The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-05-27

| finished the evening In Max Car
stairs room; and while we smoked
he told his story.
Mark Malbrain was the mans
name" he continued, "and met him
| at a hydropathlc establishment in the
north, whore my sistor and were
staying one summer seven or eight
years ago. My sister was then about
seventeen. and Malbrain, much to her
disgust, fell wildly In love with her.
During the evening Rachel (yes, that
is her name-Ray Is only a family pet
name) complained to me Of Malbrain's
conduct. II seems he had continued
to follow her round the room begging
| for a dance and his manner became
threatening when she firmly refused.
l at once went to him and said plainly
| that Miss Carstairs wished to have
nothing more to do with him, and,
therefore, must request him not to
speak to her again.
From the manner Of his reply 1
gathered that he did not know Rachel
was my sister, but imagined we were
| lovers; and did not think II worth
while to undeceive him. l decided to
| send Rachel home In the morning; but
remained myself for a few days longer.
Malbrain was furious when he heard
that my sister had gone, but he said
nothing to me.
zone evening after dinner we met
! in the billiard room. To my surprise
| he challenged me to a game, suggest
! ing that we should play for ten
! pound note. l agreed, and the stakes
were handed to one Of the men pres
ent. We played q hundred up, and,
! strange to say, tied at ninety. Nal
| brain seemed very excited, and Of
fered to double the stakes, throwing
another ten pound note on the table.
agreed, for l felt cool and in good
form. We played on, and you may
| imagine the sensation when again we
tied at ninety eight! 1t was my turn
now, and am afraid my temper was
rising, when sarcastically asked NAL
| brain If he felt inclined to double
! again.
"'Yes. he shouted, pale with pas
sion. 'Fifty-a hundred, II you like!
| Zone hundred pounds, l said TAX
ing out my cheQue-book.
at was my turn to play. tried for
cannon, and missed. Malbrain
seized his cue, trembling like the pro-
verbal aspen leaf. He went to
| pocket the red, but he missed the ball
entirely, giving point to me. OF
course, I won by my next stroke.
81 hope you are satisfied be said,
hoarsely.
81 am sorry replied, If the stakes
We're too high; but later on you will
have your revenge
"'Revenger he shouted, losing his
sclf-control. IN have my revenge!
Wen play again, and you'll find the
stakes still higher-too high for you!
II had good reason to remember
these words WIN I awoke one night
to find Malbrain in my room dressed
in his fantastic costume Of 'Mephisto-
pheles.'
Come he said, zone Of us must die
tonight. Through you l 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. Gomez we will play for our
lives-you and l! Ha, ha! one Of us
shall die tonight!
81 knew as l sprang from my bed
that the man was mad! We grappled
together, the candle fell from his hand,
and we struggled In darkness. Down
we went on the floor, and / felt the
cold steel Of revolver, which ex-
ploded, and sharp pain came in my
arm. Then heard doors opening and
voices, so held on till some Of the fel-
lows came In with lights. 'Mephisto-
pheles' was carried off to his own
room, raving and struggling. The
slight wound in my arm was dressed
by the doctor connected with the es-
tablshment, who also took the unfor.
tunate lunatlc under his care.
YES" said, musing on the strange
account l had heard But I wonder
why he charged you with numbering
Miss Carstairs? And he also repeated
the accusation In the paper l found
l suppose 1t was some idea he had got
hold of in his mad jealousy Of you"
YES" said Carstairs. You see, he
thought we were rivals, and knew
was the cause Of Rays disappear
ance."
"I'hen there Is another thing tina,
puzzles me. Why did the madmaI
brand my leg with the word 'Rache'T
"It is German for revenge" said Car
stairs.
Yes, but Malbrain was not Ger
man, so why should he use that Ian
guage?"
Cant say. I suppose the marks
have entirely gone by this timer"
"Yes; but the police had them pho
tographed, and think have got one
of the photos. In my pOrtmanteau."
found the card and handed 1t t.
Carstairs.
"It is funny" he said, laughing, "tC
notice how beautifully the printing Il
done-all except the full-stop, which
is bit too high up. BY Jove! 1t mus
have been painful, though"
az nAyer felt IL at the tima-I woS IN