Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1899-08-23

ised to retu' ,is evening, and to save
time he will drive back. I have just
bolted the doors after him. That 10
why keep you waiting. Now, how is
that business affair getting alongi
"'Yery well; but let Us talk about
yourself. You should not have let
Blaise 20. Even if he drives back he
cannot return before 10 or II o'clock.
Ny sole confidence was in knowing
that he was near you, and now he is
gone. And then that boy who ran be-
fore you had time 10 think Of making
sure lis news vas true! At any rate
Blaise has lett you the two dogs and
the gun, Las he not?"
"'Ihe two dogs are asleep on the
porch. Az for the gun, Blaise, must
have left it in the hall. I shall go aud
make sure. Can you hear Msrcel' He
is sitting in my lap and is saying good
night to you. Listen
Goodnight, papa, goodnight
Goodnight, my darling. I mast
get bite of dinner now, and then
will call you again
"Once outside felt oppressed with
what my wife had just told me. / ha |
dissimulated my own anxiety in orde.
not to add to her fears, but that UNI
easiness, which had hardly been quieted
by the first conversation, DOW waIsd
stronger at the thought Of this strange,
incredible letter which has taken away
my wiie's one defenS or, this only man
in tho house. Ny thoughts took 50
dark a turn that by the tiwe I reached
the hotel ! could not swallow q mouth
full. 1 left the table to return to the
telephone Office, but nay agent found
me and laid before me lot OF details
which where essen al to the success OF
my venture. cor'd not dismiss him
Immediately, and il was late when I re-
entered the telephone Office. Ny heart
throbbed with impatience and my hand
trembled 30 that 1 could scarcely hold
the receiver to my ear. It was soma
seconds before / could hear anything.
"'Hello, Louise, hello 1 cried. Are
you there, Answer me-
cat last l heard her voice, but it
4 was low, oppressed, fllel with terror.
"'Oh, it's you at last! For the last
hour have been nearly crazsd.
/ could not find the gun-that boy must
have stslen it when he went away,
Blaise has not come hack. They must
have got him out of tie way on pur-
pose. Oh, I am losing my head! J
can scare, ly breathe for terror-1
think l hear in the garden-far away
wait while l listen
"Clutching at the box for support, l
could only cry, Louise, / beg OF you,
do not leave me in this silence what
do you heart"
"'The dogs are growling-now they
are bsrkin g-barking furiously. They
have run to the bottom Of tho garden
nov, suddenly they are still. There ID
deathly silence. But, it sounds like
4 nuffled footsteps on the pebbled walk
as if some one were coming toward
the house
/" Go on, speak Louise! / am
strangling. lshall go mad. What do
, g. Nothing now-alnost nothing
yes, there is gentle, steady grating
sound, % il . chissl were being slipped
under shutter to force it. The sash
gives Ways window il broken. oh
am terrified" l..i
II shook the telephone box in my
agony. Telephone to Nsrseilles, ]
cried, TO warn the policep ~
"'How can II The city is three
/ leagues away, They would come toe
late-.and I cannot oh, I am goinl
mad ~ " re- -
Call for help or hide yourself -5es
that's it. Take the little one and hide.
".I cannot. I have no strength LEI
they are coming, the stairs creak-
are in the hall.-they are feeling along
the wall they try the door--Marcel-
My God-.help. help Z 80.
"There were two mufisd cries o
terror, then vague. confused noise
then . jsmble Of indsfnable sound
then silence. Something seemed tt
| crack in my brain, and i fell uncop
scious," q"
Gasping as il he had lived through
this terrible scene again, NJ. Marou'
concluded: From LIE Gazette Judiciar