The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-02-28

svgo. sI,o auU5a caGrfrryo. ~~~--ug yuU rtIuso
60 at once, monsieur. Dominique Fargo
may reach the city at any moment. Go
before ii is too late''--
1t was already too late There was
sound of footsteps above the rush Of the
rain, and Dominique Fargo came around
the Corner--a large, old man, with u swart,
bearded face. His blue cotton shirt-hG
wore no cuat-waS open at the throat,
showing his massive chest, and the unbOt-
toned sleeves fell away from his hairy
wrists His deep sunkcn eyes were blood
shot. His long, grilzled hair, soaked and
matted by the rain, chung to his cheeks.
At sight Of his prey his face lighted horri-
bly,. Lii move nomme!' he Missed, With
u forward spring.
Latttr with his eyes on the uplifted
hand, stood rooted to his place. But there
was a quick movement on the girl part.
She had thrown herself i'll front of the
intended victim, and the alligator knife in
D0miniQue's hand descending sheathed it
self in her bosom.
Without cry and like a bayou lily
whose stem has been suddenly cut, the
white figure sank into the ooZc of the
banquctIc, hor squirting blood dyGing the
succeed wall.
The old man passed his hand over his
starting eyes. He did not even stOOp to
see if the child of his ncighbor and old
colnrade in arms were dead, but stepping
back Il pace he drew Il revolver from his
belt and placed the muZZle against his
forehead.
His body fell heavily at her feet.
The report Of the pistol brought volu-
bic, hurrying crowd into the drowned
street. but there had been no witnesses of
the double tragedy-which caused cXtraOr-
binary comment. No one ever knew its
meaning. 'Tuinoyte Fargo coweringpuvcr
her nainolcss infant in the cabin on Bayou
DrsnuycrS, Henri Destrehan OH his death
bed i'll the old Dcstrehan plantation house,
oven THESE but dinly surmiScd the truth.
The deaf old cabaret keeper came out to
watch the removal of the dead bodies,
leaving the little room quite empty.
The untasIod glass of absinth ON the
bar glowrd like "a huge sGintillntiHg opal
in the purple shadows.
\ year later u man dliftcd at nightfall
one day alone into 4 cheap pothuuse on
the outskirts of Paris. There was an air
OF dncayed EGntility about him. His well
fitting clothes were shabby The lining
of The topcuat he carried over his arm was
frayed and much soiled.
His face, covered with "a stubblo Of black
beard, was haggard. His dark, shifting
eyes had IL dull, outworn expression. The
hand which he stretched out toward the
little glass, pushed toward him by the gruif,
i'll looking proprietor, shook almost us if
with palsy.
He graspcd the slender stem eagerly and
raised the glass to his lips, but set it down
again with a naIISt,arpQ shudGer and turned
away. Il cannot drink it,, he muttere.l,
dropping upon the rude bench outside the
door, and drawing the brim of his hat over
his eyes, if to shut out something from
his sight. Good! l am dying for it, YET
cannot drink it! There We're exactly
those green, changing lights in her eyes
that day! And when l remenber'-he
threw out his arms with gesture of self
loathing-'' when | remember that l am,
after all, a Laiitte only by adoption!'-M.
f. NJ. Davis in Romance.