LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1821, 22 December 1879, Page 3

LITERATURE.

I A SunGHLAR ACCUSATION. By M. E. Pksn. ( Continued.) Half an hour later I was in the Marche du Temple, wandering in a wilderness of old clothes, and exposed to a running fire of shrill importunities from the march and es. every one of whom deolired (before I had stated what 1 wanted) she had exactly the thing to suit me.

Resisting these temptations, and escaping with some difficulty from one old lady who

wanted to invest me, nolens-volens, with a bottle green overcoat, I continued my search between the rows of little cabins, but for some time unsuccessfully. There were masquerade dresses in bewildering abundance, but they were all more or less tawdry, tarnished, and common place, I wanted something bizarre, original. At last, after some rummaging in recondite corners, I lighted upon what struck me as the very thing for my purpose, though it waa intended for a • travostisseraent,’ being, in fact, the genuine discarded costume of a Californian gold digger (the gold-fever was just then at its height.) How it had come there was a mystery, but there it was ; the serge shirt, the great thigh boots, leather belt, and broad-brimmed hat; I should only need a wig and false beard to make the disguise complete. As I had just, so to speak, ‘ discovered gold,’ there was a beautiful fitness in this costume which pleased my fancy. I struck a bargain on the spot; the wig and false beard I purchased elsewhere, and drove homo in triumph with with my spoils. It waa now nearly seven o’clock, and before going upstairs I asked the concierge—a surly, silent old man, whose nature seemed to have got soured with waiting for lodgers who never came—whether he had a letter for me. Yes, he said, grudgingly, there was one ; It had been left by an hotel cornmissionnaire a few moments previously; and he handed it to me with a distrustful glance, as if he suspected it of containing treason against the state. I mounted the stairs three at a time, locked myself into my den, and opened the welcome missive. There was a letter—but where was the cheque ? A dire foreboding seized me. My heart, figuratively speaking, sank into my boots, as I unfolded the note.

‘Dear Frad—l thought proper, before sending you the money, to ascertain how that debt of yours bad been contracted. Since parting from yon this afternoon I have made some inquiries from an acquaintance of yonra’ (Sam Drummond, I suppose. Humph!) ‘which have enlightened me considerably on that and other matters ’ (Oh, Samuel, my friend, I owe yon one for that!) ‘ As you own recklessness has brought you into this difficulty, your own ingenuity must get yon out of it. You have nothing further to expect from, ‘ Your indignant uncle, ‘ W. fROIiVN.’ This was a ‘ crusher.’ 1 sat staring at the letter, quite unable at first to realise my position. Then, in a flash, as it were, I saw the precipice before me. In a few moments Isaao would be down upon me, hungry for the spoil, I knew him too well to expect to move him by my piteous story, even if he believed it, which was doubtful. Most probably he would jump to the oonc’usion that I had appropriated the money to some other purpose, and dire would be bis wrath. Already I seemed to see the walls of Ste. Pelagie looming before me, and once on the wrong side of them, when should 1 get out again ? My only safety lay in flight. I resolved to start at once, and so avoid an unpleasant scene. I began my preparations in desperate haste, fancying every moment that I heard bis footstep on the stairs, I hastily packed a taw necessaries in a carpet bag ; the rest of my clothes, and a select library of medical works, I left him as a parting gift. There was a heap of odd things, however, which I could not take with me, and did not care to leave behind for him to overhaul. It would take too long to burn them piecemeal, so I resolved to throw them into the river. I crammed them all pell-mell into an old leather portmanteau, putting in all the heaviest things I could find, including a pair of dumb bells, to weight it. I had just completed my task when I beard—it was not fancy this time—a footstep on the stairs, and after a pause there was a gentle tap at the door, I would have given a good deal to avoid the interview, but there was no getting ont of it now ; I must bear ss best I conld his reproaches, taunts, and insinuations ; I only hoped I might not inadvertently knock him down.

