Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-03-05
we would die together, her last sigh on

Hly IL pS.
For these men-we were sure of it
were accomplices of the first two, and
by previous arrangement they had
been engaged for the carrying off and
conccaling of the dead body. Deceived
by our joint weight, they bet we'd they
had it, and we, instead of the murdered
victim, were hurrying away through
the shadowy gloom.
True, so we We're, but where were
we hurrying? Where were we heading,
as the men trotted Oh with swift, untir-
ing steps, at times almost run? What
were they going to do with us-their
sinister burden?
Presently we saw that we were
passing one of the city gates leading
into the distant country. Again | was
tempted to cry out, to call to the senti-
mel, but fear for Victoire deferred me,
Victoire, whose mother believed her
slumbering sweetly under her little
white curtains.
what should do? What could
do? l was nearly distracted
"By this time we were clear of the
suburbs, but still swept onward. An
other tightening of the sky, and saw
ahead of us glistening sheet of water,
the river Deule. I knew it well-a
deep rapid stream, the running of
whose current we even now could hear.
Undoubtedly the wretches were 60
ing to fling us into this seething vortex
'This time l would have cried out,
but Nictoire. mad with fright, clung so
tightly to my neck, clasping me with
such force that my voice died in my
throat, my eyes closed and the cry was
strangled.
''How long time elapsed I never
knew. l was brought back to conscious
ness by the chair striking the ground
They had set it down preparatory to-
yes, but where. where? Decidedly not
i'll the river. 1t was a room, OH the con-
trary, the dirty, grimy chamber of a
low country wineshop, where a crowd
of rough, coarse men were drinking,
swearing and rolling about a lot of
boxes, barrels and packages, like mer-
chandise
Mime. Jervaise, Nine Jervaisen
they shouted i'll chorus, as our bearers
set us down. Have you brought US
Nine. Jervaise?'
"'She is here" the bearers replied.
ITO work, to work, then! We have
no time to lose.'
And the chair door was thrown open.
"But scarcely had they caught sight
of Nictoire and me, crouching half dead
i'll the bottom of the chair, when wild
stampede took place, heller skelter
rush for the outside The lights were
extinguished, the thud of feet was heard
pounding away into the night, and then
deep, bloodcurdling stiffness.
"We were alone in black darkness
Luckily had noticed the direction
of the door. To leap from the chair,
seize Victories hand and make my way
to it was the work of a second The
clouds had not deepened, the rain had
ceased, and by the purest miracle we
found the road back to the city. By
daylight we We're safe at home.
"A fortnight later perhaps an article
in morning paper gave me the key to
the mystery of that hideons night in
which we (Victoire and y had been so
strangely involved. The article an
nounced the capture by the police of IA
band of smugglers who had installed
themselves in All old, abandoned wine-
shop in the outskirts of Lille-a regular
magazine, as it turned out, of contra
band goods, which they had smuggled
i'll and out of the city by means of u
manikin representing a sick old woman,
partly paralyzed. and which, muffled in
wraps and placed in a sedan chair, they
carried back and forth under the very
nose of the gendarmes without the
slightest fear of detection.
An invalid ordered by the doctor
to take the steam baths, they told the
officers of the law, by name Nine Jer-
vaise.
Mme Jervaise!' The name told
me all and explained everything that
hitherto had seemed mysterious and in
explicable i'll our midnight adventure.
Happily for us our nocturnal escapade
had never been suspected, and Victoire
and l escaped summons to appear as
witnesses before the court of assizes.
All the same from that day to this the
Thought OF sedan chair gives me goose
flesh down the spine. From the
French i'll Cincinnati Enquirer.