The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1896-04-03
|BY WILkIE. COLLINS!

XVII. CoNTINUEp.>

hi CHAPTER XVII .ToNTINUEp.,
He paused, and Trudaine again en-
ieavored to speak such words as might
show that he was not unworthy of the
deadly risk which Lomaque was pre-
pared to encounter. But once more the
chief-agent peremptorily and irritably
interposed.
IT tell you, for the third time" he
said. 81 will listen to no expressions OF
gratitude from you, till know when |
deserve them. 1t is true that recollect
your fathers timely kindness to me
true that l have not forgotten what
passed five years since, at your house
by the river side. I remember every
thing, down to what you would consid-
or the veriest trifie-that cup or cofiee,
for instance. which your sister kept hot
for me. l told you then that you would
think better OF me some day. l know
that you do now. But this is not all.
You want to glorify me to my race for
risking my life for you. l am weary
of life. | can't look back to it with
pleasure. l am too old TO look forward
to what is left of it with hope. There
was something in that night at your
house before the Notwithstanding
in what you said. in what your sister
did-which altered me. have had my
days of gloom and self-reproach. from
time to time. since then. I have sick
ened at my slavery. and subsection, anu
duplicity. and cringing, first under one
master, then under another. | have
longed to look back at my life, and COM
fort myself with the sight Of some good
action, just as a frugal man comforts
himself with the sight of his little saw
.ings laid by in an old drawer. ! can't
do this, and I want to do II. The
want takes me like fit, at uncertain
| intervals suddenly. under the most in
comprehensive influences. a glance
up at the blue sky-starlight over the
houses OF this great city, when 7 look
out at the night from my garnet win
dow-a child's voice coming suddenly.
I don't know where from-the piping
Of my neigh boris linnet in his little cage
now one thing. and then another.
wakes up that want in me in mo-
words your sister spoke to the judge
went through and through me like
| knife. Strange, in man like me, isn't
| it? am amazed at it myself. Ny life?
Bah. I've let it out for hire to be
| kicked about by rascals from one dirty
place to another like football! It's
| my within to give it last kick myself,
hnfnra /
| lodges on the dunghill forever. Your
sister kept good cup of coffee hot for
me, and | give her bad life in return.
Thank me for it! What folly! Thank
me when have done something useful.
| Don't thank me for that"
He snapped his fingers contemptu-
ously as he spoke, and walked away TO
| the outer door to receive the jailer,
who returned at that moment.
well" inquired the hunchback, "has
anybody asked for me?"
NO" said Lomaque; mot a soul has
entered the room. What sort of wine
did you get?"
"So-so! Good at a pinch, friend
good at pinch"
"Ah! you should go to my shop and
try certain cask, filed with partic
ular viDtage!
What shop? Which vintage"
Il can't stop to tell you now; but we
shall most likely meet again to-day.
/ expect to be at the prison this after
noon. Shall I ask for you? Good!
won't forget With those farewell
words he went out. and never so much
as looked back at the prisoners before
he closed the door behind him.
Trudaine returned to his sister, fear
full lest his face should betray what had
passed during the extraordinary inter
view between Lomaque and himself.
But whatever change there might be in
his expression, Rose did not seem to
notice it. She was still strangely mat
tentive to all outward things. That
spirit of resignation, which is the eour-
age OF women In all great emergencies,
seemed now to be the one animating
spirit that fed the fame of life within
| her.
When her brother sat down by her.
she only took his hand gently, and said:
| let us stop together like this, Louis
till the time comes. / am not afraid OF
it, for l have nothing but You to make
me love life, and you, too, are going to
die. Do you remember the time when
I used to grieve that ( never had a
child to be some comfort to me? / was
thinking moment ago how horrible
1t would have been now, if my wish
had been granted. 1t is blessing for
| me, in this great misery. that ] am
childless! Let Us talk of old days,
Louis, as long as we cannot of my
husband, or my marriage-only Of the
old times, before l was a burden and
trouble to you."
CHAPTER XVIII.