The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-08-21
THE TALE THE
ASHES TOLD.
copyright, 1909, by Associated Literar!
Press

IHfH the world are each day pa
III tiently seeking in the laby-
rinthine ways Of evidence the
proof or disproof Of some poor wretch's
| guilt, the penalty of whose conviction
perhaps is death, and the life of a man
may be lost or saved by threaG LEM
der, yet so unbreaking and sure that 1t
holds inevitable truth in its meshes.
Sometimes there is only tiny seed of
truth. but a grain Of gold outvalues ten
of dross.
One afternoon last summer man
occupied the rear end compartment in
train bound north from Lucerne. He
was leaning leisurely against the door
frame watching the crowding throng
In the station as the train took on its
burden preparatory for the journey.
He was powerfully built, and even
In this attitude of repose he betrayed
the tense control with which he domi-
mated the abundant energy which per-
vaded HIM He was an American.
The train was about to start when
the traveller noticed woman strug-
| Cling through the crowd tov9rd it.
She had scarcely reached the rear end
when the train started, and the Amer.
| icah, jumping down. caught her bag
gage and assisted her to mount to the
compartment which he was occupying.
When they had recovered their COM
posure and he had slowed away her
| baggage he remarked that she was
young, richly dressed and wore jaun-
ty travelling hat which seemed haunt
ingly familiar to him. She was unmis-
takably French.
Oh! He remembered her standing op-
posite him at Monte Carlo on the night
Of his fortunate play. when the crou-
pier had put into his hands the returns
Of his lucky hazard. He also remem-
bered the expression Of hatred and
| avidity from the eyes across the table
| as he turned to leave. Presently she
felt his questioning gaze and spoke:
ooh, monsieur, je vous remercie!
Vous m'avez sauvee"
Though he caught the meaning of
her words in her smile and gesture, he
only bowed his acquiescence and set
tied back to read his paper. She sigh
ed and glanced at him from time to
time, but his attention was soon ab-
sorbed, and silence reigned except for
the rumble Of the speeding train. Once
he laid aside the paper to draw out
and light cigar, but she was gazing
intently out into the closing darkness.
Then suddenly she spoke in English:
Monsieur, give me 5000 francs"
The American looked up question
ingly.
"Monsieur, give me 5000 francs" she
repeated calmly, looking directly into
his eyes. He returned her look axedly.
MADAME, you are mistaken. am an
American traveller. We have never
met before"
"But monsieur will give to me the
money" she said. this time with un-
mistakable menace in her voice.
He did not answer her at once. Evil
dently this was not case OF mistaken
identity. It was threat. But how
could this mite Of woman carry out
the menace she implied in her per-
sistent demand and eloquent gesture?
His hand clasped the butt Of his re-
volver rs he answered:
"And If 1 will not?"
"Then will scream" she answered
simply.
He smiled at his own credulity. The
woman was mad. But this idea was
quickly dispelled by the look Of des-
| rerate determination she fixed upon
, his as she said:
81 will give to monsieur three min
utes"
They sat doggedly facing each other,
she watching the hands Of tiny
watch, he vainly conjecturing her next
move. The train began to slow up for
the next station. The three minutes
licked by.
Then she deliberately threw aside
her watch, tore her hat from her head,
disheveled her hair till 1t streamed In
wild disorder over her shoulders and
even dug her nails into her cheek till
the blood smeared her face. Mean
while she threw open the window and
screamed "a moi! A moi! Help. ze
American" and uttered sighs and
stifled groans. The american leaned
back in his seat and waited. the only
evidence Of his excitement in the furi-
GUS putting Of his cigar between his
| set teeth.
Before the train had come to a stop
in the station the gendarmes had
boarded and the accused man faced
four revolvers. Still he waited, a
frown of perpleXity on his brow. while
the woman gave the officers hurried
account of her struggle and held up
! to them the portemonnaie which. she
averred. he had not been able to wrest
! from her before the train arrived at
| the station.
The case looked clear The Ameri-
can rose to accompany the sendarmes
as their prisoner when suddenly he
stopped and motloned them aside with
q gesture so convincing that they
loosed their rough hold and stood back.
He took the cigar from between his
teeth. The ashes clinging to Its end
were an inch long.