The Southern herald., 1897-10-29

uldtelIs Inc O0Y, whom we had never
seen before, vent away again as soon
as he had delivered the note, without
giving us any further information.
Blajse, who adores his mother. was
quite upset, He did not want TO leave
us alone before daylight, but his sor-
rCwful face told how dearly the DELAY
would cost him. l thought that if tbs
wCman dies tonight, | shall have pre-
vented poor Blaise FROM receiving her
last blessing. So | overcame my scru-
pies and made him 60. lie promised
TO return this evening, and to save time
he will drive back. l have Just bolted
;hc doors after him. That is why kept
YOU waiting. Now, how is that business
affair getting along2"
Very WE'LL but let us talk about
yourself. You should not have let Blaise
go. Even if he drives back, he cannot
return before ten or eleven O'Clock. Nv
sole confidence was in knowing that he
was near YOU, and now he is gone And
tnen that boy who ran away before YOU
had time to think of making sure his
news was true! At any rate, Blaise has
left you the two dogs and the gun, has
he note"
The two dogs are asleep on the
porch. As for the gun, Blaise must have
left it in the hall. shall GO and make
sure. Can you hear Marcel? He is sit
ting in my lap, and is saying good night
to YOU, Listen."
Good night, papa, good night"
Good night, my darlings. | must
get bite Of dinner now, and then will
cali you again"
Once outside | felt oppressed with
what my wife had just told me. | had
dlssimulated my own anxiety in order
not to add to her fears. But that un-
eosiness, which had hardly been quleted
by the first conversation, now waNed
stronger at the thought of this strange,
incredible letter which had taken away
my wife's one defender, the only man
ia the house. My thoughts took so dark
a turn that by the time reached the
hotel, could not swallow mouthful.
| left the table to return to the tele-
phone Office, but my agent found me
and laid before me lot Of details which
were essential to the success Of my
venture / could not dismiss him imme.
diately, and it was late when | reen-
tered the telephone office. My heart
throbbed with impatience, and my hand
trembled so that | could scarcely hold
the receiver to my ear. 1t was some Sec
onds before could hear anything.
Hello, Louise, hello!" l cried Are
you there? Answer mel"
At last l heard her voice, but it was
low, oppressed, filled with terror.
"Oh, it's you at last! For the last
hour have been nearly crazed Icould
not find the gun-that boy must have
stolen it when he went away. Blaise
has not come back, they must have got
him out of the way on purpose, Oh,
| am losing my head, | can scarcely
breathe for terror-I think hear-in
the garden-far away-Wait while l
listen!"
Clutching at the box for support l
could only cry: Louise, beg Of you,
do not leave me in this silence-what do
you hear2"
"The dogs are growling-now they
are barking-barking furiously. They
have run to the bottom Of the garden
now, suddenly they are still-there is
deathly silence! But-yes, it sounds
like mufled footsteps on the pebbled
wall-as if some one were coming
toward the house.
"Go on, speak. Louise. I am strang-
ling, shall go mad! What do you
hear?--what do you hear now?"
Nothing, now-almost nothing-yes,
there is gentle, steady grating sound,