Evening journal., 1899-08-21


The young couple shuddered What
could it mean? Leon tried to reassure
his trembling companion. but he was
intercepted by the cautious opening Of
the next door lt 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
salmly- But not SO Leon Despite him
aeli. the sinister face of the English
mans nephew returned to his recollec-
ton. There WAS hatred, he thought, IN
the glauce east upon The uncle by the
young man when he lclt him: and then
the roll Of bank notes in ihe vaiise.
And tie DULL, heavy sound'but now, like
the fall Of body upon lie isoor-the
crg-the curses. Such wus'ibetraiR-df
thourlt that fnu through ieUn's mind.
Mechanically be iiNed his eyes up0n
tlre dopr watch rouimunSaftd witB the
EnEHshnuu's f0om. d'nere7Sns iittis
space beiwepn Ise 1TSgfeni ~ the d5sr
and tlA foorrse. b5 shedip iigiat fdl-
ihg from the Dai1ally turnca-doWn eas,
lac couidssoc Something forcing Sc wa5
under ite d0or. Il scemed, at tirsi. lilSe
that Of knife blade, loi the edge was
thin, and reflected back the light. II
moved slowly toward little blue satin
slipper. which had been thrown care
lessly near The door,
"Nhat can Il bee" thought Leon. is
it knife? No, for IL has divided into
two parts And now 1t divides agaip-
and yet ugain What can It be2 Il Is
some liquid
( The thing slowly crawled toward the
little blue slipper Il cncirclcd its heel
/ 1t stained ita front II was q liquid, IL
was a liquid of strange and unmistaka-
bic color-the color of blood.
For a long time Leon lay and gazed
upon the stained slipper and the red-
lsh stream which cncirclcl it. lie
. pictured to himself the corpseilying in
the nest room; its discovery the follow
ing morninei The door opening into the
room, OF which the bolts were on Isis
sile: the blopd=stained slipper. These
things passed through bis mind. and Q
cold sweat started ont upon him. TIC
attempted 20 rise end hide lhe slipper;
az he did 80 his wife uwoEr and started
with alright as She felt his icy hand.
''Nhat IS thc matterg' She cried
Leon explained TO her the tcrribl,
situation in which they were placed
! lie arose and attempted to remove th,
I tell-tale stains from The slipper, but ii
was useless.
Day was breaking. Already the serv
ants were moving around the hotel
In "a few hours the crime would be dis
COVERED and the officers OF the Law
would be upon them.
"Alasi" said Leon. "our only hope s.
this. At eight o'clock the tEpin leave
for Paris. II the Epglshman's bod.
is not discovered before that time W
are safe. We viii take the train am
lose ourselves in the great city. Thei
we shall be safe.
His weeping bride flung herself upoI
his bosom She felt almost as5thougl
{ she had committed the decd
But there yet remained two morta
hours before the train left At cec
step in the corridor they trembled wit
d alright They made their prepara
tions for departure Leon's brid
{ wished TO burn the bloody slipper, bu
p lie restrained her and concealed it o.
. his person.
, Seven o'clock sounded. The hofl
= was alive with bustling servants. Leo
. forced his wife 70 take q cup of coiIci
p although She declared that her parchc
q throat refused 10 swallow. They the
r descended into tho waiting-room, an
O Leon demanded his bill. The hest pr
sented st, and begged his pardon for th
/, noise Of the previous evening Leo
e assured him that they had passed aver
r quiet night
:. "Wen. I'm glad Of it," said the hos'
C "however, your ncighhor on the lc
c didn't disturb you much, l'll be boun
J. hes sleeping like q deadman yet"
Leon shuddcrcd. His wife graspe
r his arm eonvulsively-
T. Hes an English miiord, continuS
8 the host 'Wc'r goa tpnoiherq,nghsi
mhn here, too. who paid his bin an
r. lett ilis morning. lie snNe nae an En'
e lisa bank note. hope it's good. Loo
e at it what DO yoa think2H
~ Tie showed Ican bank note. On OF
It corner OF it There was q reddish stat
st seems to be good one" 81
i- Leon, with forced calmness. .Ifo
q long before the train goes?"
II "Half an hour yet, replied the hos
r- At this moment q waiter entere
x Gimme some brandy and soda, quic
u for the English milord," be rcmarke
De "and send up Il chambermaid with
ID mop; he dropped bottle Of port {
re the floor last night, and the ROOM
"a flooded"
u To the amazement of both landlo
IL and waiter, Leon and his wife sat doy
and laughed until they cried.
DC "Order as q good breakfast" said
ID to the landlord; EVE won't go until Z
t. two o'clock ualn. Adapted for {
san Francisco Argonaut from t
r French Of Prosper Merimee
y. Tricks IN Punctuation.
sr In Atchison the other day report
a. I