Year: 1868

terrible murder had been committed,
and the Hotel de Barren, situated on the
Rue Saint Saviour in Paris, was in terri
BILE ferment. A thousand reports were in
circulation but they all differed very mate
rally. Some declared that during the night
dozen savage looking men entered the
hotel, armed to the teeth, had bound the
servants, and then committed the deed of
blood. And yet the domestics were all free.
Others said that a single robber had done
the work, but rs nothing valuable was missing q
the lie was given to this assertion. Still
others affirmed that band of immortals had
made the visit upon some mission of ven
geance and taken soul away with them.
leaving only an inanimate body behind.


But there was one among the number
who gave an account with some degree of
calmness. He said that early in the even
ing he had seen a strange but beautiful
looking woman, evidently belonging to the
poorer classes, enter the hotel, and althou oh
he had kept a close aud constant watch. he
had not seen her come forth again. Once
he thought he had seen her form fit by the
window of the apartment where the murder
had been committed But this information
was very indefinite, for the woman could not
be found-neither had any one else observed
such character. All that was positively
known was that Jerome Desmolnes had been
stabbed in his bed, and was now cold and
bloody corpse.


Later in the day it was announced that
an arrest had been made by the police
Some time before man bv the name of Jean
DE Rodna had been arrested by the officers
of justice at the instigation of the Desmolnes
family. He had been found concealed in
the hotel under suspicious circumstances,
and he was convicted of an attempt at rob-
berry, and sentenced to the galleys. But he
had escaped, and was known to have breath
ed dire vengeance against his prosecutors -
The night of the murder he had been seen
near the hotel, and now that he was arrest
ed his conviction and death were beyond ques-
ton.


The trial came, and De Rodna was con.
demned to be guilotined.


A young girl had watched the progress Of
the trial, with a pale and anxious face
When the death penalty was proclaimed,
she left the Court with faltering step, and
proceeded to an obscure apartment in an
obscure street. Here she sat until darkness
came on, but she was busily engaged during
all this time. She was weaving silken
cord of considerable length, but quite small :;
yet of sufficient strength to sustain, suspend
ed in the air, the weight of an ordinary
sized person. About every twelve inches
the rope was knotted, which would prove
great advantage to any person wishing to
ascend or descend it, in climbing by its aid,
up or down high wall.


AS darkness came on the young girl enter
ed the street, having concealed the cord about
her person, and then walked rapidly until
she reached the Rue ST. Saviour She enter
ed a dwelling without even knocking, but
as she was ascending the stairs she was met
by an old woman, who asked:


I" Does he come here tonight, Matilda ?'


81 expect" was the brief reply.


Il thought that affair ended matters be-
tween you.'


1T may be so but will wait"


very WELL" The old woman continued
her descent, while the girl passed on up
wards. She did not stop upon tie third or
even the fourth floor, but passed on through
the scuttle to the roof. Then she crept
cautiously forward until she came to the last
building in that row of houses.


She approached the very caves, having
first aft xed her slken cord around /. Chin
ney, and clinging to it to prevent it from
falling. For two hours she remained in this
position. and by this time the street was
dark and silent below. She could see that
Light was burning in one of the rooms of the
third story, and upon the window of this
apartment her gaze was fixed.


Presently she began her descent on the
cord. 1t was fearful situation, for there
she hung upon that giddy hight sustained
only by that which appeared to be a single
thread. If that should break, she must be
dashed to pieces upon the pavement below.


Carefully the girl crept down the rope,
and at length she placed her feet upon the
window edge. 1t was Summer night and
the window was open. She gazed in and
saw a young man seated at an easy-chair,
putting his cigar at his ease He had not
discovered her, as his back was toward the
window, and not the smallest sound had
attracted his attention. In moment after
the girl was standing by his side, and leap
ing to his feet, he exclaimed:


Matilda De Rodna You here ?''


frown


10" ald you enter my apartment am
sure locked the door when l came in
les, he continued, for he ascertained by
trying that he had done so.


rerhaps came in before YOU entered -


"Ah, suppose SO. But what do YOU
want?" 'oD
:. " want to talk with you, Henri Desmo-
lines"


I" Very well be seated. and let me hear
what you have to say.''


The girl took proffered chair, and fixing
her eyes upon the young man. said:


Henri Desmolines, when met voa three
years ago, | was an innocent and bannv
girl. / believed all the world to be good and
truthful. When you came to me, You repre-
sented yourself to be a poor artist. | receiv-
ed you. Had known that you were one of
the richland proud men of the city, l should
have refused to receive your addresses, be.
cuse my father was only tradesman, and
the wea thy never stoop to wed the daugh-
ters of such. But, as a poor man, l loved
you and | firmly believed you intended to
make ne your wife. Innocent and confid.
ing, you deceived me ere the echo of your
promises had died away you forsook me.
and then l learned all. l did not reproacb