Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-06-14

size.
Where is the dying MANI asked.
" Stand close to the wall He plac-
ed me in position. Cold air struck my
face-a draft There was q cavity.
The priest is here, my guide repeated.
''Then I heard another voice, very
faint, as of man near death. Is he
alone? it said
No. Ianswered One Of the men
who brought me here stands beside me.
"The poor wretch sighed
" I will retire, said my companion.
His footsteps sounded like those of one
walking In a vault The dying man
heard.
You are alone now? he said
Yes answered Speak on.
"He did so. All, monsieur, / thought
I was dreaming.
4 am near death. I need the lest
rites of the church, he said
Confess your sins, 1 answered
Ny sins are trivial, he returned.
4 would speak Of great crime oc-
cupy cell twice the width of my body.
I know not where. am condemned to
die of starvation know not why.
have never injured fellow creature
"My blood boiled. Speak on, / re-
peated.
My name is Jules Davoust, he re-
sumed. I am of Caen and well known.
I was happy man until 1 met Sophie
Polinsh. Aye, afterward I was happy.
She is Polish, of noble family. So she
told me. Ah, father, she is beautiful I
loved her. love her still. She return
ed my passion. I am only tradesman,
but we were married Two months of
bliss were mine. One day she came to
me trembling. Ely" she said ely
at once" She would not explain. I
had my busines-my little shop. I had
done no wrong. refused. That night
she disappeared. Next day received
a note written by her hand. She bade
me meet her in the wood at secluded
place known to Us both. Iwent. She
was not there It was dark. called
her by name. Two men came up, seized
and gagged me, forced me into a car
riage and brought me here. I am con-
demned without trial My jailers tell
me that I must die or noble name will
be dishonored. There is nothing more.
/ was permitted to choose the manner
of death. Aid me if you can, but give
me absolution now.
II absolved him. I bade him have
courage. I assured him that he would
be free in a few hours My guide re-
turned.
81 have heard your words, he said.
You cannot aid him. If thought you
could, you would share his fate.
"He took my hand and led me to the
carriage, entering with me. The coach
man whipped his horses. They galloped.
I pleaded for the poor man. Ny CON-
panion was dumb. / threatened him
with the law. He answered not aword
I pictured the vengeance of an offended
God He was stone. vowed to devote
my life to the discovery and punish
ment OF his crime. Still not word.
But have kept and will keep my vow.
A faint gray light was showing in the
east when we reached the cures door.
! alighted. A purse was thrust into my
hand The carriage disappeared.
1.-TWO hours later the gendarmes were
securing the country. They discovered
nothing. Seven days I passed visiting
chateaux and houses, to no purpose.
Then went to Caen. found the home
of Jules Devoust. Both he and his wife
were missing. The neighbors described
him-a very handsome man, incapable
of committing a crime His wife, they
told me, was a beautiful woman, with
the air Of a princess She spoke French
with foreign accent, dressed in silk
and satin and wore valuable jewels.
"The gendarmes wearied of the fruit
less search, but I did not Imade my
home here. I succeeded the cure. I
mapped out the country and visited ev-
cry chateau, save one, within wide ra-
dius, every large house. Forty-seven
years l have sought clew. Come to
the window.
rose. Father Aloysius pointed to the
old castle of Vallon, crowning hill
scarcely mile distant
'"That is the chateau which did not
visit he said. "It is SO near, and I
travelled many miles that night There
the tomb of Jules Davoust was discov-
cred this morning. I have stood within
it. 1t is hole in the wall six feet high
by four wide. The stones behind which
the poor wretch spoke to me bulged with
the weight above, and the workmen
pulled them down. The skeleton fell
ont. In my presence they replaced them.
One stone, just the height of my head,
was without mortar. 1t could have been
removed easily. The two paved yards
are there, the passage between the walls,
the stone staircase, the big tagged room.
I have no doubt at all IF the criminals
are living, they shall be brought to JUS
tice."
Twelve months afterward met Fa-
ther Aloysius in Paris. He had just ro-
turned from Poland. An examination of
the papers of the late owner Of the
chateau had resulted in the discovery
that his grandfather had rented the
place to Polish gentleman who gave
the name of Lubenski The latter took
it for q year, but at the end Of ST
months appraised the proprietor that he
no longer needed it.
''That is all we know" said the cure
'sIn Poland learned nothing. Nor have
the police ben more successful "
"And the mystery is as far from be-
ing solved as everP'
eyes I fear the truth will not b
known until the day Of Judgment
have imagined many things The 4s
years which have passed have been fruit
full in curious reflections Iwould dis
miss the matter from my mind now /.
l r noY,11 Put I qoor %bo% ;c sy,,,,,osiH,1o