The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1899-04-28

SOU q UT. lie udue udQ Deeu uiSIlIlct-
ly mentioned by her, and its meaning
! was clear to Inc when thought of the
| dreadful scene over de Leyva's body.
AS for de. Gomeron, knew him well
enough to understand his game. The
| whole affair, as far as he was con-
| cerned, was sudden and rapid resolve
that was clear. argued it out in this
| way to myself, and as l went on think
| ing it was almost as if some one was
reading out a. statement of the case to
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 knowl-
| eGge that he had obtained from his
confederate or spy, Ravaillac.
| 1t had worked out we'll enough for
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 he
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.
And then about madame. AS / be-
| came calmer l saw that for his own
| sake de Gomeron would take care that
her life was safe, at any rate for the
present, and whilst there was this con-
| tingency there was hope for her, if
none for me, as l felt sure that what
with the liking and madame's relatives
of the Tremouille on one hand, and
| Sully and de Belin on the other, things
would go hard with de Gomeron, what
ever happened to me.
Hour after hour passed. shifted my
| position, and strange to say, slept.
How long I slept 1 know not; but 1
woke singing with pain, and found this
was due to my being bound as 1 was,
and in little the agony became al
| most insupportable, and 1 was on the
verge of going into a delirium, only
righting my failing senses by mighty
effort of will.
1 had lost all count of the time, but
guessed it was advanced in the day by
! this;4 and my eyes had become so ac-
| customed to the darkness that could
cell in which I was imprisoned. I
| tried to make out its extent with an idle
and useless curiosity, and then, giving it
up, and utterly hopeless. leaned my
| head on my appraised knees. and sat thus
| waiting for the end.
I longed for death to come now-it
would be happy release from my pain.
Suddenly there came grating noise
| as the bolts outside were moved. Then
the door of the cell swung open with
groaning, and there was binding
flash of light that, for the time being,
deprived me of the powers of sight,
though, with a natural instinct, shut
my eyes to the flash as it came.
Then heard de Gomeron's voice say
ing: Remove the gag-I have some
thing to ask monsieur"
AS I felt two cold, hard hands fun
bling with the knots of the gag, I man
aged to open my eyes, though the light
still panied me, and saw the tall figure
of the free lance, his drawn sword in his
hand. standing in the open doorway,
and kneeling beside me was Babette.
The bag caught the loathing in my
glance. and laughed to herself as she
wrenched at the knots, and de Com
eron, who was evidently in no mood to
delay, hurried her efforts with sharp
"Quick!"
ct is done," she answered, and rose
to her feet, swinging the silken bands
of the gag she held in her hand.
"Then have the goodness to step back
whilst NJ. d'Auriac and I discuss the po-
sition."
Babette did as she was hidden, NUT
tering something, and de Gomeron, adj
vancing pace. addressed me:
Monsieur, have come to make you
an offer, and 1 will not waste words. I
am playing to win a desperate game.
and shall not hesitate to play any card
to win. My offer is this: ask you to
sign formal document, which shall
bring to you, holding me guiltless of
any design against either you or Nine
de la Bidache. In return will set you
free in ten days after you sign this pa
per. During that time you must con-
slider yourself my prisoner; but you
will be better lodged than now. Should
you refuse to accept this offer there is
nothing left for me but to leave you here
to die
He spoke in slow, measured accents,
and the vault of the roof above me gave
back the mans words in a solemn echo
The light of the lantern stretched in a
long, yellow shaft up the spiral stair
L. Il