Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-06-19
NEW SERIES, VOL. xxx, NO. %.

heard
!" You are alone now?' he said
'' Yes. I answered Speak ON.
He did SO. Ah, monsieur, Thought
Twas dreaming.
:. I am near death. I need the last
rites of the church, he said
'' Confess your sins. answered.
s' My sins are trivial, he returned
i would speak of a great crime. I oc-
cupy cell twice the width of my body
/ know not where. am condemned to
die of starvation. know not why. I
have never injured fellow creature
my blood boiled Speak ON, re-
peated
My name is Jules Davousk, he re-
sumed 4 am of Caen and we'll known.
I was a happy man until met Sophie
Polinski. Aye, afterward was 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. I am only tradesman,
hut we were married. Two months OF
bliss were mine. One day she came to
me trembling. ''Fly," she said. ely
at once. " She would not explain.
had my business-my little shop. 1 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 asecluded
place known to us both. went She
was not there. It was dark. 1 called
her by name Two men came up seized
and gagged me, forced me into a car
riage and brought me here. am con-
demned without trial My jailers tell
be dishonored. There is nothing more.
I was permitted to choose the manner
of death. Aid me if you can, but give
me absolution now
81 absolved him. bade him have
courage, assured him that he would
be free in few hours. My guide re-
turned.
"''I 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. Tho coach
man whipped his horses. They galloped.
I pleaded for the poor man. My COM
panion was dumb. I threatened him
with the law. He answered not aword.
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. Apurse was thrust into my
hand. The carriage disappeared.
Two hours later the gendarmes We're
securing the country. They discovered
nothing. Seven days passed visiting
chateauN and houses, to 10 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 crime. His wife, they
told me, was beautiful woman, with
the air of 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 did not made 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 have sought clew Como to
the window"
Irose. Father Aloysius pointed to the
O4h GshoG4C VI ulIOuf CEOmhLuk " ulll
scarcely mile distant
That is the chateau which 1 did not
visit, - he said cit is so near, and 1
travelled many miles that night There
the tomb of Jules Dayoust was discov-
cred this morning. have stood within
it, 1t is q 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 worlnIen
pulled them down. The skeleton fell
out. 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.
1 have no doubt at all If tho criminals
arc living, they shall be brought to JUS
tice.'
Twelve months afterward I met Fa-
ther Aloysius in Paris. He had just re-
turned from Poland. An examination of
the papers of the late owner of tho
chateau had resulted in the discovery
that his grandfather had rented tho
place to u Polish gentleman who gave
the name of Lubensl1i Tho latter took
it for year, but at the end of six
months apprised tho proprietor that he
no longer needed it.
That is all we know, =" said thecur
'In Poland I learned nothing. Nor have
the police been more successful.
'tAnd the mystery is as far from be-
ing solved as ever?''
''Yes. fear the truth viii not be
known until the day of Judgment.
have imagined many things. The 48
years which have passed have been fruit
full in curious reflections. would dis
miss the matter from my mind now if
/ could. But fear that is impossible. -
-Ashmore Russan in Million.