The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-11
THE TRANSIT OF THE
"RED DRAGON"
BY EDEN PHILLP0TTs.
Copyrighted

There nath been plot 10 steal the
diamond." declared Miranda, thought
fully. "This migrate hath worked upon
my wife's fear to suffer the stone out OF
her own possession, and hath conspired
against myself--the man whose voice
placed him in his present position OF
power"
"True, noble Cont; and but for GER
tain of the soldiery, who knew my name
and fame, my life had surely passed
from my body in such torment as the
great Signeur de Noircarmes had de-
vised The men were stout for me;
and Fpray you think upon them when
you shall arrive in Brussels, for else
their courage is likely TO meet with
ugly reward"
"rhey shall enter my service IL they
live tomorrow, friend. And now. Man
rique, this same wondrous splinter OF
twinkling stone--is il within the
BOUNDS of belief that, stripped naked
and subjected 10 the scrutiny of Noir-
carmes. thou couldst bring it safely
off?"
"Even so. Count; though of truth
thought little about the Red Dragon
when 1 stood so nigh to DEATH"
"My lady hath written; for false news
was brought to her that you had fled
with the diamond. She sent your
sealed packet with her own, by special
messenger. 1t reached me an hour
ago, and i, judging yonr oath broken,
straightway read what you had set
down. And yet only a further mys-
tery appeared-where learned you to
write?"
"In Venice. Count. Didst thou not
gather my secret from the letter."
"Assuredly no."
"And yet, hadst thou complied with
the direction, sought my corpse, and
gazcd on the face thereof, j, though
dead and dumb, might have told thee
Of the gem with sufficient directness."
He turned from the Count as he
spoke, walked behind lofty leathern
screen, and, remaining invisible scarce
half minute, returned. On his hand,
throwing n thousand twinlxlinc shafts
of brightness about it, lay the RED
Dragon"
Count de Miranda took the gem, and,
having gazed upon il with satisfaction,
regarded Manrique curiously.
"Men have been racked and burned
for less magic than this" he said.
..Trnly- there A1ns no magic, seignenr.
am plain man."
"And now the two hundred golden
ducats named in the later pages of my
lady's letter. 'Tis large sum-"
"Ay, my lord, but not unearned. l
have lost my armor. which loved only
less well than lite; have lost my
sword, that / would not have changed
| for twenty Red Dragons;' have lost"
Fear not for thy ducats, Manrique;
they are here, and only wait the count
ing. But / am curious as a woman in
this matter, and will give thee hun
dred more pieces to know thy secret.
Thou art about returning to Spain,
and, upon my oath, the mystery shall
not pass my lips 10 living soul"
The soldier reflected.
wilt thou swear, Count, never to re-
veal this matter-nay, not so much az
10 the wife of tiny bosomY"
"Most solemnly swear, Mnnrique.'
"Thou art't the only man on Gods earth
TO whom 1 would tell my secret; bat
trust thee, for i have fought behind
thee, and seen thee fight"
He turned away moment, then
turned again.
Look now upon me, good seigneur."
Count dc Miranda stared, and an in
voluntary expression of'sudden horror
burst from his lips. In place of tho