Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1899-06-01

was answered by . roar Of dissent.
Finally, one voice prevailed over
the others, and cried
"What sort Of . woman 10 she ?''
"Well. gentlemen" replied the
host, 81 don't know for sure. bat |
think she's bride, and that they'r re
on their wedding tour -
"a bride !" roared the jewellers !;
ssbring her in. Fetch 'em both
here; We want to drink to the bride
and talk to the husband"
Oar friends in the blue room
trembled. they feared an assault
wonid be made. But the same
voice prevailed over the din, and it
was evidently that OF q superior
officer. He lectured them on their
lack Of courtesy, and there was
comparative quiet for q while. But
from the muffied laughter that
broke out from time to time. Leon
and bis bride had an idea that they
were still the topic.
Suddenly there was o roar from
the left-hand room. "Garsong !"
shouted the Englishman, "gimme
another bottle o. 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 join
ed in parting toast to the bride.
g, e
Quiet at last reigned over the
hotel. The night was clear, the
moon shining brightly. Leon and
bis bride looked ont from the win
dow, a.d inhaled the fragrance
borne from the flowers in the gar
den below. Suddenly Leoh's gaze
fell upon q man who was saunter-
ing amidst the shrubbery. He
walked with his head bent down, q
cigar in his mouth, and his hands
thrust into his pockets. As he
turned, the moonlight fell upon his
face. 1t was the EIglishman's dis
solute nephew.
The night =ore-~os. Leon- and
bis bride had almost forgotten their
English neighbor, when they heard
q strange sound in his room. Il
was that of the fall of some heavy
body. Mingled with this there was
q peculiar crashing. grating sound,
followed by o stifled cry. Silence.
Then there were two or three NUT
tered oaths, aud silence again.
The young couple shuddered.
What could il mean! Leon tried
to reassure bis trembling compani-
on, but he was interrupted by the
cautious opening of the next door.
Ii was softly closed again, aud then
slow and apparently careful foot
steps we're heard in the hall. They
we're lost in the distance. They
ceased. Again all was sill.
Soon the young bride was sleep
ing calmly. But not so Leon. De-
spite himself, the sinister face of
the Englishman's nephew returned
to his recollection. There was ha-
tired, he thought, in the glance cast
upon the uncle by the young man
when he left him and then that
roll of bank-notes in the valise.
And that dull, heavy sound but now
like she fall Of q body upon the
foor-the cry-the curses. Such
was the train of thought that ran
through Icons miad.
Mechanically he fixed his eyes
upon the door which communicated
with the Englishman' q room. There
was Q little space between the bot
tom Of the door and the flooring.
By the dim light falling from the
partially turned-down gas, he could
see something forcing it's way under
the door. 1t seemed, as frat. like
. knife blade, for the edge was thin
and reflected back the light. IL
moved slowly toward q little blue
satin slipper, which had been
thrown carelessly near the door.
What can it be?" thought Leon.
"Is il knife? No. for it has di-
vided into two parts. Aud nov it
divides again-and jet again.
What can it be? 1t 10 some liquid >
The thing slowly crawled toward
the little blue slipper. 1t encircled
its heel. IL stained its front. IL