The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-07-23

have entirely disappeared; the limbs
that will have replaced them will be
entirely your own, subject to your will
and permeated by your own mental
impressions"
"'Thus, in an evil hour | was in
duced to continue the lamentable as
sociations. Oh, Louise! Louise! Fair
saint in Heaven. thy young life was
sacrificed to my folly!'
"'Here!' said the lady, the stranger
was compelled by his emotion to pause.
He covered his face, and there was no
sound but that made by his choking
sobs.'
"'Pardon me- lady!' he resumed. re-
gaining his sclf-control. 4 can never
think of that fatal night without weak
ly giving way to unavailing tears. For
her had lived and hoped. There was
no dream of my future in which she was
not the central figure, and yet it was
Il who caused her death. No, not i
no-never! But the hideously wicked
grated limbs.
"'I swear that knew nothing of the
events of that night till l was awakened
by the sound of voices and the flashing
of lights. l found myself standing in
the chateau of Campazany. 1t was the
dining-room. There was black mask
on my face and a bag of plunder at my
side. l knew well what it meant. The
lights and voices were approaching. 1t
was the marquis and his servants ap-
preaching. Desperately l rushed to the
windows. They were securely fastened.
Imust have entered elsewhere. | turned
to dash through the door opposite to
that by which the marquis and the
others were entering. They saw me and
pistols were leveled. | saw white
figure spring between me any my pur-
suers. 1 heard a voice cry Henri!
Henri! Itis you but you are Innocent"
Pistol shots rang out; there was wild
shrek. and, looking backward, l saw
my love lying dead-dead-dead, her
fair hair dabbling in her blood. With
the laugh of a maniac, l fed away
through the darkness.
"'What happened in the years that
followed know not. was dominated
by one impulse-to fly from the scene
of horror which was always in my men,
ory. What did, how lived, l have no
knowledge. Quite probably my limbs
took advantage of my mental infirmity
to involve me in the crimes for which
they thirsted. Quite probably large
part of the time which is blank to me
was spent in prison. l know not. AT
length my mind began to assert itself
again. l was no longer dazed; sanity
had returned.
81 found that was living in Ameri-
ca. in the city of Chicago, the inhabi-
tant of room in a low tenement house;
an eX-convict, a man whom the police
feared and watched; whom the Grim
inals admired. Dreadful awakening,
with what terror did 1 realize my posi-
ton! Thinking to escape l came here
to New York, but, as you see, the evil
influence still continues. In an un-
guarded moment, l have been abducted
from my home and borne here to pose
before you as a criminal and wretch.
Lady, this is more than can bear
"FAgain the stranger shed tears.
looked upon him with the deepest pity.
His tears, his youthful beauty, his frank
speech, all convinced me of the absolute
truth of his narrative, which. though
surprising in some respects, was not
more so than some tales which juries
accept as truth.
az believe you,' said; mot only do
believe you, but I will make others be-
lieve you. You have but two more years
in which the evil grated upon you can
continue. Go free tonight. Strive on
against misfortune, and if in an ex-
tremity you need friend. call upon
me-,
"'The noble face of the count was il
Illuminated with thankfulness. l1eaping
blessings upon my head. he departed
and l saw him not again nor heard of
him till L received letter telling me
that he was in prison here and de,ired
to see me-
"'Ah!' said l, you wish to see him"
81 do, indeed; | desire to comfort
and strengthen him, and, above all,
to give him this pie. The seven years
of evil domination are almost over. the
wicked individuality of the grated
limbs has gone, and with it the
strength. The count, above all things.
now needs building up. In few days
l will tell his story to the press, to the
governor. l will get him released and
will send him back to his estate in
France as happy as man with such
history can be-
$50 saying, she produced from par
eel she carried huge pie.
"Well, it was little irregular. to be
sure, but the appearance of the lady
and her simplicity were too much for
me and l passed it in. Then she had
five minutes conversation with Hand
some Charley in my presence, and went
away looking satisfied, while l sat
back in my chair and laughed to think
how easy it is to pull the wool over a
woman's eyes"
The warden rose, knocked the ashes
out of his pipe and picked up his huge
bunch of keys.
But the sequel, warden!" l cried.
Wasn't there any sequel?"
Sequel? Yes, certainly there was
sequel" said the warden. turning to
trudge off. "Next morning we found a
big hole through the wall of Handsome
Charley's cell. lie got away and never
heard of him since, or the Tarrytown
young woman either, though we
searched enough. That pie must haze
contained blackslnith's shop"
Off stumped the warden, rattling his
keys, his rugged face settled again into