Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-11-04
CHAPTER XIV.
THE HAND OF RAaErrrE

THE HAND OF BABETTE.
I lay for time where had been
flung, overwhelmed with the disaster.
Then a frenzy came on me, and, but
for the gag in my mouth. could have
screamed out curses on my folly Iii al
lowing myself to be trapped like a wild
cat. Now that think of it, in the mad
ness of those moments, did not pray
to the God who had so often and SO re-
peatedly helped me; yet in His mercy
and goodness l was freed from my
straits, as will be shown hereafter.
In the meantime I was so securely
bound that it was all but impossible to
move, and the bandage over my eyes
prevented me from seeing anything. I
writhed and twisted like serpent on
the wet flags, where I lay, and in the
violence of my struggles gradually
moved the bandage, so that my eyes
were at last set free, and then, ex-
hausted by my efforts and half choked
by the gag, I became still once more
and looked around me. For all 1 could
see I might have been as before-I was
in blank, absolute darkness. Into the
void peered, but could make out moth
ing, though 1 could hear my own la
bored breathing and the melancholy
drip, drip" of water as it oozed from
above me and fell in sullen drops on
the slime below.
AS l strained into the velvet black Of
the darkness, it came to me, some
flend must have whispered it, that
was blind. My mind almost ceased
to work at the thought, and remained
in kind. of torpor, trying in weak
manner to mentally count the drops OF
water by the dull splashing sound they
made in falling. Ages seemed to pass
as 1 lay there, and the first sense of
coming to myself was the thought
Of Claude, whom l had lost, and the
quick agony of this made my other
suiferings seem as nothing. There is
misery that words, at least such words
as am master of, cannot picture and
will therefore say no more of this.
A little thing, however, now hap
pened, and but for this I might have
lain where was until died, SO entirely
impressed was I with the idea that 1
was sightless. In utter WEAKNESS I
turned my head to one side, and saw
two small beads of fire twinkling about
yard or so from me. They were as
small as the far-away stars, and they
stared at me fiXedly. This is some de-
ception of the mind" 1 thought to my
self, when suddenly another pair of
fiery eyes appeared; then there was a
slight shutting, and all was still. But
1t was the saving of me. Sight and
hearing could net both deceive. KNEW
what they were, and knew, too, that
was not blind. From that moment
began to regain possession of my fac
ulties and to think of means of escape.
In my vest pocket was a small clasp
knife. If could but get at that could
free myself from my bonds. That at
any rate had to be the first step. be-
| gan to slowly move my arms up and
down with view to loosening the
| cords that bound me; but after some
time spent in this exercise, realized the
fact that the ropes might cut through
me, but that they would not loosen.
| Then it struck me, in my eagerness to
be free, that might get at the knots
with my teeth; and by a mighty effort l
raised myself to a sitting posture, only
to remember that | was gagged, and
that it was of no avail to think of this
plan. There are those who will smile
perhaps if their eyes meet this, and
| put me down in their estimation for a
fool for my forgetfulness. That may
or may not be; but have written down
exactly what happened.
Although the new position 1 had at,
tanned did not, in any way, advance me
toward freedom, yet it gave me sense
| of personal relief. I was able to raise
my knees little, and sitting down thus.
with my body thrown little forward,
to ease the strain of the cords, began
to think and go over in my mind the
whole scene of the tragedy from the be-
| ginning to its bitter end. had no
| doubt as to the personality of Babette,
l was not likely to forget her voice.
had heard it under circumstances that
ought to have stamped it on my mem
DRY for all time; and if had the faint
est doubts on the matter they were set
at rest by the fact that she was SO well
known to de Gomeron-she probably
had been camp follower on our side
and also by the still more damning fact
that her house was known as the Toi-
son dor. The name had been distinct
ly mentioned by her, and it's meaning
was clear to Inc when l thought of the
dreadful scene over de Leyva's body.
AS for de Gomeron, l knew him wei
enough to understand his game. The
whole affair, as far as he was con-
cerned, was a sudden and rapid resolve
that was clear. argued it out in this
way to myself, and as went on think
ing 1t was almost as If some one was
me. 1t was evident that the free lance
was to the last moment in hopes that
the king would yield to Biron's inter.
cession on his behalf. When that was
refused he may have had some idea OF
gaining his end by force, but was com
PEELED to hurry his coup by the l,nowl-
eGge that he had obtained from his
confederate or spy, Ravaillac.
1t had worked out well enough fol-
him. My disappearance, my dead horse
poor Couronne!-all these would
point to me as the author of the abduc.
ton, and give de Gomeron the time h,
wanted to perfect his plans. The man
had run through would never tell tales
and SO far the game lay in the Cam.
arguer's hands.