X was just about to admit him, when glancing forlornly round the room, my eye fell on the ‘ digger’t’ costume. A brilliant idea occurred to me. Disregarding a second more imperative summons at the door, I hurried on the clothes over my own, aud assumed the wig and bushy beard, which were as complete a disguise as could be desired. Having done so, I opened the window and flung the portmanteau into the river, where it fell with a loud splash; then unlocked the doer, and confronted my visitor. It wes not the Jew. So much I saw at a glance, but I had not time to see more ; for no sooner had I appeared on the threshold than the stranger, whoever he was, literally flung himself upon me and brought mo to the floor, falling with me. Before I could utter a ory his hand was on my throat, the cold barrel of a revolver was pressed against my temples, and, with his face close to mine, be whispered—- ‘ Where is the cheque ?’ But the words had hardly left his lips when he started, looked at me more closely, then drew back with a sadden change of expression to astonishment and consternation. * Diablo !’ he muttered, * it’s the wrong man!’ He stared at mo stupidly a moment, then took his hand from my throat, sprang to h:s feet, and in an instant was gone. I was too houleverse by the unexpectedness of the attack to make any effort to de tain him ; and when I had picked myself up, none the worse for the tumble, and collected my scattered wits, the ludicrous side of the adventure struck me so forcibly that I sat down and langhed till I was exhausted. Thinking it over, I concluded that my late visitor was one of Isaac Olbach’s ‘ugly customers, ’ who had overheard my incautious mention of the cheque, and had followed me home from the shop. It was easy for him to enter the house without being noticed by the concierge, who seldom pnt his head out of his logo, I was still chuckling over the thought of how the thief had been “sold,” when once more there was a footstep on the stairs. No doubt about its being Issac this time, for I could hear him grumbling, under his breath, at having to mount so high. I hastily adjusted my wig, which had got disarranged in the sonffie, took up the valise I had packed, and presented myself at the door before he had time to knock.

He started and retreated a step, nut recognising me in the least. • Did you want me, monsieur ?' I demanded politely, in an assumed voice. ‘Pardon,’ he answered, recovering himself, ‘itis M. Weston I want. I see that I have mistaken the room.’

‘ This is his room, bnt you won’t find him in it, ’ 1 returned ; and, brushing past him, I quietly descended the stairs, leaving him to reconnoitre at his leisure. Apparently he soon discovered the tries, for 1 had not reached the ground-floor when I heard him hurrying down after me. shouting ‘Arretez! arretez!’ The concierge emerged from his logo as I passed, but, though Isaac called out to him to stop me, he was far too much startled by my appearance to attempt it. I got safely out into the street, hurried along the Qaai d’Orleans and over the Pont da la Tournelle, and then proceeded more leisurely to Delattre’s rooms in the Hue des Ecoles. He was as far from recognising me as the others had been. Mv story sent him into such fits of laughter that it was sdme time before he recovered his gravity sufficiently to ask, “ What do you intend to do now? Having divested myself of my theatrical properties, I had taken a seat and a cigar. ‘ Smoke, if you will give mo a light. Thanks !’ ‘What are your plans, I mean? You can’t go on dodging Isaac for ever. Sooner or later he’ll run you to earth, and after that ’ ‘ The deluge. My good fellow, it’s no nee asking what are my plans; you might as well put the question to a man shipwrecked on a rock Suggest something, and I’ll do it.’ He looked at me thoughtfully, twisting the ends of his neat little black monstache. * Why not turn “digger” in earnest,’ he ■aid, at length, in the coollest way possible. 1 started. The idea gave me a galvanic •hock, * Are yon serious ?

‘Perfectly. You are not wedded to your profession; or, if you are, it is a “ marriage de convenience” without much affection. Take my advice; “ throw physic to the dogs,” as your Shakespeare beautifully says, go out to the new Land of Promise where fortunes are dug up like potatoes, find a monster nugget, and return triumphant. What do you say ?’ ‘Hurrah for California,’ I exclaimed, starting to my feet. ‘ I'll go—it’s settled. I’m off to the diggings to morrow. But stay,’ I added, with a sudden change of tone ; ‘ how am I to get there ? I have barely enough cash to take me to Liverpool, and as for mo passage and outfit —' He interrupted me by going to his desk and taking out a plump little roll of notes, which he thrust into my hands. ‘ You shall repay me when you have found the famous nugget. I’ll go with you as far as Liverpool ; my father has some friends there, and it will be a capital excuse for taking a few weeks’ holiday.’ And so, in this off-hand fashion, my plans for the future were settled.

