Evening journal., 1899-07-25


grating sound, followed by a stined cry.
Silence. Then there were two or three
muttered oaths, and silence again.
The young couple shuddcred. what
could it mean? Leon tried TO renssure
his trembling companion. but he was
interrupted by the cautious opening OF
the next door. II was softly closed
again, and then slow and apparently
careful footsteps were heard in the hall.
They were lost in the distance. They
ceased. Again all was still.
Soon the yonng bride was sleeping
salmly. But not so Leon. Despite him
self, the sinister face OF the English
mans nephew returned to his rccollec-
ton. There was hatred. he thought. in
The glance east upon the uncle by the
young man when he left him; and then
the roll of bank notes in the valise.
And the dull. heavy sound butnow, like
the fall of body upon the floor-t the
cry-the curses. Such was the train of
thought that ran through Leon's mind:
Mechanically he fixed his eyes upon
the door which communicated with the
Englishman's room. There was a little
space between the bottom Of the door
and the flooring. BY the dim light fall
ing from the partially turncd-down gas,
he could see something forcing its way
under the door. II seemed, at first, Ike
that of a knife blade, for the edge was
thin, and reflected back the light. Il
moved slowly toward little blue satin
ia.
lessly near the door.
"Nhat can it be?' thought Leon. "ls
it knife? No, for it has divided inte
two parts. And now it divides again
and yet again. What can Il be- IL IS
some liquid"
The thing slowly crawied toward the
little blue slipper. Il cncircled its heel.
1t stained its front. Il was a liquid. lt
was a liquid OF strange and unmistaka-
Dle color-the color OF blood.
For long time Leon lay and gazed
upon the stained slipper and the red
Dish stream which encircled It. lie
pictured to himself the corpse lying in
The next room; its discovery INC follow
ing morning; the door opening into the
room, Of which the bolts were on his
side; the blood-stained slipper. These
things passed through his mind, and n
cold sweat started out upon him. He
attempted TO rise and hide the slipper;
as he did SO his wife awoke and started
with alright as she felt his icy hand.
"What is the matters" she cried.
Leon explained To her the terrible
situation in which they were placed.
He arose and attempted TO remove the
teR-tale stains from the slipper. but D.
was useless.
Day was breaking. Already the scry-
ants were moving around The hotel
In a few hours the crime would be dis
covered and the officers OF the Law
would be upon them.
"Alasl" said Leon. "eur only hope u
eais: At eight O'Clock the train leave,
for Paris. If the Englshman's body
is not discovered before that time ws
are safe. We will take the train aR,
lose ourselves in the great city. TheIS
we shall be safe"
His weeping bride hung herself uPsI
Iatah hNANtAs tEN 1915 AiAtN@N -
:zse lad comnAttted the dees.
But there yet remained two m0rtg
hours before the train left. At Gael
step in the corridor they trenbled witt
alright. They made their prepare
tons for departure. Leon's bride
7 wished to burp the bloody slipper, bui
BE restrained her and concealed it on
his person.
Seven o'clock sounded. The hotc
wns alive with bustling servants. Loor
forced his wife to take a cup of cogec
although she declared that her parchec
throat refused to swallow. They ther
/ descended into the waiting-room, an,
Leon demanded his bill The host pre-
sented it, and begged his pardon for thi
noise of the previous evening. Leor
assured him that they had passed a yer,
quiet night.
"Well, I'm glad of il, said the host
However, your neighbor on the lef
6idn't disturb you much, I'll be bound
He's sleeping like a dead man yet"
Leon shuddered. His wife graspe,
his arm convulsively.
Hes an English MILFORD" continues
the host "We've got another English
man here, too, who paid his bill AM
left this morning. He gave me an Eng
lsh bank note hope it's good. Lool
at It, What do you think?"
He showed Leon a bank note. On on
corner OF it there was a reddish stain
1T seems to be a good one" saii
Leon, with forced ealmness. "Rey
long before the train goes?"
Half an hour yet" replied the host
AT this moment a waiter entered
Gimme sone brandy and soda, quick
for the English MILFORD" he remarked
and send up a chambermaid with
mop; he dropped a bottle of port ol
, the floor last night, and the room
looded."
To the amazement of both landlor
and waiter, Leon and his wife sat dow
and laughed until they cried
Order Us O good breakfast" said h
to the landlord; eve won't go until I'll
two o'clock train. Adapted for tn