The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-10-19

July came. One hot and greatness
night Lux left the convention in de-
jected frame of mind. He felt Knocked,
deluded, discouraged. A score OF high
and naughty heads had fallen since
morning into the sack OF sawdust at the
foot of the guillotine. Hestopped on the
Pont Neuf to look at the, sunset behind
the trees Of the Champs Elysees. That,
too, seemed vast streak of blood.
With shudder he turned and walked
away to the gardens of the Palais Royal.
There the young deputy began pacing
aimlessly about, absorbed in unhappy
thought. Presently he heard light
step. A woman was advancing toward
him under the galleries. Adam Lux
saw face young and of amazing beau
ty, the skin like alabaster, the splendid
eyes unfathomably dark, a mass of
chestnut curls, with auburn tips. clus-
tering against dazzling neck, 1t was
his dream maiden in the. fiesh-the sub
stance Of that mysterious shadow which
had twice appeared to him in his own
city of Mayence HTith an absorbed air
she glided by Her white dress brushed
him gently. His heart gave furious
bound He turned and followed her.
She entered the shop of a cullen; the
young deputy entered also. She ad-
vanced4 to the counter and said some
thing to the man behind it. Lux failed
to catch the words. but the cultivated
voice was that of a gentlewoman.
The cutler produced a tray of knives.
In the shadow of the shop door Adam
Lux saw her select one--a poniard
knife, with an ebony haft.
1.-The price?" she asked.
"Three francs. cheyenne" answered
the cutler.
She put the money on the counter,
concealed the knife under her silk kerr
chief and returned to the garden. AS
she stated herself on one of the stone
benches abutting on the arcades Adam
Lux paused at her side.
..For PHYS sake" he entreated, "tell
me who you are. | have known you for
a long time, but your name-what is
your manner?
She started and looked up.
"You have known me for long time,
citoyen!' she echoed gravely. II do not
understand you"
81 am the deputy from Mayence," he
said, trying to speak calmly. sit was
at Mayence that you twice appeared to
me. For days and weeks my sleeping
and waking dreams have been full of
you. recognized you the instant that
saw you; it was just before you en-
tered the cutters shop"
A slight alarm dawned in her eyes.
Her hand went up to her silk fchu, I'M
der which she had hidden the knife.
Did she think him a mailman?
Zone should not dream i'm these peril
Gus days, citoyen,' she said sternly;
'sthere is little profit in dreams. He who
loves liberty must act
II perceive that you are an aristocrat
you belong to the mobiles; but your
name-your name?" he insisted.
She smiled sadly.
pardon, cannot tell it now, citoyen,
but before many hours it will be in
every mouth" She arose from the
bench. He put out a hand to detain her.
"Stayl Stayp' he entreated. "Do not
leave mel love you ardently. Strange,
incomprehensible as this passion may
seem to you, it will either save or de-
stroy me. claim you! Whoever you
are, know that you belong to me, or
why were you revealed to me in the
spirit before my eyes could look on your
living, breathing beauty? If you golike
this, leaving me no clew to your where
abouts, may never see you again.
Gravely, coldly she answered: "Do
not talk to me of love, citoyen; | cannot
comprehend you'll belong only to
France! Before the revolution | was a
Republican. You will surely see me
again, and then" with a strange and
solemn expression, ''you will under
stand everything. Now, citoyen, adieu."
Promise" he urged wildly, "that it
shall be so-that shall see you again"
81 promise" she answered, and moved
rapidly away.
Another day dawned and dwindled.
1t was the 18th of July, the anniversary
eve of the fall of the Bastille. The heat
was intense and the streets of Paris
swarmed with people. Adam Lux left
the convention at twilight. Marat the
horrible was iii; he had not appeared ill
the chamber that day. Engrossed with
his mysterious love rather than the af
fairs of the public, Adam Lux dined at
a cafe with other deputies.
In the midst Of their meal, Harriet,
the commandment of the national guards.
appeared in the door of the cafe.
"Look to yourselves, deputies!' he
shouted. "Marat is dead! He has just
been assassinated, and by the hand of
young girl-"
The deputies with one accord rushed
into the street. A terrific mob was surg
ing by, filing the air with cries and I'M
precautions. Lux found himself swept
away with it to the Rue DIES Cordeliers,
where Marat lived. 1t was small, di-
lapidated house and about its door that
raging, roaring multitude surged like q
sea. Yes, the leader of La Montague
had been stabbed to death by the hand
Of a woman. Adam Lux, pressing up to
the threshold, looked and saw the muir
deress coming down the stair, her arms
niniOned bayonetS surrounding her tho