Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-09-04

tIretien opened the neaVy door OF Une Inn, |
and after once more exacting the promise
from Waldemar closed it after her and
went out into the night
The graveyard was not more than a
quarter of a mile from the inn, but it was
hidden from its view by small mission
airy chapel, which was falling into decay.
Gretien walked bravely down the path to-
ward the chapel for some few yards when
the wind began to howl furiously On she
went even faster for several minutes, but
in trying to protect her face from the huge
hailstones she had taken the path to the
far1nyard by mistake and had to retrace
her steps almost to the inn. This did not
discourage her, and, singing an old familiar
hymn to keep up her spirits, she skipped
along the road But the bowling of the
wind deadened her voice, and Gretien's
courage began to forsake her. All the
ghost stories she had ever heard at the
inns fireside now came up in her mind.
The trees seemed like huge giants wreak-
ing vengeance on her boidness and the
voice of the wind sounded in her ears like
The groaning of unearthly spirits
At last, unnerved from fright she halted
and was about retracing her steps when
the thought of meeting Waldemar and con-
Tossing her timidity stung her to the heart.
No, she would not return to the inn with
out the hedgewood, no matter what it cost
her. The church was only few yards
from her, and would 1t not be cowardly to
forfeit Waldemar's promise now that shc
had gone so far? And, then, how grateful
dear Hans would be when he heard how
much his Gretien had risked for him. And
Is, 1oet ,rrbt r. no
hurried toward the old church. Having
reached it safely she breathed a prayer of
thanks and stepped into the vestibule,
which was doorless for moments rest
before fulfilling the rest of her mission.
She had hardly done SO when she heard the
sound of footsteps coming up the path
which she had just left. Yes, and the
voices of several men who were undoubt-
eddy coming toward her. Her heart sank
within her, and as the voices became loud
er and louder she felt her strength grad
ually leaving her. What should she do? To
call for aid would be useless, for she was
too far from any assistance; to fly would
be ridiculous, as she would soon be over
taken
In this extremity she concluded to re-
main where she was, consoling herself with
the idea that the men might probably be
strangers in the forest who had lost their
way in the storm. So she crouched herself
up into corner Of the stone wall, pulled
her hood over her eyes and waited anxious
ly. How long she remained there she could
not tell The minutes seemed like hours
as she heard the men rapidly approaching
her. They came up at last, and all hope
left her when she heard them stop in front
of the church cts all right" said ono
in low, indistinct whisper. II knew the
storm would keep all danger off tonight. "
At the same time something blew past
Gretien into the vestibule of the church.
"There goes your hat, old boy" said an
other voice. "It went over toward the
church door," His companion rushed for
ward to find it, and after cropping around
in the dark for some minutes had to give
up the search, much to the comfort of poor,
trembling Gretien who expected each mo-
ment to be wrested from her hiding place.
AS he left the church the man who was
waiting hailed him with an oath for caus-
ing the delay and told him to proceed with
his work unless he was particularly anxious
to be handcuffed.
Both men walked few yards from the
church, where they halted, and from the
tone of their voices seemed to be engaged
in a lively dispute. Gretien, now feeling
more secure and being somewhat curious
to see what the men were doing, lifted he1
hood and moved near the entrance Of the
church. But what sight met her eyes
The two men who had just been beside hel
were engaged in stripping the spoils from
human corpse. The dreadful truth then
dawned upon her for the first time. These
men were murderous robbers, who had
waylaid a traveller in the storm-perhaps
some one on his way to the inn. But be-
fore Gretien could realize her own danger
the men, having divided the booty between
them, carried the body into the graveyard
where they buried it. Then muttering 6
few words they hurriedly walked through
the forest Gretien did not hear what they
said for she had fallen into swoon.
Twenty minutes later she opened he1
eyes to see the bright moonlight streaming
in on her, for the storm had entirely abat
ed. Rousing herself, she looked around
Could it be that the forest, now so beauti
full and still, could have but q few moment.
before been the scene of murder and plum
der. The sights she had witnessed and thu
seemed like frightful dream, and recall
ing the awful decd she shuddered from
head to foot. Drenched from the storm
and weak with fatigue, she rose to her fee
with difficulty. Then wrapping her we
cloak around her, she looked timidl.
around and rushed from the church. Blu
in doing so she stumbled, and STOPPING
down found the hat for which the mai
had made such diligent search. Picking
it up and placing it under her shawl, sh
once more left the chapel. Then withou
daring to look beyond 1t she walked up t.
the fence of the graveyard, pulled piec
of the hedgewood, and pressing 1t to he
bosom ran at full speed up the path to tn
inn. She reached it in safety and knocke'
at the door. But In knocking the hat fel
from under her arm. In lifting it from
the ground she thought she saw something
inside which might be name, and hold
: ing 1t up in the moonlight looked at
carefully. But suddenly her face becam
haggard, her lips lost their color, and wit
, scream of despair Gretien fell agains
, the door Of the inn. What revelation
, There in her hand was the cap in whic
she had lately embroidered the name S
4 dear to her heart-Hans Varoli.
Waldemar Bleneau, having become am
. ious, as Gretien failed to return, hastene
, to- admit her and reached the door as sh
! fell. He assisted her father in carryin
3 her to chair, bat her lips were scale
and her eyes were closed. There, with tn
cap on her arm and her hand still clutcf
Q ing the hedgewood, Gretien was dead
0 Philadelphia Times.
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