The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-11-27
[cosr1NUED FROM LAST WEEK. !


'She is no spy my friends She is sealed to Carlos"
aye, Beauty and Booty' growed Carlos
Rosea's shril scream Of horror echoed through the
hall this proof of Vicors fearful treachery and she
swooued in the arms of NiaIbel.
"And the other the othdi?" roared one of the con-
spirators as he caught sight Of Fiola's pale face
"Sealed to me' exclaimed St. John "Carlos and
have been at work already This is our affair, and does
not concern the league"
"Aye," cried Carlos staggering in triumph ''What
says our law about such things-every catch his
own BIRDS
brutal laugh the admring answer.
Swing up the traitor?' commanded St John desir-
ing to turn the attention of the uDrulY satellites.
ShieI who had fattered lAnself with sudden born
hope when Rosetta pleaded for him. now struggled with
all madmans strength and though the moose was
drawn about his neck he grapped the throat of Mapes
the cord was hurried upward with fine mad haste of
brutal vengeance and before those eho running
the ball with the other end of the rope could be
checked both Shel and Mapes were swinging almost 10
the lofty ceiling Shie held by the cord and Mapes by
! the deathgrip of Shiel.
Lower away! Let loose? Let fall" shouted Carlos.
But Shie fierce in his agones and vndictve in dying
anticipated the and suddenly let 60 his grasp
that Mapes was precipitated headlong from height of
twenty feet.
He fell with crash and lay motionlessupo the floor
"He is dead a handspke, groWlcd Carlos, turning
the wretch over with gentle hand. "Wevelost one
of our best men, my mates, and so there's end of
that
"The next in command must head the two bands thus
deprived Of their leaders" remarked st. john author
ativey Let the traitor swing there until we need the
rope again; and think the need is near 1t is my term
to say, There is a traitor among usl"
sudden stiffness teu upon all and many shrank from
the meuacng glance of the chief as it flashed here and
there as if seeking some to denounce.
TO the test" continued st. John. LET every
name his coin himself and unmask. traitor may get
into this hall but he cannot get out alive"
f,l ,oI- +Ln I, T,,I
held tie small box into which each had dropped
coin after entering the hall.
One by one the conspiratos advanced to the dais
masked, gave a number and name until but one man
remained.
Come forward, mask. Call for your coin give its
date, your name and unmask, said St John, Sterny.
Ihe mask advanced and spoke:
"I demaud my golden passport in the name of the
league
Right said St. John
I'm right OF its date, 1884"
/ hight
"And in the name of Pierre Hyart."
"Unmask andif you are he seek il continued St. John
appicantthrew aside his mask and stood revealed
"Benditto the fortune-tcer" exclaimed Carlos, while
st. John stared upon the bold Italian with savage exu
tation
! He is an interloper! spy! Hang him shouted the
conspIrators.
you bear your sentence, Benditto," said St John
Execution follows insautly-my very cunning count
ALdIiO ul Atl0SttI, .Oi IlOicuCe.
/ Look, like Mario nOw!" exclaimed he whom we
have thus far known Bendtto, casting off wig of
grizzly locks, his false eyebrows and false beard and
the same time rapidly passing handkerchief over bis
face after dipping it in an urn Of water near him.
f., AMI count Mario my very cunning Henri LeGIaud!"
But for moment st. John seemed specifies with
horror and then atterR wild of terror upon the
face before him he shrieked rather than exclaimed
''Cara di Ante Ny wife."
"Will you hang me now, Henri LeGrand? Shall the
cord the dagger finish the assassination poison which
failed to compete' demanded Cara-fori it was she the
original Of the portrait Of the Italian -irl.
Captain St. John was in tremor Of terror and dis
may. 1t seemed to him that his wife had suddenly
sprung from the grave STILL the deyiIish audacity of
the man finally came to his aid.
You shall not hang, vindictive woman though such
bodness deserves no mider punishment"
\ beware, sad Clara, "lf once dreamed that You
as you sit there, il this den Of villains could dare raise
your hand against me, or speak to my injury you should
die upon the instant have but to cross my hands
above my head, and you die where you sit
st. John grew pale for all his boldness, and his eye
wandered from face to face, if seeking for the
bushed foe. lie saw no covert violence in the aston
ished features about him, ycthe knew the daring
was not speaking falsely.
Had his eye been enough to pierce through the