The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-09-11

you to such a future without Infinite
pain and there must-tlere shall be-
means through which you will let me
hear of you, through which, at least, 4
can know that you are living. =
She stretched her hands toward him
with that same gesture with which
she had first declared her faith in his
guiItlessness. The tears trembled in
her voice and swan in her eyes He
seized her hands in his and held them
close against his breast one instant.
against the loud hard painting of his
aching heart.
God reward you God keep your
II stay, I shall tell you ALL Let me
go and forget that we ever met!
am dead. Let me be dead to your
With another instant he had left the
tent and passed out into the red glow
of the torchlit evening. And Venetia
Corona dropped her proud head down
upon the silken cushions where hiss
own had rested and wept as women
weep over their dead, in such a pas
sion as had never come to her in ALI
the course of her radiant, victorious.
and imperious life.
1t seemed to her as if she had seen
him slain in cold blood and had never
lifted her hand or her voice against
his murder.
Outside her tent the challenge rang
on the air:
Who goes thereY
Cecil never heard it. Even the old,
long accustomed habits of soldiers
obedience were killed in him.
"Who goes there?" the challenge
rang again.
Still he never heard, but went on
blindly. From where the tents stood
there was stronger breadth Of light,
through which he had passed and was
passing still-a light strong enough for
it to be seen whence he came, but not
strong enough to show his features.
Halt or l frer' The sentinel
brought the weapon to his shoulder
and took a calm, close, sure aim. He
did not speak. The password he had
forgotten as though he had never heard
or never given it.
Another figure than that of the SOL
der on guard came out Of the shadow
and stood between him and the senti-
mel. 1t was that Of Chateauroy He,
was mounted on his gray horse and!
wrapped in his military cloak, about tor
go the round Of the cavalry camp.
1T is one of my men," said the chief
carelessly to the sentinel. Leave me-
to deal with him."
The guard saluted and resumed his.
beat.
why did you refuse the word sir?'
| Il did not hear"
why are you absent from your
squadron z -sssa
| There was no reply.
"Have you no tongue, sir? Why are
you here?' s,,-,a,,s,e.ssT
There was again no answer.
| Chateauroy's teeth ground out a fu-
rious oath. Yet fash of brutal de-
Tight glittered in his eyes. At last he
had bounded down this man, so long
out of his reach, into disobedience and
contumacy.
why are you here. and where have.
i !
Il will not say
/ The dark and evil countenance above
i him grew liyid with fury.
Il can have you thrashed like dog
1 for that answer, and | WILL But first
listen!5 | know as well as though YOU
i had confessed to me. Your silence
cannot shelter your great mistress
4 sham. All. ha. la Faustine. SO ma
dame your princess is so cold to her
/ equals only to choose her lovers out of
my blackguards and take her midnight
intrigues like camp courtesanp'
Cecil's face changed terribly as the
4 vile words were spoken. With the
light and rapid spring of a leopard he
reached the side Of his commander.
4 one hand on the horses name, the 9TH
er on the wrist of his chief, that iii
i gripped like an iron wise
You lie, and you know that you lies
i Breathe her name once more, and by
heaven, as we are both living men, r.
will have your life for your outrager'
And as he spoke with his left handi
he smote the lips that had blasphemedl
against her.
Chateauroy wrenched his wrist QUE
of the hold that crushed it and drew
his pistol. Cecil knew that the laws of
active service would hold him but just
4 ly dealt with if the shot laid him dea6,
! in that instant for his act and his
words
You can Kill me-; l know it. Well,
use your prerogative; it will be the
sole good you have ever done to me-"
And he stood erect, patient, motion
less, looking into his chiefs eyes with
calm disdain, with an unuttered
challenge that for the first moment
Wrung something of savage respecs
and of sullen admiration out from the.
soul of his great foe.
He did not fire. 1t was the only time
in which any trait of abstinence frona
cruelty had been ever seen in him. He
/ signed to the soldiers IF tho or1arf3