The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-19
Your object in coming LereF''


Z why did you give me he other reazonf
J. I hesitated q moment. and then resolved
( TO answer frankly.
\ was brought 10 this room 10 my in
tense surprise. ! saw there was some
Z treachery anoat. and I resolved 20 aseer-
tain who was the traitor I told that tale
% make sure Of being brought face TO
face with him"
You admit. then. that you determined
I to play the spy so far. You viii under
stand the gravity OF your position, there
fore"
/ l shrugged my shoulders.
Il did what fell to be my duty"
You saw the risks, no doubt. and re-
solved 70 take them. You know the con-
| sequsnces?"
4 don't Understand you" I said very
( uncomfortable feeling beginning 20 steal
over me. He looked up at me with hard
impassive eyes.
the punishment Of a spy who is caught
-is-what2' His voice was hard as steel
was silent.
You are on your own confession a spy,
and you will, therefore, be shot, he adj
1 could not resist the tightening of the
muscles at my heart, but I ch0ked down
/ every evidence of my CONSERVATION. 1
\ thought of poor Lota, and of her horror
/ and misery at having innocently helped to
4 bring matters to this pass with me.
I
for fun minute.
TO shoot me as a SPY. Mai Montrey
is murder. II will provoke much com
ment, and will lead to many reprisals. "
said, when / could get my voice quite
| steady
He shrugged mis- shoulders
l would not coudescend TO plead for my
! life, and said no more. 1 stood thinking
| OF my suddenly broken career, and of the
girl whom l loved so passionately. 1t was
! the thought of her pain that made me
vince. My reverie was broken by the
said.
You can save your life if yoh will.
Give your word to say nothing of what
you have seen here, and agree to help
Lieut.. Won Mason in"
Enough Of that IL you please" I broke
in Il ho1d the man who tempts as big
scoundrel as the one who listens. NY
honor is rot for sale"
He WINGED and I saw him bite his lin.
| Then he called in the guard.
How long have I to live?" asked
An hour" was the curt reply.
can l have paper and ink? l wish the
mo" ~ A'''"i'
"Ah, you wish the murder to be secret"
His answer was TO wave me out Of the
room l fired parting shot.
zone Of my judges is obviously a man
or fine honor" cried, contemp. ucusly. to
Capt. D'Aguiar as l passed him. "a pla-
toon is far surer revenge for a coward
thsp duel"
The taunt went straight home. for he
started. caught his BREATH and half leapt
to his feet as If to answer me. But no in
terrupt!on followed, and 1 was led away
by the guard. This time they took me
out OF the house and thrust me into what
appeared 10 he kind of woodshed; the KEY
was turned on me, the so diers remaining
on guard outside.
1t was some time before my eyes grew
accustomed 10 the darkness and then I
began 10 feel about the place, found some
heaps OF cut wood and sitting down on one
OF them was surprised at the jangle of
falling iron or steel. Feeling about on the
floor my hands came In contact with
sword, and 10 my intense joy 1 found il
was my own / fastened II on and while
vowing that now 1 would have a fight
Tor my life began to wonder who could
have put ii in such pace.
I set 1t down to Lota. The brave girl
had learned where i should be imprisoned
and had brought the sword here Proba-
bly,, too, there was some way of escape. If
1 could only find It.. With that began to
grope around the walls and feel for a win
dow.
was doing this when there came a noise
of unbarring, and an opening was made
in the wal through which the night air
came rushing cold and blusterous.
Herr Graf" called voice.
''Who is that?"
ut is I, Capt. D'Aguillar. You will find
your sword there. If you are not afraid,
come out by this window, and 1 win lead
you to a place where ] can cheat the pla-
toon by taking your life"
Good said I emphatically, seeing nov
4 IT was he and not Lota who had put the
sword for me, and why he had done H. In
| a ant I1r h l., a.
striding through the darkness of the night
He took me to an empty barn in which a
couple of lamps were burning giving a
dim, unsteady Hight.
Times short. This Is the best we can
do, We must use swords and can have no
witnesses. Sign this first" He held out
paper, and 1 read 1t by the light of the
two small lamps.
eve, Capt, D'Aguilar and the Graf Won
Hollebrapn, have agreed to settle our quar-
rel alone together here with swords Ev-
erything fairly and honorably done"
1 signed under his name, and laid the
paper underneath one of the lamps
quick" he said. and I saw he had el-
ready stripped to his shirt and was roll
ing UP the sleeve of his sword arm.
I made ready instantly and in less Than
half a minute we stood facing one an
other in the grim silent place, staring into
each others eyes, ready to engage.
ITO the DEATH" answered in the same
tone, setting my teeth; and our swo DIS
crossed.
The first few passes showed me that
was stronger man than he but he the
better swordsman. He was. however,
half beside himself with. rage, and from
the moment when he Kissed out the
words, ITO the DEATH 1 saw his deadly
intent was set on killing me.
The light was abominably insufficient
for the grim work. The lamps were plac-
ed one in the middle of each side of the
long, gloomy barn, and although the light
was fairly distributed as We stood n the
center, l saw in moment that If either
OF us gave way the man who was pressed
back would be at an enormous disadvan-
tage. The ground was uneven, too, mere
ly beaten earth, and the Jumps and bumps
on ii were likely enough to trip one up
IL forced backward My antagonist had
taken note Of these things as keenly as I.
/ f- nd !,