Evening star., 1898-06-04

colder and more violent as the rain thick
ened.
They stood for a moment looking out in to
the black void beyond the ramparts. There
was nothing to see, not star. not d SEN
try-nothing but quivering sheets of ram
slanting across dim signal lamps set low OF
the bastions.
Bourke unlocked the door noiselessly
Hlrewood followed him upstairs ami into
his own bed room; and. as he struck a
match and lighted the lamp, he felt d sud-
den ease, a sense of me-coming-some-
thing he had not known iii nloEths-Bourke
answered his unspoken thoughts. ''Yes-it
Is very pleasant TO get back Jim. L think
I'll turn in directly
Harewood sat down on the bed; his glance
wandered around the lampaIt room, resting
dnaIIy on the windows
Somebody has filled the window frames
with oiled paper" he said listlesSly. DO
you suppose the Prophet shattered the
glass;"
Probably" said Bourke.
The rain ratified on the oiled paper; gust
after gust set il cracking and bulSing i'll
ward Bourke started aiiniessly toward the
door, halted, returned and leaned on the
footboard of the bed.
What are you going to dog" he ASKED
wearily.
About Buckhurst?"
Yes
Il don't know"
After minute of silence Bourke resumed:
I'D cable in moment If it wasn't for the
threat he made about Yolette and Hide
Harewood's face grew red. but he did not
look up.
Gen. Trochu is a strange man. con-
tilued BouTke. IF those blackguards
should denounce Yolette and Hide, md
bring lot of ruffians 10 swear to any ything,
who can tell what might happenY'
You mean that the governor might eXpeI
thenl-under the law covering the tempor-
AIRY expulsion of dissolute women de-
manded Hardwood with an effort.
Yes replied Bourke, that's what l
mean-
Again a silence ensued. broken at length
by Bourke.
AS for Buckhurst's threat to cut our
throats-of course, that bothers neither of
rs-at least, it wouldn't prevent
bling. But 1 shall not cable now and risk
running the lives of these two girls
NO said Harewood. we cannot cable"
Then he looked up, his face SO transformed
with hate that Bourke involuntarily
coiied.
Cecil he whispered. eff ever they trou-
BILE Hide I'll kill them both-Fll kill them
both, when and where L cam
Bourke did not reply. Gradually the fierce
hate faded from Harewood's face. He
rested his chin on his hand, eyes vacant.
lips parted.
You see, they've got US. Cecil he said
more quietly. Don | you remember meet
ing Speyer in the crowd when We We're
watching the Tuileries. OF course, he saw
us when Hide and Yolette gave up the cab
to the empress l suppose ne can annoy
If he tries. and m sure he's going to try
Its curious" " reflected Bourke. now
anxious he and Staufer seem TO be to get
US out of the house. And their returning
the other day to re-engase rooms is queer.
too. What do you suppose they want?
Hardwood rose suddenly and began to
walk up and down. hands clasped behind
his back. Presently he halted before his
comrade. looking him squarely in the eye.
Do you know what | think? L believe
Speyer is a German spy"
'Eh? Spy" repeated Bourke, blankly
Yes. spyi Why did he enlist in a Belle
vile battalion? Do war correspondents do
that? Why is he fawning and fiattering
the Belleville revolutionists? To get news
for his miserable Germau-American sheet?
Not much; war news is more important to
Americans than q report of anarchist
SqUabbleS in the slumS of Paris II tell
you why he's cringing to Buckhurst and
FlCUrens. he's a paid emissary of Bismarck
hired to stir up internal strife in Paris
wFile the Germans pound the forts to bits
outside. And I'll bet you. Cecil. that he
never was anything but a spy. What has
he done for his paper in New York? Moth
ing Its columns are filled with stolen dis
patches and special work from al! the
other papers. Speyer is spy; he has cor
rupted Stauffer. too. AS for Buckhurst-I
life to anarchy just now because he be-
lieves there's something in it for himself.
That is my theory.
Bourke stood by the bed. eagerly atten-
tive. acquiescing with mods and gestures as
Harewood proceeded:
He tried to stab me there in the street
VIXEN L was down; he had his knee on my
chest: if it hadn't been for the Mouse 1
don't know-I don't know, Cecil-but I
think he meant to cut my throat
He looked up into Bourke's face soberly.
beginning for the first time TO realize his
recent danger.
The Mouse is grateful beast after all
he continued Il never thought anything
about bread cast upon the waters, you
know.
least more" said Bourke. seriously: ..it,s
q good scheme. jim
Opening the door. he added: We'll cable
nothing about Buckhurst for the present
Good night. I'm fit for sleep. l think
Good night" replied Hardwood. abb
sentIy.
after Bourke had gone away he sat for
a while on his bed, listening to the
drL mining of raindrops on the paper win
dow panes. He thought he could sleep but
when he lay among the chilly sheets his
lids remained open in the dark. 1t was
Buckhursts colorless eyes that haunted
him-that, and the memory of the pistol
Hash, the momentary impression of Buck
hursts ashen face streaked with blood, as
he CROPPED on the sidewalk for the pistol
The blood? That had been his doing Twice
he had struck Buckhurst heavily between
those pale eyes. And as he lay there he
knew that this dreaded criminal would
never forget. never rest. until he had sat
isfied a criminals ruling passion-revenge
Hardwood. resting motionless among his
pillows. heard the wind rising in the night
heard the sudden creak and swing of storm
shaken shutters, the swelling monotone of
the rain 1t seemed to beat on his heart
He felt the harmony of the million drops.
the swift shafts of wind-swept rain blow
ing over vast valleys over hills and plains
and the crinkled surface of unseen rivers
He wondered whether the Prussians were
very near-how soon their black shells
would come moaning and whistling over
the city That very morning he had read
the government bulletins warning the in
habitants OF Paris to prepare for the bonn
parchment by placing valuables in the cei-
Tar, installing barrels of water on roof and
landings to fight fire. and particularly to
remove all paving stones from court and
sidewalk in order to lessen the effect of ex-
pioding shells. He himself had seen work
men stuffing the windows and balconies
OF the Louvre with bedding and mattresses
He had seen the Arc de Trfomphe swathed
and padded and sheathed for protection
against shot and shell. How soon would
the Germans arrive? Which way would
they come-from the north or from the
east?
Outside the storm was subsiding a cooler
current OF air swept across his face Tn.