Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1891-05-07
light cloud toward his friends nostrils,

ana UTleQ 10 llSlL IL, DuU Vic tilTlll VI as
trocious evil that flashed through his
nerves caused him to let it fall
Its horrible!" he exclaimed. 81 can't
bear it.''
"Oh, what womanish qualms!" re-
marked Baudaret, almost testify, picking
up the fallen oscuro and handing it to
his guest. Smoke it; this may be our
last night together, and-and-"
Something in Bauderet's voice appealed
to Verot's sympathy, while at the same
time it made his heart almost sink. A
man lying in his coffin, ready to be
buried alive, might have had such
strain in his voice. His face was white,
with that ghastliness which comes in ex-
IRENE moments to dark countenance,
and his eyes, strangely dilated, burned
with dusky deep-set brilliance.
You know how l feel, Verot-you
know how l feel"
Again the Partisan essayed to light the
cigar: but the thing was not possible.
He flung it aside after inhaling one intol-
cradle draught of its smoke.
"Ha! ha! hal" laughed Bauderet.
You have less courage than supposed;
but then you Parisians, as I've often told
you, are degenerate set"
Verot had risen, and now stood tower
luS dUONt Ills HOSU, LIS
expanding and determined look in his
fine, fair face.
"That cigar was poisoned" he ex-
claimed.
"Oh, surely mott" said Bauderet, with
immediate concern, STOPPING and pick
ing it up. He put it to his nose.
Why, that is stranger" he cried.
What can it mean?"
The two men looked steadily, search
ingly into each others eyes, and slowly
but clearly read the whole situation.
One was aware that his deadly purpose
had been discovered; the other knew
that death was lurking for him in every
corner of that gloomy old house. Verot
was the first to speak.
How shall we settle this?'' he de-
manded in a hard. dry tone.
Bauderet laughed sardonically and
pulled lazily at This cigar, meantime
Struggling his shoulders as if the matter
were of slight consequence to him. II
think the best way to settle it is to 60 to
bed and sleep it off," he remarked, with
a half-yawn.
"Scoundrel villain! murderer ex-
claimed Verot, permitting for the mo-
ment his indignation to master him, ''you
shall answer to me now!"
Bauderet calmly. ''My sword room is
but step from here. Follow me if you
are not afraid
Verot followed, but not without
strange sense of insecurity. 1t was as if
some treachery were about to be sprung
upon him at every step while they
passed through two or three dim rooms
and along low, narrow passage between
damp brick walls, then into bare win
dowless little room.
"See here" said Bauderet stopping
close to one of the dismal walls, this
doesn't look like door, does it?''
He fumbled moment about certain
spot, pressed hidden spring, and pushed
open low shutter, disclosing another
cell-like apartment, dark, grimy, and ill
smelling. Into this Verot followed him.
They halted and faced each other, lit
tie lamp carried by Bauderet lighting up
the drawn and CHASTITY faces.
"We can settle our little trouble here
without the slightest fear of being inter-
rupted. This is where, as l have heard,
one of my reckless kinsmen who formerly
slaves while he was awaiting a chance
to run them off. Nobody living save
myself knows that this room exists.'
He smiled cynically, and lifting the
lamp gazed around at the slime of the
reeking bricks. Then he made little
petulent motion and said:
1.-THE swOrds-the rapiers-I have for
gotten them. Hold this lamp moment,
please"
Verot mechanically accepted the prof
fered light; but as he did so something
in Bauderet's look, or in his movement,
put him on his guard, or rather startled
him little.
"You'll not be afraid to stand here
moment while 60 fetch the swords, will
your"
He placed peculiar accent on the word
afraid and Verot felt the blood tin
gle in response to the insinuation.
"You shall soon have your test of
skill as well as of courage" he respond
ed; d" but if you are going back after
weapons you'd better take the lamp.
can do without it,"
sneered Bauderet, again letting his eyes
sweep the loathsome little cell.
He was still smoking the smouldering
black cigar, and the pale rings of fra
GRANGE slowly strayed in the chill, damp
air.
Don't stand there like that" said
Verot savagely, "or I'll stamp you into
the floor"
"A coward would do that" retorted
Bauderet, taking two or three light back
ward steps and pausing in the little door
way. 81 have some doubts of your
honor, or ought to have"
"Fetch the rapiers, sir" was all that
Verot said. His terrible anger was mas
tering him.
Bauderet retreated one more step, then
with fiendish leer laid his hand on the
heavy shutter.
You command, but l shall take my
own time to obey" he remarked in a
tone of constrained excitement. Chow
should you like to wait in this little
boudoir until your bride comes to you?"
Like flash the meaning and the pur-
pose of Baudaret's words and movements
leaped through Verot's mind. Already
the door was slowly swinging shut.
So frightful was the thought, with its
infinite Suggestions of horror, that the
tall Partisan stood for single moment
paralvzed.
Goodnight forever, Augustin Verot.
No n De-