The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-06-09

lOr carOm and missed. Malbrain
| seized his cue, trembling like the
proverbial aspen leaf. He went to
pocket the red, but he missed the bali
! entirely. giving point to me. Of
course, L won by my next stroke.
"Ihe stake holder handed the goo
to me, amid the applause OF the men
standing around-for Malbrain was
not liked and my victory was popular.
Then the party broke up, but NAL
brain waited for me on the stairs His
face was liyid with passion.
hope you are satisfied he said
hoarsely.
81 am sorry, 1 replied, If the
stakes were too high. but later you
may have your rcvenger
Revenge . no shouted, losing his
self control. T'll have my revengel
Wen play again and you'll find the
stakes still higtper-too high for You !"
81 had good reason to remember
these words when l awoke one night.
to find Malbrain in my room dressed
In his fantastic costume of 'Meph-
istopheles'
Come, snid he, 'one of us must
die tonight. Through You | lost the
girl who would have been my wife.
My money, too But come to the
billiard room; we will play tonight.
Did you not promise me my revenge?
And the stakes! You will find them
high enough. Comet we will play
Tor our lives-you and / Ha, ha!
one of us shall die to.night?'
81 knew as l sprang from my he'd
that u.
together, the candle fell from his
hands, and we struggled in darkness.
Down we went on the floor, and l felt
the cold steel OF n revolver, which ex-
ploded and 1t sharp pain came In INV
arm. Then L beard doors opening and
voices, so l held on till some of tho
fellows came in with lights 'Mephis-
tophcles' was carried off to his own
room, ravlng and struggling The
slight wound IN my arm was dressed
by the doctor connected with tho
establishment, who also took the uu-
fortunate lunatic under his care.
Later on Malbrnin was sent to n
private asylum. The doctors opinion
was that brain lesion had threatened
the poor fellow for some time.
Whether he had escaped from the asy-
lum when he met you, or had been
discharged ms cured, one cannot saw.
However, my story" concluded Car
stairs, "has solved the mystery of
your unfortunate encounter with the
wretched man"
Eyes" | SAID, musing on the strange
account [ had heard. "But | wonder
why he charged you with numbering
Miss Carstairs? And he also repeated
the accusation in the paper l found.
| suppose it was some wild idea he
had got hold of in his mad jealousy OF
you"
'Yes," said Carstairs. "You see.
he thought we were rivals. and he
knew | was tho cause OF Rays dis
appearance.
Then there is another thing that
puzzle Inc. Why did the mailman
brand my leg with the word 'Racho?'"
cit Is German for revenge" said
Carstairs
"Yes, but Malbrain was not q Ger
man. so why should he use that Lam
guage?"
Cant say. I suppose the marks
have entirely gone by this time?"
Yes; but the police had them
photographed, and think have got
one of the photos in my portmanteau. -"
found the card and handed it to
Carstairs.
at is funny" he said, laughing,
ito notice how beautifully the print
ing is done-all except the full stop,
which is bit too high up. BY Jovel
II must have been painful though"
81 never felt it at the time-I was
In n faint, / suppose.
"Ah | have i'll" cried Carstairs.
That full stop explains it. OF course,
the word he meant to trace was
Rachel only for some reason he
didn't finish tue a.. Ha! ha! hal
How Ray will laugh at you when she
hears of you being tattooed with her
name.
So my last thought that night was
OF charming Ray Carstairs. And how
could 1T be otherwise?-he name on
my body, her image in my soul and
her kiss on my lips AS for the kiss
| felt | could not honorably keep what
was not intended for me. But 1 was
soon able to return it, for, ere an
other month had passed. Ray Carstairs
promised to be my wife. -Tn-Bits.