Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-08-24

De mdue. but CHt SdHe NOlCe preVdlltl
over the din, and it was evidently thai
Of a superior officer. He lectured them
on their lack Of courtesy, and there was
comparative quiet for awhile. But
IRON 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 rom
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 a 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 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. It was that
Of the fall Of some heavy body.
Mingled with this there was a peculiar
crashing, grating sound, followed by a
stifled cry. Silence. Then there were
two or three muttered oaths, and
silence again.
The young couple shuddered. What
| could it mean? Leon tried to reassure
his trembling companion, but he was
interrupted by the cautious opening Of
the next door. 1t 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 young bride was sleeping
calmly. But not SO Leon. Despite
himself, the sinister face of the Eng
lishman's 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 flOor-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, It seemed,
at first, like a knife-blade, for the edge
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 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 it's heel
l. stained it's front. It was liquid
1t was a liquid of strange and unGnis-
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; it's 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 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 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 ser
wants were moving around the hotel.
In few hours the crime would be dis
covered, and the officers of the law
would be upon them.
"Alas," said Leon, "our only hope is
this; At o'clock the train leaves for
Paris. If the Englishman's body is not
! discovered before that time we are safe
We will take the train, and lose our
selves in the great city. There we
shall be safe
His weeping bride flung herself upon
his bosom. She felt almost as though
she had committed the deed
But there yet remained two mortal
hours before the train left. At each
step in the corridor they trembled with
alright. They made their prepara-
! tons for departure. Icons bride
wished to burn the bloody slipper, but
he restrained her, and concealed it on
| his person.
Seven o'clock sounded The hotel
was alive again with busting servants
Leon forced his wife to take a cup of
coffee, although she declared that her
| parched troat refused to swallow
They then descended to the waiting
room, and Leon demanded his bill.
The host presented it, and begged his