Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-03-11

bility? Matters that do not concern
you? TROUBLED 1 see trouble hanging
over this house, Mirepoix! Much trou-
blei''
The miserable fellow trembled visibly
under the covert threat. His face grew
pale. His lips quivered. He seemed
fascinated by the priests gaze. 81 am
faithful son of the church. he NUT
tered; but his voice shook so that the
words We're scarcely audible. st am
known to be such! None better known
in Paris, NJ. lie Coadjuteur.'
Men are known by their works!'
the priest retorted. Now, now" he
cotinued. abruptly, raising his voice
and lifting his hand in a kind of ex-
altation, real or feigned, sis the ap-
pointed time! And now is the day of
salvationl And woe, Mirepoix, wool
woe! to the backslider. and to him
that putteth his hand to the pillow and
1ool1eth back tonight
The layman covered and shrank be-
fore his fierce denunciation; while
Nine. de Pavannes gazcd from one to
the other as if her dislike for the priest
were so great that seeing the two thus
quarreling. she almost forgave Mire-
polk his offense. 'Mirepoix said he
could explain she murmured, irreso-
lutely.
The coadjutor fixed his baleful eyes
on him. "MirepoiX," he said, grimly,
''can explain nothing! Nothing! 1
dare him to eXplain!''
An3 certainly Mirepoix, thus cha1-
lenged, was silent. Come the priest
continued, peremptorily. turning to
the lady who had entered with him,
your sister must leave with us at once.
We have no time to lose.''
But what-what does it mean ?'
Nine. de Pavannes said, as though she
hesitated even now.
rs there danger still?"
''Danger!" the priest exclaimed, his
form seeming to swell, and the ex-
citation had before read. in his voice
and manner again asserting itself. II
put myself at your service, madame,
and danger disappears! I am as God
tonight with powers of life and death!
You do not understand me? Presently
you shall. But you are ready. We will
go then. Out of the way, fellow,'' he
Numbered, advancing upon the door.
But MirepoiX, who had placed him
self with his back to it, to my astonish-
ment did not give way. His full bour-
geoise face was pale; yet peeping
through my chinl1, I read in it a des-
perate resolution. And oddly-very
oddly, because L knew that, in keeping
Nine. de Pavannes prisoner. he must
be in the wrong-I sympathized with
him. Low-bred trader, tool of Paw
aDnes though he was, sympathized
with him, when he said firmly:
''She shall not go!"
81 say she SHALL" the priest shriezed,
losing all control over himself. Fool!
Madmani You know not what you
dol" As the words passed his lips, he
made an adroit forward movment, sur
prised the other, clutched him by the
arms, and with a strength I should
never have thought lay in his meager
frame, flung him some PAGES into the
room. "Foo1!" he Kissed, shaking his
crooked fingers at him in malignant
triumph. There is no man in Paris,
10 you hear or woman either-shall
thwart me to-night!"
els that so? Indeed?"
The words, and the cold, cynical
voice, were not those of MirepoiX; they
came from behind. The priest wheeled
round, if he had been stabbed in the
back. I clutched Croisette, and
arrested the cramped limb I was NOV
ing under cover of the noise. The
speaker was Beers! He stood in the
open doorway, his great form filing it
from post to post, the old gliding smile
on his face. We had been so taken up,
actors and audience alike, with the
alteration, that no one had heard him
ascend the stairs. He still wore the
black and silver suit, but it was half
hidden now under dark riding cloak
which just disclosed the glitter of his
weapons. He was booted, spurred and
gloved as for a journey.
''Is that o?'' he repeated mockingly,
as his gaze rested in turn on each of the
four, and then Travelled sharply round
the room. $50 you will not be thwarted
by any man in Paris, tonight, Ell?
Have you considered, my dear coad-
jutor, what a large number Of people
there are in Paris? Itwould amuse me
very greatly now-and I'm sure it would
the ladies too, who must pardon, my
abrupt entrance-to see you put to the
test; pitted against-shal1 we say the
duke of Anjou? Or NJ. de Guise, our
great man? Or the admiral? Say the
admiral foot to foot?"
Rage and fear--rage at the intrusion,
fear of the intruder-struggled in the
10 x-r1, o11r7o hora