The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-19
be tipsy and the officers will be gone by mid

When he entered the blue chamber Leon
looked to bolts and bars. On the officers side
there was no door, but very thin partition
The young couple had a mediocre dinner,
which they would have enjoyed more had II
not been for the talk of their military neign-
bors. The conversation of these gentlemen
had nothing whatever to do with tactlcs,
strategy, or the art of in any way ON
the contrary, it consisted of highly seasoned
stories, And such stories! They were fol-
lowed by roars of laughter and even our
friends of the blue room found it difficult at
times to preserve their gravity.
But the stories grew broader the laughter
grew louder. Although he was not prudlsh'
Leon thought the situation rather cmbarTass-
ing for his bride, and, sending FOR the land
lord, he requested him to beg the gentlemen
not to make so much noise, as there was an
invalid lady in the next room. The host en-
tered the banqueting room and his request
was followed by of dissent. Finally
one voice prevailed over the Others and cried
What sort of woman is she?'
We'll, gentlemen" replied the host, Il don't
know for sure, but I think she's a bride, ana
they're OF their wedding tour
"a bride!" re ared the revelers; bring her
in. Fetch 'em both mere; We want to drink
to the bride and talk to the husband
Our friends in the blue room trembled.
they feared assault would be made But
the same voice prevailed over the din, and
it was evidently that of a superior officer. He
lectured them on their lack of courtesy. and
there was comparative quiet for while. But
from the muffled laughter that broke out
from time TO time Leon and his bride had an
idea that they still the topic.
Suddenly there a roar from the left
hand room. "Garsongi" shouted the English
man, gimme another bottle of port"
The port was brought, and the Englishman
grew quiet Finally the officers, having drank
all they could carry and some of them more
departed after having Joined in a parting
toast to the bride.
Quiet at last reieued over the hotel The
night clear, the moon shining brightly.
Leon and his bride looked out from the win
dow and inhaled the fragrance borne from
| the flowers in the garden below. Suddenly
Icons gaze fell upon man who was saun-
! tering amid the shrubbery He walked with
his head bent down, a cigar in his mouth, and
his hands thrust into Lis pockets. AS he
turned the moonlight fell upon his face. 1t
was the Englishmans dissolute nephew.
The night wore on Lecn and his bride
had almost forgotten their English neighbor
when they heard a strange sound in his room.
1t that of the fall of some heavy body.
Mingled with this there peculiar crash
ing grating sound, followed by a stifled cry.
Silence. Then there two three NUT
tered oaths, and silence again.
The young people shuddered. What could
companion, but he interrupted by the
cautious opening of the next door 1t was
softly closed again, and then slow and APP
parently careful footsteps heard in the
hall. They were lost in the distance. They
ceased. Again all was still. ien aTote,
Soon the young bride was sleeping calmly.
But not so Leon. Despite himself, the sinis-
ter face of the Englishman's nephew re-
turned to his recollection. There was hatred,
he thought, in the glance cast upon the un-
Gle by the young man when he left him, and
then that roll of bank bills in the valise. And
that dull heavy sound but now, like the fall
OF body upon the f1oor-the cry-the curses.
Such the train of thought that ran
| through Leon's mind.
Mechanically he fixed his eyes upon the
door which communicated with the English
m 10
| tween the bottom of :he door and the floor
ing. But by the din light falling from the
partially turned-down gas he could some
thing forcing it's way under the door. 1t
seemed. at first, like a knife blade, for the
edge was thin and reflected back the light.
1t moved slowly toward a little blue satin
slipper which had been thrown carelessly
near the door
What can it be?' thought Leon. "Is it a
knife? No, for it divided into two parts.
And now it divides again-and yet again.
What can it be? Is it some liquid?"
The thing slowly crawled toward the little
blue slipper. IT. encrcled it's heel: 1t stained
it's front. 1t liquid. 1t a liquid of
strange and unmstakable color-the color of
blood.
) For a long time Leon lay and gazed upon
the stained slipper and the reddish stream
which encircled it. He pictured to himself
the corpse lying in the next room its dis
covery the following morning: the door open
ing into the roonl of which the bolts were
on his side; the blood-stained slipper. These
things passed through his mind, and cold
sweat started out upon him. He attempted
to rise and hide the slipper. AS he did so his
wife awoke, and started UP with alright as
she felt his icy hand
What is the matter?' she cried.
Leon explained to her the terrible situation
in which they were placed. He arose and
, attempted to remove the telltale stains from
the slipper, but it was useless.
Day was breaking. Already the servants
were moving around the hotel In few hours