The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-09-20

! servants had not even entered the
apartment; the door had not been
Enclosed. none had stirred from the
| table.
The affair began 10 wear a serious
aspect. The old baron felt his honor
wounded, but still hoped that IL
might prove TO be an ill-timed pleas
antry. Under this impression, he
rose and said:
Gentlemen. some person among
you has doubtless concealed the box,
intending thereby TO give our illus
trious friend a fright. and. in good
faith, he deserves IL. for thus care
lessly forgetting 10 look after a
trinket said 10 be worth $4,000
forins; but as he seems really uneasy
about IL, must beg the person who
has taken 1t TO instantly return it,,
and confess the joke"
And the noble affected TO laugh.
None, however, responded, and Ethel
saw, with increasing uneasiness, that
he must now take up the matter more
seriously.
MY friends. you cannot feel
offended when l offer myself as the
first person TO undergo an ordeal
which, almost blush to say, we must
all submit to. We must be searched.
None but the guilty can feel annoyed
at this proposal" ..
Charles Hoffman started up.
by heavens. I'd sooner die"
hAp H.. -.
and objected to undergoing an opera
tion, which, at the very least, implied
a doubt. Poor Ethel grew very pale.
He glanced appealingly toward Sell
den. who now rose.
Let the door be locked" he said,
in a grave voice; "let it be well Sc
cured"
1t was done.
Now, gentlemen. you must eithel
acknowledge the correctness OF the
measure adopt, or /, the disciple OF
Juggling science perish!" and he
drew from his pocket small pistol.
NAY, start not. my friends; against
myself alone | mean 10 use this
weapon, and that only in case |
wrongfully accuse an individual now
present. You may remember, before
dinner | phrenologically examined
you all. There was little to say about
you generally; but there was one
among you in whom | could not be
mistaken-one whom | wished not TO
have named-whose presence ever
since has made me shudder. | see
the gentleman to whom ! allude al
ready turns pale. Nay, attempt not
to smile. ! am either a villain for
allowing a false theory to mislead
me, or you, Charles Hoffman. are
both a robber and a murderer"
A thunderbolt would have caused
less CONSERVATION. The baron start
ed up in rage and agony. The prince
thought that Selden had suddenly
gone mad, while the others looked
with searching glances alternately at
Selden and Charles. The former had
now resumed his chair, the latter
sat. pale, immovable What would
it all come to?
Baron Ethel was about to speak
in no gentle terms to the man who
had thus insulted his future son-in-
law, when Selden, waving his hand,
quietly said:
Search him."
The baron, in his eagerness to de-
fend his protege from any one who
should attempt to do so, sprang for
ward; but Hoffman, mistaking his
purpose, let fall the snuffbox on the
table.
The worthy old man sank, over
whelmed, into a chair. For a few
moments there was a deathlike pause.
The company seemed petrified, while
the trembling Charles struggled
fiercely to subdue his emotions. Al
length, as if overcome by the tor
ments Of conscience, he staggered up,
and incoherently cried:
The hand of God is on me! |
would. but / cannot escape His judg-
ment. Professor Selden speaks the
truth. / am a robber and a mur-
derer! Under the name of Gratz
wooed and won the lovely maid of
'"Ohi We SVOht Juol uON. III
ness | espoused her. Tired, however,
in a few days, OF being tied for life
to one uneducated and lowborn, hear
ing that Minna Ethel possessed un-
bounded wealth, and knowing that
my rustic wife alone presented an
obstacle to my marrying this fair
heiress, slew her, yea, cruelty slew
her, and caused her innocent lover to
be seized. AS for the robbery, | can
only say, I have long headed a bold
band, whom even now I'll not betray.
Oh, that cursed box was too brilliant.
Some spell lurked in it which drew
me with a force | could not resist,
and lured me TO my ruin. But
laugh at fate-I am prepared"
Before any one could prevent him
he had swallowed the contents OF a
vial Of prussic acid, and fell back in
the agonies OF death.
Three months afterward Selden
and Minna Ethel were married -