The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-08
walking In vault The dying man

'Ho did So All, monsieur, thought
was dreaming.
7 am near death. 1 need the lost
rites of tho church, he said
Confess your sins, answered.
My sins arc trivial, no returned.
I would speak Of great crime. loo
cupy cell twice tho width Of my body.
i know not where. am condemned to
die Of starvation know not why. I
have never injured follow creature
my blood boiled. Speak Oh, TO
peated
My name Is Jules Davoust, no TO
sumod i am Of Cacn and we'll known
was happy man until mot Sophie
Polinskt Aye, aftorward I WIS happy.
She is Polish, of noble family. So she
told me. All, father she is beautiful
loved her. love her still. She return
ed my passion. am only tradesman,
but wo were married. Two months Of
bliss were mine. Ono day sho oamo to
mo trembling. Ely" sho said. ely
at onoo" She would not explain. 1
had my business little shop. I had
done no wrong. l refused That night
sho disappeared Next day I received
note written by her hand She bade
mo meet her In tho wood at q secluded
place known to Us both went She
was not thore 1t was dark. I called
her by nnme Two men oamo up, seized
and gagged me, forced mo into car
riago and brought me here 1 am con-
demned without trial. My jailers tell
mo that must die or a noble name will
DO dishonorcd There is nothing more.
was permitted to choose tho manner
Of death Aid me if you oan, but give
mo dissolution now.
II absolved him / bode him have
courage. assured him that he would
be free in u fow hours. My guido re-
turned
L have heard your words, no said.
You cannot aid him. If thought you
could. you would share his fate
''Ho took my hand and led mo to tho
carriage, entering with me- Tho coach
man whipped his horses. They galloped.
1 pleaded for tho poor man. My COM
panion was dumb I threatened him
with tho law. He answered not u word.
I pictured tho vengeance Of an offended
God Flo was stone. I vowed to devote
my life to the discovery and punish
mont Of his crime Still not word.
But have kept and will keep my VOW.
faint gray light was showing In tho
east when wo reached tho cures door
/ alighted purse was thrust into my
hand Tho carriage disappeared
Two hours later the gcndarincs were
securing the country. They discovered
nothing. Seven days I passed visiting
chatcaux and houses, to no purpose
Then l went to Caen. found tho home
OF Jules Devoust Both he and his vito
were missing. Tho neighbors described
him-a very handsome man, incapable
Of committing crime His wife, they
told me, was a beautiful woman, with
tho air Of princess. She spoke French
with foreign accent dressed in silk
nnd satin and wore valuable jewcls
Tho gcndarmes wearied Of tho fruit
less search. but did not 1 mado my
homo hero. succeeded tho cure.
mapped out tho country and visited ev-
cry chateau, save one, within wide ra-
dius ovcry large house Forty seven
years I have sought clew. Como to
tho window"
rose Father Aloysius pointed to tho
old castle Of WALTON, browning hill
scarcely mile distant
THAT is the chateau which I did not
visit " he said. 1T is SO near, and 1
Travelled many miles that night There
tho tomb Of Jules Davoust was discov-
cred this morning. I havo stood within
It. 1t is holo In the wall six feet high
by four wide. The stones behind which
thn 10, ~.
the weight above, and the workmen
pulled them down. Tho skeleton fell
out In my presence they replaced them
Ono stone, just the height of my head,
was without mortar. 1t could have been
removed easily. The two paved yards
arc there, the passage between the walls,
tho stone staircase, tho big tagged room.
l have no doubt ut all If tho criminals
arc living, they shall be brought to JUS
tice -
Twelve months afterward / met Fa-
thcr Aloysius i'll Paris He had just re-
turned from Poland An examination of
tho papers of the late owner of the
chateau had resulted in the discovery
that his grandfather had rented tho
place to Polish gentleman who gave
tho namo of Lubenski. The latter took
1t for year, but at tho ond of six
months appraised tho proprietor that no
no longer needed it.
THAT is all we know" said tho cure.
'In Poland l learned nothing. Nor have
the police been more successful
"And the mystery is as far from be-
ing solved as cver?'
eyes. l fear tho truth will not be
known until the day Of Judgment l
have imagined many things. The As
years which have passed have been fruit