The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-05

felt q weight fall on my back and the
clutch of long fingers close on my
throat. / screamed, however, felt the
fingers close in deadly grip, cold and
merciless-and then in sheer terror /
nSwooned.
When I recovered my senses found
myself propped in chair, and for a
time sat.wondering hazily where Twas.
In front OF me great door stood open,
admitting a draught of summer air
and food of runshine that fell even
to my feet. Through the doorway l
hooked on grass and trees, and heard
sparrows twitter, and the chirp of a
cricket; and found all so peaceful that
uny mind went no farther, and it was
only after some minutes that recog-
nized with sharp return of terror
that shook me to the soul that / was
still in the hall of the empty house.
That brought back other things, and
with shudder carried my hand to
my throat and tried to rise. A hand
put me back and a dry voice said in
my ear: 'Be easy, M. Prosper. am
afraid that we put you to some in
convenience"
Hooked dizzily at the speaker and rec
pgnized him for one of those had seen
In the garden. He had the air of a
secretary or-as he stood rubbing his
chin and looking down at ME with a
saturnine smile-of a physician. read
N his eyes something cold and not too
human, yet 1t went no farther. His
manner was suave and his voice, when
he spoke again, as well calculated to
seassure as his words were to surprise
me.
"You are better now?" he oaid.
Eyes. Then / have to congratulate
you. Few men, M. Prosper, few men.
believe me, were ever SO lucky. You
were lately, think, in the service of
monseigneur the bishop of Beauvais,
president of her majesty's council?"
fancied that faint note of irony
nrked in his words. kept silent.
"And yesterday were diemissed."
be continued, easily, disregarding my
astonishment. "Well to-day you shall
be reinsta,ed-and rewarded. Your
business here, believe, was TO recover
DER majesty's. dog?"
/ remembered that the wretch whose
finger marks were still on my throat
might be within hearing, and l tried
20 utter a denial.
He waved 1t aside politely. Just So"
he said. "Well. the dog is in that
.loset; and on two conditions it is al
your service
Amazed before, j stared at him now
In a stupor of astonishment.
"You are surprised?" he said. "Yet
the case is of the simplest. We stole
the dog, and therefore we cannot re
store 1t without incurring suspicion
Tou, on the other hand, who are known
10 the bishop, and did not steel il, may
Safely restore il. / need not say that
we divide the reward; that is one ol
the two conditions
"And the other?" ! stammered.
THAT you refresh your memory US
&c the past" he answered, lightly. III
have the tale rightly you saw man
convey dog to this house, an empty
house in n lonely suburb. You watched.
and saw the man leave, and followed
him; he tool. the alarm, fed, and
dropped in his flight the dogs coat
think see Ii there. On that you hur.
ljed with the coat TO monseigneur, aud
gave him the address of the house,
and"
"And the dcgl" / exclaimed.
"No. Let monscigneur come and
fnd the dog for himself" he answered.
smiling. 'In the closet"
felt the blood tingle through all
py limbs. But " he comes. and tioes
not find it?" cried.
The stranger shrugged his shoulders.
''He will find H." he said. co1lly. And
slightly raising his voice, he called
~Fsore: Flore.' For answer the dog
ohined behind the door, and scratched
tise panels and whined again.
The stranger nodded. as we'll pleased.
'There." he said. You have 's9 .'