The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-06-13
tGpTi0hi, 1895.
CHAPTER Y,

"' oH'Pe'ot INV CollulIttCu nlillBGll
TO my caro-. Tho emperor was dead.
Those were tho two thoughts which
changed in my head until Ihad no room
Tor any other mos. Ito had como Will,
me, md no was dOad. | had dono what
no had ordered when living. had 70.
vongcd him whon dead. But what OF
all thas2 Tho world would look upon
mo as responsible. They might ovon
looS upon mo rs tho assassin. What
could | proveP What witnesses had |?
Might not have boon tho accomplish
OF these wrotchesl Yes, ycs, | WAS
otcrnally dishonorsd-tho lowest, most
dospicablc creature IN all Franco. This,
then, was tho end OF my iinu military
ambitions Of tho hopes Of my mother.
| laughed bitterly at tho thought. Aud
what was | to do now? Was | to 20 to
Fontninbleau. TO wake up tho palace,
and to inform tho,n that tho gtoat ON.
peror had boon murdered within u pace
oil mo. | could not do it-no, | could
not do 1t! There was but ono course
for an honorable gentleman whom Fate
had placed in 30 cruel n position. |
would fall upon my dishonored sword
and so share. since | could not avert,
the emporor's fate. | roso with my
nerves strung to this last piteoui decd.
and rs l did 80 my Dyes fell upon some.
thing which struck tho breath from my
lips. The emperor was standing before
me.
lie wa not more than ten yards of.
with tho moon shining straight upon
his cold, palo face. lie wore his gray
overcoat, but the hood was turned back
and tho front open, 80 that | could 800
tho green coat OF tho Guides, and tho
white breechcs. His hands were
clnsped behind his back, and his chin
sunk forward upon his breast in the
way that was usua! with him.
We'll" said he, in his hardest and
most abrupt voice. what account do
yon give OF yourself p
believe that II no had stood in 81.
lence for another minnie my brain
would have given away. But those
sharp. military accents wero exactly
what | needed to bring mo 10 myself.
Living or dead, hero was tho emperor
standing before inc, and asking me
questions. lspranc to the salnte.
you have killed one. | sce?' said no.
Jerking his head toward the beech.
"Ics, SIRE"
And the other cscaped?'
"No. siro; | killed him, also."
"What" he cried, "Do | understand
that you have killed them both?" lie
approached me as no spoke. with n
smile, which SO. his eyes aud teeth
cleaning in the moonlight.
"0ne body lies there. siro," | an
swered; tho other is in the Toulouse
4. the quarry"
Then the brothers OF Ajaccio are no
MORE" he cried. and after n pause;
''rhe shadow has passed me forever"
Then he bent forward and laid his hand
upon my shoulder.
You have done very well. my young
friend" said he. You have lived up
TO your reputation .
lie was flesh and blood. then, this
emperor. l could feel tho little plump
palm tina: rested upon me. And yet |
could not get over what | had seen with
my own eyes, and 80 | stared Mt him in
such bewildcrment that he broke onco
more into one OF his smiles.
mo. no, Monsieur Gerard" said he.
81 am not n ghost. and YOU have not
seen INC killed. You will come here
and all will DO clear TO you"
| lie turned as he spoke. and lei the
way toward the great beech stump.
The bodies were still lying upon the
ground. and two men were standing be.
eide them. IA We approached, saw
from the ,urbans that they were
Roustam and Mus.aia, the two Name.
luke body fcrvants. The emperor