The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-06-13

I keeping always about the same dis
tance behind him. Once or twice he
seemed to me to look apprehensively to
right and to left, as If he feared that
some one were observing us. I looked
also, but, although I have the keenest
sight, it was quite impossible to see
anything except the ragged patches of
moonshine between the great black
shadows of the trees. My ears are as
quick as my eyes, and once or twice I
thought that heard a twig crack, but
you know how many sounds there are
in a forest at night. and how difficult
1t is to even say what direction they
come from.
We walked for rather more than q
mile, and l knew exactly what our des-
tinaltion was long before we got there.
In the cen ter of one of the glades there
IS the scattered stump of what must
at some time have been q most glgan-
tic tree. 1t Is called the Abbot's Beech,
and there are SO many ghostly stories
about 1t that I know many a brave
soldier who would not care about
mounting sentinel over 1t. However, l
cared as little for such folly as the en-
peror did, so we crossed the glade and
made straight for the old broken trunk.
AS we approached. saw that two men
We're waiting for us beneath It,
When / first caught sight of them
they were standing rather behind 1t,
as IL they were not anxious to be seen,
but as we came nearer they emergd
from t.s shadow and walkd forth to
meet us. The emperor glanced at me,
and slackened his pace a little. so that
came within arms length of him. You
may think that / had my hilt we'll to
the 'front.' and that l had very good
look at these two people who were ap-
preaching us. The one was tall, re-
markably SO. and of a very spare
frame. while the other was rather be-
low the usual height and had brisk,
determined way of walking. They each
wore black cloaks, which were slung
right across their figures and hung
down upon one side like the mantles
of Murat's Dragons. They had fiat
black caps, Hike those which I have
since seen In Spain, which thew their
faces into darkness, though l could see
the gleam of their eyes from. beneath
them. With the moon behind them and
their long, black shadows walking in
'front.' they were such figures as one
might expect to meet at night near the
Abbot's Beech. l can remember that
they had stealthy way of moving, and
that as they approached the moonshine
formed two white diamonds between
their legs and the legs of their shad-
ows.
The emperor had paused and these
two strangers came to stand also
within a few PAGES of US. had drawn
up close to my companions elbow, so
that the four of us were facing each
other without a word spoken. My eyes
were particularly fixed upon the taller
one, because he was slightly the nearer
to me, and I became certain as 1
watched him that ne was in the last
state of nervousness. His lean figure
was quivering an over, and / heard
quick, thin painting like that Of tired
dog. Suddenly. one Of them gave a
short Kissing signal. The tall man
bent his back and hts knees like diver
about to spring, but before he could
move had jumped with drawn sabre
In front Of him. At the same instant
the smaller man bounded past me, and
buried a long polnard in the emperor's
heart.
My God the horror Of that moment!
1t Is a marvel that did not drop dead
myself. AS In q dream saw the gray