The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-06-14
your pleasure not to tell me-" an

your pleasure not to tell me-" l an
| swered.
"Ta, ia, ta," said he, impatiently.
"These are only words. The moment
that you were outside that door you
would begin making inquiries about
what it all means. In two days your
brother officers would know about it,
in three days it would be all over Fon-
tainebleau, and 1t would be in Paris on
the fourth. Now, if tell you enough
to appease your curiosity, there is some
! reasonable hope that you may be able
to keep the matter to yourself"
He did not understand me, this en-
peror, and yet I could only bow and
| be silent.
"a few words will make 1t clear to
you," said he, speaking very swiftly
| and pacing up and down the room.
"They were Corsicans, these two men.
l had known them in my youth. We
had belonged to the same society
Brothers of Ajaccio, as we called our
selves. 1t was founded in the old
Paoli days, you understand, and we
had some strict rules of our own which
We're not infringed with impunity." A
very grim look came over his face as
he spoke, and 1t seemed to me that all
that was Frence had gone out of him,
and that it was the pre- Corsican, the
man of strong passions and of strange
revenges, who stood before me. His
memory had gone back to those early
days of his, and for five minutes,
wrapped in thought, he paced up and
down the room with his quick little
tiger steps. Then with an impatient
wave of his hands he came back to
his palace and to me.
"The rules of such a society" he
continued, 'are all very we'll for a
private citizen. In the old days there
was no more loyal brother than l.
But circumstances change, and 1t
would be neither for my welfare nor
for that of France that should now
submit myself to them. They wanted
to hold me to it, and so brought their
fate upon their own heads.
"These We're the two chiefs of the or
DER and they had come from Corsica
to summon me to meet them at the
spot which they named. knew what
such a summons meant No man had
ever returned from obeying one. On
the other hand, If did not go, I was
sure that disaster would follow. I am
brother myself, you remember, and
I know their ways" Again there
came that hardening OF his mouth and
cold glitter Of his eyes.
you perceive my dilemma, Monsieur
Gerard" said he. How would you
have acted yourself under such circum-
stances"
"Given the word to the Tenth Hus-
sars sire" cried Patrols could
have swept the woods from end to end
and brought these two rascals to your
feet"
He smiled, but he shook his head
II had very excellent reasons why
did not wish them taken alive" said
he. "You can understand that an as
sassin's tongue might be as dangerous
weapon as an assassin's dagger.
will not disguise from you that
wished ito avoid scandal at all cost.
That was why ordered you to take
no pistols with you. That also is why
my Mamelukes will remove all traces
of the affair, and nothing more will
be heard about 1t.
II thought of all possible plans, and
am convinced that I selected the
best one. Had I sent more than one
guard with De Gondin into the woods,
then the brothers would not have ap-
peared. They would not change their
plans or miss their chance for the sake