Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-08-24


quest was followed by roar OF dissent.
Finally one voice prevailed over the
others, and cried;
What sort of woman is she?"
well, gentlemen, replied the host,
II don't know for sure, but | think
she's bride, and that they're on their
wedding tour"
"A bride!" roared the jewellers;
bring her in! Fetch 'em both here;
we want to drink to the bride and talk
with the husband"
Our friends in the blue room
trembled; they feared an 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 awhile. But
| from the muffled laughter that broke
out from time to time, Leon and his
bride had an idea that they were still
the topic.
Suddenly there was a roar from
the left-hand room. "Garsong!" shout
ed the Englishman, gimme another
bottle O port"
The port was brought, and the Eng
lishman grew quiet. Finally the Off
GERS, having drank all they could carry,
and some of them more, departed, after
having Joined in parting toast to the
bride.
Quiet at last reigned over the hotel.
The night was clear, the moon shining
brightly. Leon and his bride looked
out from the window, and inhaled the
fragrance borne from the flowers in the
garden below. Suddenly Icons gaze
fell upon a man who was sauntering
amid the shrubbery He walked with
his head down, cigar in his mouth,
and his hands thrust into his pockets.
AS he turned the moonlight fell upon
is face 1t was the Englishman's dis
solute nephew.
The night wore on. Leon and his
bride had almost forgotten their Eng
lish neighbor, when they heard a
strange sound in the room. 1t was that
of the fall of some heavy body.
Mingled with this there was peculiar
crashing, grating sound, followed by a
sthed cry. Silence. Then there were
! two or three muttered oaths, and
silence again.
The young coupe shuddered What
could it mean? Leon tried to reassure
his trembling companion, but he was
/ tn nprnntpl hI, tbn pnntinnC Onlnino (,f
the next door. 1t was softly closed
again, and then slow and apparently
careful footsteps W re heard in the hall.
They We're lost in the distance. They
ceased. Again all was still.
Soon the young bride was sleeping
calmly. But not SO Leon. Despite
himself, the sinister face of the Eng
lishmans nephew returned to his rec
election There was hatred 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 the fall of a body upon
| the foor-the cry-the curses. Such
was the train OF thought that ran
through Icons mind.
Mechanically he fixed his eyes upon
the door which communicated with the
Englishman's room. There was a lit
tie space between the bottom of the
door and the flooring. By the dim
light falling from the partially turned
down gas, he could see something fore
ing its way under the door 1t seemed,
at first like knife-blade, for the edge
was thin, and reflected back the light.
It moved slowly toward a little blue
satin slipper, which had been thrown
carelessly near the door.
what can it be-" thought Leon. Is
1t knife? No, for it has divided
into two parts And now it divides
again-and yet again. What can it be-?
1t is some liquid"
The thing slowly crawled toward the
little blue slipper 1t encircled its heel.
/. stained its front. 1t was liquid.
1t was a liquid of strange and unmls-
taxable color-the color Of blood.
For a long time Leon lay and gazed
upon the stained slipper and the red
dish stream which encircled it. He
pictured to himself the corpse lying in
the next room; its discovery the fol-
lowing morning; the door opening in
TO the room, of which the bolts were
on his side; the blood-stained slipper.
These things passed through his mind,
and a cold sweat started out upon him.
He attempted to rise, and hide the slip
per; as he did SO, his wife awoke, and
started with alright as she felt his icy
hand.
What is the NATTER" 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 ii
was useless.
Day was breaking. Already the ser
wants were moving around the hotel
In few hours the crime would be dis
covered, and the officers of the law