Evening star., 1896-03-07

ia every Otucf OlrSCtlOn lay 0arkneSSs QoSO-
Iatlon swept by the night wind; silence
broken only by the dismal bowling of far
on watch dogs. I might have been ten
miles from Paris.
For very misery sobbed aloud. no
longer knew where I was; nor, had /
known. had the strength to return Ex-
element had carried me far, but at last l
felt the weakness of utter exhaustion, and
sick and aching craved only hole in which
to lie down and die. Fortunately at this
moment I met the wind, and caught the
scent of new-mown hay; and stumbling
forward q. few steps made out a low build
Ing looming through the night. staggered
to 1t, and discovered that it was a shed,
and entering with my hands extended felt
the hay under my feet With sob of
thankfulness sank down upon 1t, but in
stead of the soft couch l expected, fell On
the angular body of a man, who with q
savage curse flung me off.
This at another time would have scared
me to death; but I was so far gone in
wretchedness that felt no fear and little
surprise. rolled away without word.
lew feet from my fellow lodger, fell in a
minute fast asleep
When I awoke daylight, though the sun
was not up, was beginning to creep into the
shed. turned; every bone I had ached;
remembered yesterdays doings, and groan-
ed. Presently the hay beside me rustied,
and over the shoulder OF the mass against
which lay 1 made out the face of man,
stared back, spellbound; I had not yet
broken with every habit of suspicion nor
could In moment recollect that l had
nothing but rags to lose. In silence which
neither again broke by SO much as mo-
ment we waited gazing; while the light in
the mean hovel grew and grew, and minute
by minute brought out more closely the
others features.
At length 1 knew him, and almost at the
same moment he recognized me and ut
tering an oath of rage rose up as II 10
spring at my throat. But either because
did not recoil-being too deepset in the hay
to move-or for some other reason, he only
shook his claw-like fingers at me, and held
off. Where is it, you dog?'' he cried, find
ing his voice with an effort. Speak, or 1
will have your throat slit. Speak, do you
hear? What have you done with it?'
He was the man who had passed the child
to me! 1 watched him heedfully, and after
a moments hesitation I told him that it
had been taken from me, and when and
where.
"And you don't know the man who took
ft?" he screamed.
mot from Adam. 1t was dark" said.
In his disappointment and rage at re-
ceiVing this answer, l thought that ne
would fairly fall upon me; but he only
choked and swore, and then stood scowl-
ing, the picture of despair, until some new
thought pricking him. he threw up his
arms again, and cried out afresh. "Oh,
mon Dieu. what a fool I was! he
fortune in my hands in my hands, fool,
and l threw II away!'
1 thought bitterly of my own casel was
not much afraid Of him now; l began to
yesterday morning." l said. You are in
no worse case than Others
Yesterday morning.? he exclaimed.
mo, last night. Then, if you like. you
had. But yesterday morning? Fortune
and you, scarecrow! Go hang yourself!"
He looked gloomily at me for moment,
with his arms crossed on his chest and his
face darkly set. Then, "Who are you?" he
asked, curtly.
told him. When he learned that the rah-
bic that had alarmed him had in fact been
pursuing me- SO that his fright had been
groundless he broke into fresh eXecra-
tions, and those so violently that l began
to feel sort of contempt for him. and
even plucked up spirit to say that he
seemed to be in as evil case as | was.
He looked at me askance. AYE, as it
turns out" he said. grimly. But see the
difference, idiot. You poor fool
beaten from pillar to post: I played for a
great stake. I have lost; I have lost" he
continued, his voice rising almost to YELL
land we are both in the gutter. But if 1
had won-if 1 had won-man-"
He did not finish the sentence, but flung
himself down on his face in the hay and
bit and tore it in his passion. mo-
ment l viewed him with contempt, and
thought him a poor creature for a villain.
Then the skirt Of his coat, curling over as
he groveled and writhed, disclosed some
thing that turned my thoughts in another
channel. Crushed under his leather girdle
was little cape. or a garment of that
kind, Of velvet, so lustrous that it shone
where saw it, as the eyes shine. in a toad
Nor it only; before he rolled over and hid
it, I spied embroidered on one corner of
the velvet a stiff gold crown!
l barely repressed cry. Cold, damp,
aching, l felt the heat run through me
like wine. A crown! A little purple cape!
Then last night-last night. I had carried