Catoctin clarion., 1897-05-06

Keppel Darke, finding that the red
haired man was Frenchman, spoke to
him in that language, with which he had
tolerable familiarity. Dupont, indeed,
had lived in London, and knew enough
English to make himself understood.
But in his present desperate condition his
thoughts inevitably expressed themselves
in his mother tongue, and much of the
time he was probably not aware Of what
he was saying. He had been ill four
days, the seeds of the fever contracted
on board the ship having broken out two
or three weeks later. Delirium occasion
ally overcame him, and he would mutter
things that he fancied he was keeping
locked in his heart.
care you alone herey' asked Keppel.
Have you no physician"
"No, no." replied the other. 81 shall
soon be we'll. need no one. Who sent
you here? Who are You? I am only
poor man. Have you seen Maurice?
Bah! he is dead You can't deceive me-
have done him no harm. buried him
tho captain and l. He cannot come
back"
"What is your disease?" Keppel asked
"They all had it-all but the captain
and me. had seen yellow fever before;
was not afraid shall get well; am
not going to die with all these millions
Il am poor man; have wandered up
here; Tn looking for work. Maurice
he follows me everywhere. What differ
ence can it make to him what do with
the treasure? A dead man has other
things to think about. The emperor has
enough without this. What is he but a
robber? He stole them; have as much
right to them as he" His voice sank in
unintelligible mutterings.
what does all this mean" said KEEP
pei to himself. "Treas,lre-the emperor
"a dead man-robbery! He has muir
dered somebody, probably. And he has
yellow fever. He'll die of it, too, and /
may catch it myself. No matter; here |
am, and here stay, for tonight at least
can't 60 any farther, and can't leave
dying man either, even if he is a muir
derer. have special sympathy for
murderers, | suppose. At any rate, l am
as much of vagabond and desperate as
he is. This is a poor place to die in, but
he will be better off with me here than
he would be alone. Though he doesn't
seem very hospitable. I'll make myself
at home"
He raised the head of the sick man,
smoothed out his pillow and rearranged
the bed clothes. AS he was STOPPING to
tuck the blanket under the mattress he
felt something cold touch his forehead,
and lifting his head quickly confronted
the mu.zlc of the revolver within an inch
of his mouth. The sick mans finger was
upon the trigger, and his features were
twisted into hideous look of terror and
malevolence. Keppel had the instinct to
remain perfectly still, with his gaze fixed
upon the other.
"You thought you could rob me, said
Dupont, between his teeth. I'm not to
be robbed while I'm alive, and you shall
die first. | know you-accursed spy"
His long yellow finger had begun to
contract to pull the trigger. Keppel's
lips grew white; death looked ugly. Sud
denly a startling change swept over Du-
points visage. His red eyebrows lifted
in strange stare, his eyeballs protruded
and his black lips curled back from his
teeth. But his eyes were directed no
longer upon Keppel, but to the farther
corner of the room. The next instant he
had pointed the revolver in that direc-
ton, and fired over Keppels shoulder,
almost deafening him. He then dropped
the weapon and sank back screaming
with his hands over his face.
Keppel secured the revolver, and then
looked round. There was no third per-
son in the room The bullet had passed
through wainscot panel.
"What the devil were you shooting
at?" he demanded sternly.
"a bullet won't kill him." quavered
the man; she can die but once. But he
comes-he is always here. It's the treas
ure he wants. What can dead man
do with treasurer
"Your dead man has saved my life, at
all events" muttered Keppel, land I'm
obliged to him for it, AS for you-well!
You will never harm any one again.
This is an ugly night; wish 1t were
over And what of tomorrow
He found another candle, lit it, and,
having put the revolver in his pocket
set out to explore the house. There was
scarcely anything in it except the bare
rooms; but in closet in the kitchen he
found some loaves of bread almost as