for myself will be easy. trust.
shall return to Russia and report to the chiefs
! simply that their orders have been obeyed, and
1 advise you at once to communicate with
them Il inclose address), asking for release
! from your oath. My task accomplished,
need say no more than that life will be to
me burden unbearable, and shall not hesi-
tate to free myself from the torture of regret
| that is burning my poor heart away Good
| by, Cecil. May you be happier in your love
| than OLGA DoBRoULoFF. A"
! Little more of Importance was ever
published regarding the Hampstead
affair. An open verdict was returned
at the inquest, and the mystery OF
| Bronski's death was never elucidated.
London Tid-Bits.