Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-08-15

! port
The port was brought and the English
man grew quiet. Finally the officers
having drank all they could carry, and
some of them more, departed, after hav-
/ ing joined III q 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 fra
! GRANGE 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 his face.
1t was the Englishman's dissolute
nephew.
The night wore on. Leon and his bride
had almost forgotten their English
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 Il peculiar crashing, graf
ing sound. followed by stified cry. 81
lence. 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 in
terrupted by the cautious opening of the
next door. 1t was softly closed again,
and then slow and apparently careful
footsteps We're heard in the hall. They
were lost III the distance. They ceased.
Again all was still.
Soon the young bride was sleeping
calmly. But not so Leon. Despite him
SELF the sinister face of the English
mans nephew returned to mis- recollec-
ton. There was hatred, he thought, in
the glance cast upon the uncle by the
that roll of banknotes in the valise. And
that dull, heavy sound but now, like the
fall Of body upon the hoOr-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 Eng
lishman's room. There was little 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 forcing its way under the
door. 1t seemed, at first. like knife
ed back the light. 1t moved slowly to-
ward little blue satin slipper, which had
been thrown carelessly near the door
What can it be-" thought Leon us
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.
1t stained its front. 1t was a liquid.
1t was a liquid Of strange and unmistak-
able color-the color of blood
For a long time Leon lay and gazed
upon the stained slipper and the reddish
stream which encircled it. He pictured
to himself the corpse lying in the next
room; its discovery the following morn
ing; the door opening into the room. of
| which the bolts We're on his side: the
blood-stained slipper These things
sod L..
sweat started out upon him. He at
tempted 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 matter?' she cried
Leon explained to her the terrible stu
arose and attempted to remove the tell
tale stains from the slipper, but it was
useless.
Day was breaking Already the serv-
ants were moving around the hotel In
a few hours the crime would be discov-
cred, and the officers Of the law would
| be upon them.
ALAS" said Leon, "our only hone is
this: At s o'clock the train leaves for
Paris. If the Englishman's body is not
3iscoveTed before that time we are safe.
We will take the train, and lose our
selves in the great G There we shall
be safe"
His weeping bride flung herself upon
MS BOSOM She felt almost as though
she had committed the deed
But there vet remained two mortal
hours before the train left. At each step
in the corridor they trembled with
alright. They made their preparations
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
| hn
forced his wife to take a cup of coffee.
although she declared that her parched
throat refused to swallow. They then
descended to the waiting room, and Leon
demanded ms bill. The host presented
1t, and begged his pardon for the noise of
the previous evening: Leon assured him
that they had passed a very quiet night
well, I'm glad of it." said the host:
however your neighbor on the left
didn't disturb you much, II' be bound.
He's sleeping like a dead man YET
Leon shuddered. His wife grasped his
arm convulsively.
Hes an English Milford" continued
the host. We've got another English
man here, too, who paid his bill and left
this, morning. He gave me an English
What do you think?''
He showed Leon bank note On one
corner of it there was reddish stain.
1T seems to be a good one," said Leon
with forced calmness. How long before
the train goes?'
Half an hour yet replied the host
AT this moment a waiter entered.
Gimme some brandy and-soda, quick for
the English milord,'' he remarked: .'and
send up chambermaid with mop; he
dropped a bottle of port on the floor last
night, and the room is flooded
To the amazement of both landlord and
waiter, Leon and his wife sat down and
laughed until they cried.
''Order us a good BREAKFAST said he to
the landlord, I'VE won't go until the
o'clock train. Adapted for the Argo-
naut from the French Of Prosper Meri-
NEE.
To Keep Apples Sound for Years.