Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-08-13

was indiscreet enough to tell him
that when my husband returned ant
he had a man before him he would
be less arrogant If you knew wha1
a look he gave me, what an expires.
sion of hatred his features wore!
know he has often been seen at night
wandering among the ruins Of the
burned mill. If my husband came
that way! If this man suspected It
1 tell you Martin, he is lost"
What is the name of this rascal?'
! Jean Bruno"
The postman remained silent. He
remembered having heard the inn
keeper call the man he had met by
that name He wondered then, with
alright, If the letter had not been
stolen from him. But he felt sure
that he had not remembered seeing
1t. He promised her that he would
go to greet her husband on his arri-
val at the market town, and warn
him to be careful. Then he hastened
to depart.
Unfortunately, his round that day
was exceptionally long, and the bad
weather retarded him. He arrived
little later than usual at the office,
and Immediately questioned the post
mistress.
She answered that she was sure ne
had taken letter addressed to Mad
am Andre, and a colleague confirmed
the declaration.
This was a thunderbolt for him.
His trouble increased as he recollect-
ed that many times some one had
called at the moment when the mails
were received and opened, to ask If
there was anything for Madam An
Dire.
He flew rather than ran to the
coach office, where he was informed
that George Andre had arrived, and
had set off on foot for his home.
The postman was much agitated at
this news. The prospect of a catas-
trophe for which he was responsible
rose before him. He saw George An
Dire, with joy in his heart, meeting
death on the threshold Of his home,
and misfortune falling upon the WI
dow and orphans.
Without hesitation, or even giving
himself time to enter his own house,
he set out again. Those who saw
him pass wondered what grave busi-
ness caused him, fatigued as he was,
to go back hastily by the route he
had just come.
When he had covered a quarter or
the distance to George Andres house,
he questioned some people to know
IL they had seen the traveller. He was
told that George Andre had passed
some time before. Joy at his return
gave wings to the one, as to the other
did the thought of preventing evil
crossing his path.
There was no doubt that Andre
had taken the road which would con-
duct him to the burned mill. By TAX
ing a difficult and dangerous foot
path, however, the Nostman calculat-
ed that he might still arrive at the
mill first. He still more fastened his
steps and reached the fatal spot when
the evening was sonie what advanced.
The place was pfopitious for an
ambuscade. A k!r.l Of cutting had
been opened berue some rocks, and
small, bushy T: sc. growing on each
side formed g. miniature avenue. The
clouds were oG1,'pg quickly, and
every now ard then covered the
moon, whose lays accentuated still
more the sinister character Of the
landscape. In the middle Of the cul-
vert he heard footsteps. 1t was doubt
less George Andre a few yards ahead
of him. The postman fastened to
meet him, when shot rang out, and
he fell. struck in the breast.
The assassin Immediately came out
of an adjacent thicket, but as he ap-
preached his victim to dispatch and
rob him, he found himself In the
presence Of a new arrival, and his
disappointment found vent in an aw-
full curse as he recognized George An
Dire.
The blade Of a knife glittered In
the assassin's hand, but before he
could use it he was felled to the
ground by a vigorous blow from the
newcomer.
At the same moment a woman
wild with terror threw herself upon
the postman's body, crying:
Unhappy woman that / am! l
I saw it all! He has killed him!"
1t was Madam Andre, who arrived
there just as the postman fell.
Jane" said her husband, Il am
not hurt"
"Is it not you? Who, then, has
this wretch murdered?"
They stopped over the body, and
by a ray of moonlight which just
then appeared, they recognized the
postman's face.
The husband and wife carried him
to their house, where he lived for
twenty-four hours.
Before he died the couple learned
the story of his devotion to duty and
noble heroism.