We agreed that, under the circumstances, the sooner I was out of Paris the better, and by noon the next day we were on our way to Calais by the mail train. Ten days afterwards I found myself on board the good ship Goldlinder, bound for San Francisco. The curtains falls on the first part of my story, to rise again after an interval of two years. I shall not dwell on my sojourn in California. Suffice it to say that, happier than many of my fellow-adventurers, I found the Land of Promise a land of fulfilment. Fickle Dame Fortune, after buffeting me so long, took to pelting me with nuggets by way of compensation, I was successful beyond my utmost hopes. For eighteen months I stuck to the spade and‘cradle’; then, being heartily tired of hard work and rough living, I resolved to return to civilisation. I had more than once written to Delattre, but no letters had reached me in return. I took ship for Havre, intending to spend a month or two in Paris before returning to settle in England. I was anxious to acquit myself of debt, and to see whether my old friends would recognise me. I rather doubted it when I looked at the ferocious individual my glass reflected, bearded, vith bronze skin and unkempt hair, I should scir ely need a false heard and wig now for purposes of disguise. It was a bright spring evening when I found myself once more in Paris, loitering along the familiar Boulevards, and attracting more attention than was quite agreeable, for I had purposely delayed ‘civilising’ myself till I had called upon Isaac Ulbaoh. I crossed the Seine and made my way to a certain cafe in the Rue Soufflott, where I knew that the money-lender was in the habit of taking his petit verre in an evening. It was a dull and dingy little place, chiefly frequented by lawyers’ clerks, small tradesmen, and the like

The mistress of the establishment was a plump Jewess, who looked up from her crochet with a startled air when I sauntered in. Indeed, the entrance of such a formidable stranger made qnite a sensation in the place ; the habitues glanced at me distrustfully, and the garcon —an overgrown youth, with a shock of frizzy hair like a black mop backed away from me apprehensively when he took my order, as if he feared I might assault him. A glance round the room showed me that the Jew was not there, but before I had finished my coffee he came in, nodded to the dame du comptoir, and, taking a seat with his back to me, was soon deep in the * Monltear de la Bourse.’ 'J here was a large mirror opposite to him which reflected my figure at full length, and presently, as he raised his glass to his lips, he looked up, and oar eyes met. The change in his face was something to he remember. He started, put down his glass urtssted, stared at my reflection a moment, as if fascinated, then wheeled round in his chair and looked me in the face. There was something in bis expression that puzzled me. It showed not only recognition, but a sort of horrified astonishment. Before I bad time to address him, he rose, and approaching the proprietress, whispered an inquiry which evidently referred to me, to which she replied by shaking her head and shrugging her plump shoulders. After another keen glance at me, he leaned over the counter and whispered to her again. The words he uttered were few. but their effect was electrical. She dropped her crochet, and uttered an exclamation which caused the habitues to look up from their cards and dominoes, and the gargon to stand transfixed with a coffeepot in one hand and a cognac bottle in the other, ‘ Monsieur Ulbaoh, what do you tell me V she cried, ‘The truth, and I am ready to prove it,’ he answered aloud, and turning round he pointed full at me. ‘ The man is an assassin I’ I started to my feet. Was he out of his senses ? ‘Why, Isaac,’ I exclaimed, ‘whom do you take me for ? Don’t you know me Y • I know you very well, ’ was his emphatic reply, as he shook his forefinger at me, ‘ though 1 have only seen you once before, and that was on the evening of Mardl-Gras, two years ago, at a house in the Hue St. Louis, where you had just robbed and murdered a client of mine.’ Theta was a general exclamation of horror. I looked at him in stupefaction. He was perfectly serious, and evidently believed what he said. {To be continued.')