Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-08-05
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Payment of a Debt
rOriginaI.l

a.
of Tours, aimed at something seen III
distinctly I'm n thicket, a human cry
was heard. The party rushed TO the
point whence it proceeded and found n
young girl of sixteen lying on the
ground bleeding from Il bullet wound
in her side. From the opposite direc-
ton man came hurrying, and when
he saw what had happened he took the
girl up in his arms and, shaking his
fist at the huntsmen, cursed them for
what had been done.
"Is it thus that you overrun our
peaceful fields, you mobiles who never
toll, but feed on what we common peo-
pie produce? And, not content with
wasting the fruits of our toll, you
ruthlessly shoot our children without
taking the trouble to discover that
they are not birds. Wait, messieursi
The day will come when we will crush
you under our heelsI"
cit was an accident" replied the
marquis. "Here; take this" throwing
him golden louis. "Were it not for
your threats l would make it ten times
rs much. Come, messieurs. Let us go
on"
The party proceeded on their way,
but had not gone dozen yards before
the coin was sent spinning past the ear
of the marquis. One gentleman, n
young fellow of twenty, remained be-
hind. Kneeling beside the girl, he
stanched the blood with his cambria
handkerchief, then said to her father:
LET us carry her to her home. l am
n student in the Paris School of Medi-
cine. 1 will see what can do for her"
Henri Duriac did not leave the home
of Antoine GARNER until the daugh-
ter, Lizette, was out of danger. In
deed, he alone saved her life. The
country doctors of that day knew moth
ing of surgery and could not have car
ried safely through such a dangerous
case. Three weeks had elapsed when
the young doctor said TO GARNER:
THE crisis has passed. Any physi-
clan can now attend to the dressing OF
the wound"
Doctor" replied the father. "why
have you taken this trouble? You are
4 noble"
"Yes. but 1 am Il man"
"You have given me the life of my
daughter. Some day may repay YOU"
Il do not need money, and l trust
that l may never need your assist
ance." replied the young surgeon.
Eighteen years later came the reign
of terror. Henri Duriac, now Count
Duriac, was about to be arrested, but
succeeded in escaping across the Dor
der. This was in the beginning. before
the rcvolutionists had become so
drunken with blood that they sacri-
feed women and children. Count Du-
| riac had been married. and his wife
and her daughter. Louise. We're about
TO follow him when they received u
warming not to attempt TO do so.
Mime. Duriac, though beloved by all
the province in which she lived. was
at last arrested and with her daughter
taken to the conciergerie in Paris.
One day they We're led out TO be
tried. For what? For being of noble
birth y man sat behind Il rude table,
ready to act as judge and jury to send
prisoners to the guillotine. Nine. Du-
riac and Louise sat waiting their turn,
watching the people who were pro
nounced traitors to France" marched
away to die. 4 portly man. who
showed by his dress and bearing that
he was an aristocrat. stood before this
self constituted tribunal.
"Your name?" asked the judge.
az am the Marquis of Tours
The judge flushed.
"Do you remember. marquis. hunting
for birds and shooting n maiden?"
The marquis paled, but said nothing.
Traitor to Francer' said the judge.
"Take him away"'
In half an hour the marquis head
rolled into the basket.
''Nextr'
These said a gendarme, ''are the
Countess Duriac and her daughter"
The judge started. MADAME" he
said, "you are accused of being n
traitor to France. What is your de-
fense2"
81 make no defense. Defense would
be useless"
HIM said the judge. 'Take these
women to the little Jail in Rue st.
Jacques and bring them here tomor-
row for sentence. The executioner is
too busy today to attend to them"
That night n Hluffied figure appeared
before the little Jail in Rue st. Jacques
and presented an order for Nine. and
Louise Duriac. Throwing n mantle
over each to conceal her features and
especially her attire of a gentlewoman,
he led them through some of the mar
rowest streets in Paris. Stopping sud-
denly beside n carriage and opening
the door, he babe them enter. Not
doubling for n moment that they were
going to the guillotine, they obeyed,
and their conductor mounted the box
beside the coachman. and they were
driven beyond the barrier Stopping
now and again for fresh horses, they
travelled until at last they heard the
FLASHING of waves. Then they were
directed to alight and were put into
boat.
'Take this letter to Count Duriac.
madame" said their conductor, land
| tell him that the man who gave 1t to