Evening star., 1898-07-23

ROD MIN of his pluEder! 1t was that rath-
er than curiosity, that led him to Green to-
wafd them, nearer nearer, wrggle behind
parrel' ana crawl so close that, with out
stretcned arm, ne could have stabbed Nor
teri Mortier had been alone
Buckhurst. pale-faced, calm, bent his COL
oiless eyes On Mortter, and spoke in the
passionless voice that always struck a chill
10 the Mouses marrow:
NJ. Mortler, you misunderstood me.
am not in this city for my health nor an,
H.. l mere to preach the commune There is
but one thirg l am looking for-mopev
and don't care how / get it or wbars I
get it. Prussian thalers or French fran.,
It's all one to me- 'Ne''
Mortler raised his hideous head and fixed
MS little green eyes on the bloodlass faca
before him. e'@ As'ce
one minute" said Buclshurst. then I've
iinished' NOT to waste words the situa tion
~, rs this; captain Stauffer has arranged to
open the Nanterre fort to the Pruss;ans.
1 nave agreed to run a tunnel from this eel,
iar under the street to the bastion p,bara
me Prophet isl think it's bastfon No ~
Dreach IN the ramparts directly behind the
Nahterre fort Do you comprehend?"
ne paused moment, then added: For
thls we divide 100000 thalers. Vi
Stauffer began to speak eagerly b;s ,,a,,
race nghtng up as he proceeded.
IT was Speyer's plan; he had ii In view
peiore war was declared last .JuIv He anJ
iooSed In this house and planned IT ali
n ha
uon No. 73-d-n the man who knoclrad hi
on the head! But we can do II aIone-an
we want of you is to help with the tIInne1
II Wlii be worth your whiie-really it wiIlr'
oaat. tts eyes seemed to grow incandes-
cent; the great veins swelled out on his
paid dome-shaped head, his throat un6ar
the req nannel rags moved convulsiyeIy.
AS he spoke he rose. Buckhurst. with
ohe easy grace of panther rose 700
Stauffer numbered to his feet and began to
speak again. but Mortier silenced him and
turned on Buckhurst like a wild beast
refuse!' he shouted. II am an An
arehist, not traitor! kill. destroy, 1
burn, murder If necessary; but I will NOT
betray-no, not for all the thalers in the
kingdom of Prussar'
His eyes glittered with the light of in
sanity. His misshapen hands menaced
Buckhurst.
.Judasr' he shrieked. 1.-THE conn,rne
snail rise and live to judge you! Cursed
son OF free people! Renegade! ThiefI'
Ihere was a flash, report, and Mortfer
ciapped his hands to his face, which the
blood suddenly covered. The next moment
ne was at Buckhursts throat bore him
down, twined him closer in his long. mis-
shapen arms and fastened his teeth in his
throat, and Buckhurst shot him again and
again through the body. They swayed and
fell together, the deadly light died in Buck
hursts glazing eyes. After a minute
neither moved again.
Stauffer had gone, fleeing like one dis
oNtSUs WINCH liiS hOuSe cTdWleQ out into
the lantern light and gazed down at the
dead. LAC
Presently he picked up the lantern, grub
bed hole in the ground, deposited his
forks with the rest of his booty rose
glanced at the dead again. and picked up
the lantern. He spat on the ground-for
Buckhurst had tricked him once-so he in
suited the corpse with contemptuous ges-
ture. and went out, swinging his lantern
and sneering. gn
Give up the Napterre fort, eh?" he re-
peated mimicking Stauffer's effemtnite
voice: o., ma soeur! Q, la. la! A nous
deux monsieur pipeIet-a demainp'
The Prophet was firing as he left the CITY
by the Porte Rouge; he looked up at the
great cannon and mocked IT. 'Tiens! boum!
boum! o. la la! o, Seigneur Dieu,-oue la
guerre est ridicules tout d memer'