The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-07-07

revolving ia his brain. He retracsd ii
steps Perhaps-who knowsa-Cham
pigpol may have awakened at lastl
Vain hopei Champignol had turne1
green. His hands were 10 cold a. mar
Bile His heart had ceased beating.
Their little pleasnring was turnin,
into . tragedy. Chapoteau buried hi
head in his hands, sad, distracted, see
ing nothing but that inert mass, thos
rigid members and closed eyes, ans
through the doors he seemed to hear th,
noise OF the courtroom.
He was alone, without witnesses. N.
one could prove his i~nnocence. Every
thing was against him. 1t would beim
possible also to prove an alibi. People
had seen Champignol come in, and Il
was known that he came every Thurs
day. They had seen him also walking
In his garden. Chapoteau believed him.
self lost. Only one resource was left
him. He took Champignol I'm his arms,
Lifted him from his chair, and pulling
him by his shoulders, his head and his
legs dragged him to the end of the gar.
den. 10 was growing dark. Suddenly
o board fell near to Chapotean. He
started, cried ont, ready to struggle.
thinking the officers had come TO arrest
him. The silhouette of q cat, providing
ON the wall in the clear twilight. eased
his mind . little.
Near the hedge there was a large
round hole. Chapoteau rolled the body
of his friend into il. His feet projected
beyond, 50 he covered them with straw.
"Adieu, Champignol.n ne sobbed.
There dc least his victim was In q Sc
cure place. They would not discover
him there very soon. Chapoteau would
have time to escape.
Hereached the fields, walking straight
ahead. without plans. He had only one
thought-to get away, TO go TO the end
OF the world, but his feet refused to
carry him. Every few minutes he was
obliged TO sit down by the roadside.
He had knotted q handkerchief about
his head, 30 as not to be recognized.
Already he was devising the ruses or
the criminal.
Three hours had suficed to lose his
assured position, to make an assassin of
him, to lower him 10 the ranks OF the
greatest rascals. What did his con-
science matter to him? He would not
be the less culpable in the eyes Of the
world, and his crime would appear all
the more horrible because his victim
had bean his best friend. And yet he
had been an honest man during 55
years he had practiced all the virtues.
He had dreamed Of dying in his bed.
Poor Chapoteaul Most unfortunate
Mime. Chapoteau!
He saw himself ON the bench OF the
accused. The Judge was talking to him.
They had spread ont before him the
victims clothes, and In the darkness
the crowd howled, stamped and threat
ened 10 kill him.
Then q greater fear spurred him ON,
and he began again to walk. Sometimes
he stopped, believing he could hear
some one running after him. The trees
took On strange forms in the darkness.
The wind whispered, "PoisOneri'' He
stopped for q long time ON the bank OF
2 pond trying TO persuade himself to
jump In.
A noise Of footsteps caused him to
look mp suddenly. Two policemen were
coming toward him. In the dusk they
seemed enormous, like the pillars of
the guillotine.
lit is all over,' moaned poor Cha
they have followed me. They
win arrest me.
He hid himself behind q hedge. The
policemen passed ON.
Chapoteau wandered for an hour Oh
two He could no longer see nor hear.
Els head swayed ON. his shoulders, as an
gourd SWAPS i'm the wind.
by this time" he thought, "I
should be in my bed at home"
And distracted by his fears he stun
bled against d wall. There were houses
front Of him. black as his crime, as
1is thoughts, as his remorse However,
Light CLEANED beneath o door. Tired
,ut, his strength and energy exhausted,
knocked. He heard voices inside.
they opened the door.
Chapoteau gave q loud cry.
"Champignolp'>
10 was Champignol In person. He
had awakened in the hole and was still
aughing at the joke.
Champignol . joker indeedi Chapo-
can thought himself dreaming.
Then he had not given a fatal dose of
audanum-though q little too much, it
9 true.
He had not killed ChampignoL He
lad not committed q crimei He would
lot die ON the scaffoldl He touched
Jhampignol with the tips of his fingers
. one touches o delicate piece OF game,
that this shape was only Cham
shadow.
In reality, Chapoteau never forgave
for the fright which he
him that day.-Translated From
he French For Romance.
L
AnOinted Stones.
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