Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-10-28

You speak maSterfulIy." 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. | am master of the legions,
Coadjutor."
THAT is true" Mime. d'O 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. Eutyou
will not use it, think, against an old
friend. You will not do us this hurt
when Il But listen"
lie would not. In the very middle of
her appeal he cut her short-brute that
he was. NO, madame!" he burst out
violently. disregarding the beautiful
tace. the snpplicating glance that might
have moved a stone, that is just what
| viii not do. | will not listen! We
know one another. Is not that
enough?"
She looked at him fXedly. lie re-
turned her gaze. not smiling now. but
eyeing her with curious watchful-
ness.
And after a long pause she turned from
him. Very WELL" she said softly, and
drew a deep, quivering breath, the
sound of which reached US. Then let
us CO." And without-stranges thing
OF all-bestowing a word or look on her
sister, who was weeping bitterly in a
chair. she turned to the door and led
the way out, shrug of her shoulders
the last thing marked.
The poor lady heard her departing
step, however, and sprang up. 1t
dawned upon her that she was being
deserted. Diane! Diane!" she cried
distractedly-and had to put my hand
on Croisette to keep him quiet, there
was such fear and pain in her tone
Il will go! will not be left behind in
this dreadful placel 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 his voice, stern
and hard as ever, expressed no jot of
compassion for her, rather such an inn
patient contempt as a pulling child
might elicit-''you are safe here. And
here you will stop! Weep if you
please" he added cynically. you will
have fewer tears to shed tomorrow"
His last words-they certainly were
odd ones-arrested her attention. She
checked her sobs, being frightened,
think, and looked up at him. Per-
haps he had spoken with this in view,
for while she still stood at gaze, her
hands pressed to her bosom, he slipped
quickly out and closed the door behind
him. | heard a muttering for an in
slant outside, and then the tramp of
feet descending the stairs They were
gone. and we were still undiscovered.
For madame, she had clean forgotten
our presence-of that / am sure-and
the chance of escape we might afford
Va Hl414llA3 IiCiSNl1 fiittItC Sic SdLtti Il
short time in alarmed silence at the
door, and then ran to the window and
peered out, still trembling, terrified.
silent. So She remained awhile.
She had not noticed that Beers on
going out had omitted lock the door
behind HIM. had. But | was M
willing to move hastily Some one
might return 10 see to it before tie
vidame left the house. And. besides.
the door was not over strong, and ii
locked would be no obstacle to the
three OF us when we had only MirepoiN
to deal with. So Kept the others
where they were by a nudge and a
pinch. and held my breath a moment.
strain'ng my ears to catch the closing
of the door below. did not hear that.
But | did catch a sound that otherwise
might have escaped me, but which now
riveted my eyes to the door of our room.
Some one in the silence, which followed