, 1889-04-21

wound several times about his waist;
with his pocketknife he cuts 1t into four
equal parts. He tugs with all his might
on zach piece to prove its strength. No
dangeri it is strong.
He then glides like a snake on the bot
tom of the craft to the side OF the giant
upon whose lips fits a smile. Probably
it is her image that he sees in a dream"
thinks Remy! And with infinite precau-
ton, with all the care of a nurse who
breads to awaken her sick baby, he binds
the sleeper's feet and hands and ties him
fast to the strong seats of the boat.
Having done this the avenger stands
up in his triumph and sets to thinking.
How is he going to kill him? What
combinations Of cruelty shall he invent?
1t must be q long, long suffering, for
each cry that he EFFORTS from his enemy
will be like balm dropping upon his own
horrible wounds.
First, he will with one blow put out
Marks eyes. Remy already seems to feel
his two fingers plunging through the lids
and pupils of his friends eyes and bath
ing in his warm blood, and his soul
seemed filed with effable joy.
Only after this has been accomplished
will he reveal the truth to Mark and tell
him his sentence. The scoundrel is so
strong that he cannot he too CAREFUL
Once blinded he will be harmless, and
besides the movements of the Hercules
will be paralyzed by the bands with
which he has secured him.
Then, with a stab of his knife every
five minutes, beginning by parts where
there a be no danger of causing death.
And, when the pierced, riddled, mangled
body will be writhing in commissions he
shall pour brandy into zach of his gap
ing wounds. Both have well filled TASKS,
30 there is enough to make the fun last a
long time.
All of a sudden the avenger, who had
bent over to strike, arises to his feet.
His pallid c~ountenance seems paler than
ever. His hand, which was feeling for
his knife, falls inert to his side, without
the weapon. Then slowlyhe drops upon
n seat. He is shivering, his teeth chat
ter.
After he has taken his revenge what
will he do himself He will be alone
then. Alone to row for whole days and
nights, perhaps, he who cannot handle
the oars moro than three hours at a time;
alone to meet tempests which Mark might
overcome, but which would crush him
like a straw; alone to seek the shore of
that immense ocean which is to Mark
like an open book, and if perchance he
does reach land, he will be all alone to
meet wild beasts and perhaps wilder men!
1t would be deathi Certain DEATH And
what n DEATH
AS he thinks of these things Remy
trembles from head TO feet and his throat
becomes parched from fear.
Then, with still greater care than he
had used in the first place, Remy bends
over the sleeper, returns the picture TO
the scapular, cuts the four bands that
bind the sleeper, casts them into the sea
and returns TO his oars.
lie is none too soon. The sleeper
shakes himself, sits up and rubs his eyes.
His looks fall upon his breast. He no
tees the broken string and the picture,
a corner of which is sticking out He
becomes slightly pale and casts n glance
toward Remy, whose impassive eyes
seem TO be scanning the distant horizon.
Mark quietly pushes everything back
ahu pNtVOhS up hiS hLlhb' alISr winch ne
stands up in the boat and stretches out
his uerculean arms.
"AhI' says he, 81 have had a good
napl Welll old fellow, anything newT'
Nothing new" replies Remy, very
cordially.
"B-r-r-rl 1t is quite chilly. Suppose
we take n drink, eh?"
And taking from his side the gourd
which hangs there at the end of a leather
strap, he strikes it against the one his
companion holds out to him.
"Welll here's to you, little brotherr'
And Remy replies: Here's to you."-
Translated from the French for The New
Orleans Picayune.