Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-03-18

with one hand and dashed his head on
the floor. And it did not end there.
I doubt if in craft the priest was his
equal. Behind frank brutality Beers
unless his reputation belied him-con-
cealed an Italian intellect. Under a
cynical recklessness he yelled a rare
cunning and a constant suspicion; en-
joying in that respect combination of
apparently opposing qualities, which I
have known no other man to possess in
an equal degree, unless it might be his
late majesty, Henry the Great. A child
would have suspected the priest; vet
eFan might have been taken in by the
vidame.
And indeed the priests eyes present
~ sank. Our bargain is to go for moth
ing?" he muttered, sullen1y.
81 know of no bargain quoth the
vidame. And 1 have no time to lose,
splitting hairs here. Set it down to
what you like. Say it is whim of mine,
n fad, a caprice. Only understand that
Mime. de Pavannes stays. We go. And"
he added this, as a sudden thought
seemed to strike him, though would
not willingly use compulsion to lady,
1 think Mime. do had better come too"
you speak nasterfully," the priest
said with sneer, forgetting the tone
he had himself used few minutes be-
fore to Mirepoix.
Just so. have 40 horsemen over the
way" was the dry answer. For the
moment. I am master of the legions,
Coadjutor."
.'Tnat is true Nine do said; so
softly that started. She had scarcely
spoken since Beers entrance. AS she
spoke now, she shook back the hood
from her face and disclosed the chest
nut hair clinging about her temples
deep blots of color on the abnormal
whiteness of her skin. THAT is true,
NJ. de Beers" she said. 'You have the
legions. You have the power. Rutyou
will not use it, 1 think, against an old
friend. You will not do US this hurt
when L But listen
He would not. In the very middle of
her appeal he cut her short-brute that
he was! mo, madamei" he burst out
violently, disregarding the beautiful
face, the supplicating glance that might
have moved a stone, that is just what
will not do. I will not listen! We
know one another. Is not that
enough?''
She looked at him fXedly. He re-
turned her gaze, not smiling now, but
cycling her with a curious watchful-
ness.
And after long pause she turned from
him. Every well,' she said softly, and
drew a deep, quivering breath, the
sound Of which reached us. ''Then let
US co. And angest thing
OF all-bestowing word or look on her
sister, who was weeping bitterly in
chair, she turned to the door and led
the way out, a shrug of her shoulders
the last thing marked.
The poor lady heard her departing
step, however, and sprang up. It
dawned upon her that she was being
deserted. diane! Dianei" she cried
on Croisette to keep him quiet, there
was such fear and pain in her tone
81 will go! Will not be left behind in
this dreadful place! Do you hear?
Come back to me, Diane!"
1t made my blood run wildly. But
Diane did not come back. Strange!
And Beers too was unmoved. He
stood between the poor woman and the
door, and by a gesture bid Mirepoix
and the priest pass out before him
Madame" he said-and hisvoice, stern
and hard as ever, expressed no jot Of
compassion for her, rather such an i'm
patient contempt as a pulling child
IS / Al