The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-09-03

would he diet These and other thoughts
coursed through her brain like fire. Once or
twice she involuntarily pressed her hands
to her temples to relieve the violent throb-
bling. Then, with fresh alarm, she noticed
the looks Of Ill concealed pity on the faces
Of some Of her companions.
This all passed in a moment. Before
there was time for further thought the
strident tones of Dumbovotsk commanded
attention. At the sound of his voice Marie
shivered with apprehension. There seomed
to be something in the way that he looked
In her direction that BODIED Ill for her He
plunged at once into business and said:
"You all know our object this evening.
We needn't waste any words then. Ernest
Durand," he said, turning to tho trem-
bling Maris, "you understand that you put
your little forgetihenot underneath the
ministry Of public works at II o'clock to-
morrow morningf Francois and will
look after you"
Instantly Marie's mind flew to the con-
cealment that her brother had been exer-
cising, tho secret preparations In which
she had once or twice surprised him. Her
mind turned sick with fear.
| Dumbovotsk's announcement was re-
ceived In solemn silence, which was finally
broken by one of the brothers, who said:
But why the ministry Of public
worksr ..=
A low growl of approval greeted this
question. Dumbovotsk looked round with
an angry and eontcmptuous sneer, and
said:
Because command 1t. Docs any one
wish to break his oath and''- Here he
broke off with laugh that sent a SILVER
hVs.t
away from him until he stood in solitary
triumph. Again he spoke:
"Gentlcmen, Durand has to take the
oath, and then our pleasant little reunion
may dissolve"
Upon this the men formed ring by
joining hands, and the hateful leader him
self led Marie TO the center. For the fol-
lowing few moments she was scarcely con
scious Of what took place. The "brcth-
rem" were used to such scenes, so Marie's
helplessness excited no remark. With
somewhat more than usual gentleness for
him, Dumbovotsk placed her in n kneeling
posture, with head bent, while he took up
a position priestwise over her.
! Then the men solemnly incanted some
thing, Of which she but dimly remembered
the words brother, ""death, ""oath" and
GLORY" These scared themselves like
brands upon her confused senses. Pres
entity she became aware that Dumbovotsk
was addressing her. Quite gently now
or perhaps insinuatlngly would be bet
ter term-though with an undertone of
malicious triumph in his voice, he prompt
ed her in her replies She was conscious of
saying yes, '"no, ""no, ~ Eyes, +" in faint
whispers; then her tornenter raised hor
| from tho floor, and while the gang solemn
ly said, "Wo witness" Dumbovotsk hand
ed her dummy bomb, which, at his in
struction, she kissed After this he crossed
her hands, took them in his own-shc was
thankful that she wore hor brothers heavy
gloves-while he said: "
ERNEST Durand, in this enterprise we
arc comrades. / will not leave you, l
swear!"
Once more the gang chimcd in, 1--WE
Witness and then their captain dismissed
them Slowly they filed out, casting looks
of evident i'll favor at their dreaded leader
Marie went last and fingered in the shad-
ow of u doorway while she heard Dumbo-
votsk take leave of Francois, with final
words of instruction for the morrow.
When she saw the latter huryng away
homeward, she approached the lingering
captain with beating heart, but firm,
decided step. He started inyoluntarily as
she suddenly confronted him, but speedily
recovered himself, saying:
"HallOa, Ernest, what is the question:
81 am not Ernest, broke forth Mario
in tones Of pitcous appeal II am his sis
ter, and l implore you to spare him. You
only can save him. 1 beg my brothers
life of you!'
With gesture of angry inpatlcnce,
Dumbovotsk turned and Kissed:
$50 l have been trickcd by willful
jade, have II Hussy, tell you your broth
err has had his chance. He refused to help
me win you, and this is his punishment.
He shall be the murderer of the man he
hoped to see his sister marry. Don't de.
ludo yourself that you have saved him, {"
he added in hooking voice, ~ myself
will go and administer tho oath now. As
for you
| At this he made n stride forward but
Marie was too quick for him. Plucking
long knife from her bosom, she sprang at
him. The blade flashed in the rays of u
lamp near by, and with groan the dread
ed captain of the brotherhood sank lfeless
to the ground. She cast ono glance at the
body and fed. She ran till she was breath
less then paused to think. For moment
her brain refused to act-it wns n sccthing
mass Of wild thoughts and disconnected
/ pictures But with n supreme effort she
controlled herself. Her decision was in
slant. She would warn Emile. A mo-
mcnt more, and she was speeding toward
his lodgings
Luckily he answered her summons Mt
once. In n few moments he had heard her
breathlcss story. For moment he was
silent. Then he said:
I'VE must run home to Ernest. Per.
haps he is waking, and then -
He was afraid to finish the sentences
great fear SEEMED to overcome him. The
picture of sick man In the last stage of
mental weakness and goaded on by tho
worst fear arose before his mind,
Together they few of, Mario expcriene.
ing some relief in the strong handclasp of
her lover. Reaching home, they ran
straight to Ernest room. For moment
they paused at the doorway their faces
blanchcd with fear. Upon their Mortified
gaze broke the spectacle Of Ernest sitting
up in bed and toying with bomb. His
hair WIS dshcveled; his eyes were almost
bursting from their sockets in wild deli.
rum. As he caught sight of them he
shrieked out:
1.-THE oath, the OATH kiss-sec, kiss
Then he kissed the deadly toy ms Marie
had kissed the shell in the ceremony
Breaking from Emile ut this moment, she
rushed forward to pluck the she'll from her
brothers trembling hands. crying
1.-THE bomb-then this Is what you have
been hiding from me, Erncst'
Before she could reach him he fell back
with groan, and lot his plaything fall
with crash, at her feet. There was sick.
ening explosion. II confused nurInur as OF
many waters, and Emile knew no more un-
til he awoke in the street to find some
anxious friends bending over him and
watching for signs of returning life. lie
found that sweetheart and brother were
dead, that in one brief moment the happi-
ness had faded from his life.
From that day to this he and l have
been the only persons acquainted with the
true story of that explosion. And from
then till now he has remained single, liv-
ing as silent and exclusive as a hermit
London Tit-Bit
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