Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-08-15
No one spoke. The priest looked
down, his cheek liNid With anger.

profligate Mirepoix, L suppose. From
the dangerous MirepoiN. Upon my
honor with a sudden ring of resolu-
ton in his tone, II think you are safer
here; think You had better stay where
you are, madame, until morning! And
risk MirepoiX!"
oh, no, no!' madame cried, vehem-
entity
/ oh, yes! yes" he replied. what
do you say coadjutor? Don't you
think SOL
The priest looked down sullenly. His
voice shook us he murmured, in an
s s. Madame will please herself
But ii she prefer To stay here-well!'
oh, she has a character, has she?"
felplned the giant, his eyes twinkling
with evil mirth., and she should go
nome with You, and my old friend
Mihe. 40. to save it! That is it, is it?
NO. no, he continued, when he had
had his silent laugh out, mime. de Pa
vannes will do very very we'll here
very Well here until morning. We
lave work to do. Come Let us go
and do it,
Do you mean it9" said the priest.
starting and looking up With a subtle
challenge-almost Il threat--in his tone.
Yes ! do
Their eyes met and seeing their
looks. ] chuckled, nudging Croiset!e.
NO fear of them discovering us now. [
| recalled the old proNerb which says
that when thieves fall out honest men
come by their own, and specialized on
the chance OF the priest freeing us once
for all from NJ. de Beers.
But the two We're Unmatched. The
Nldame could have taken up the other
With one hand and dashed his head on
the floor. And it did not end there
doubt if in craft the priest was his
equal. Behind frank brutality Beers
unless his reputation belied him
concealed an Italian intellect. Under
a cynical recklessness he yelled a rare
cunning and a constant suspicion; en-
JoNlng In that respect a combination of
apparently opposing qualities, which
have known no other man TO possess in
an equal degree. unless 1t might be his
late majesty, Henry the Great A
child would have suspected the priest;
Il veteran might have been taken in BY
the vdame.
And indeed the priests eyes present
~ sank Our bargain is to go for
/ nothing?' he.muttercd sullenly.
Know of no bargain" quoth the
Vidanle. And have no time to lose
splitting hairs here. Set it down to
what you like. Say it is within of mine
isllne. de PaNannes stays. We go. And, ;"
he added this. as u sudden thought
seemed to strike him. though l would
not Wlillngly use compulsion to lady
think Mime. do had better come too
GU speak masterfully," the priest
sand With sheer, forgetting the tone
he had himself used a few minutes be-
fore TO Nlirepoix
Just SO. nave 40 horsemen over
the way, Was the dry answer. For
the moment, | am master of the le-
gions, Coadjutor."
That is true Nine. do said; so
softly that l start I'd. She had scarcely
SPOKEN since isezers' entrance. AS she
spoke now, She shook back the hood
from her face and disclosed the chest
nut hair clingin2 about her temples
deep blots OF color on the abnormal
Wilderness of her skin. That is true,
M. de Beers she said. You have the
leglons. You have the power. But you
will not use it, l think, against an old
friend You will not do us this hurt
when L But listen"
He would not. In the very middle of
her appeal he cut her short-brute that
he was. No, madame" he burst out
Violently. disregarding the beautiful
face, the supplicating glance that
might have moved stone. that is
Just what | will not do. will not lis
ten We know one another Is not
that enough?"
/ She looked at him fixedly. He re-
turned her gaze, not smiling now, but
cycling her with a curious watchful-
| ness
And after long pause she turned
from him. Very Well" she said softly,
and drew q deep, quivering breath,
the sound of which reached us. Then
! let us co. And without-strangest
thing of all-bestowing Il word or look
ON her sister who was weeping bit
,crly In chair, She turned to the door
and led the way out, Il shrug of her
| shoulders the last thing | marked
The poor lady heard her departing
step, however, ana sprung up. 1t
aawned upon her that she was being
4 deserted. Diane, Diane" she cried
1istractedly and l had to put my hand
on G'roisette to keep him quiet, there
vas such fear and pain in her tone
1 II will go Will NOT be left behind in
| this dreadful place. Do you hear?
i Come back to me. Diane"
/ 1T made WY blood run wildly But
Diane did not come back Strange
And Beers too was unmoved He
stood between the poor woman and the
door, and by gesture bid Mirepoix
and the priest pass out before him
| 'Madame.' he said-and his voice,
stern and hard as ever. expressed no
1 jot Of compassion for her, rather such
| an impatient contempt as pulling
child might elicit--'you are safe here.
/ AnG here you will stop. Weep If you
please he added cynically. you win
have fewer tears to shed tomorrow.
HIS last words they certainly We're
odd ones-arrest-d her attention. She
| checked her sobs. being frightened, l
think. and looked up at him. Per
haps he had spoken with this in view,
for while she still stood at gaze. her
hands pressed to her bosom, he slipped
quickly out and Closed the door behind
him. l heard mu,tering for an In