The St. Louis Republic., 1903-09-13

| by. all the devils, he must be here,
some gait. The little Jade would have
warned him II she had known: but It IS
known only to the doddering old miser
and me, and the girl Is safe in her bed
room. Happen this devil Of an Austrian
Captain has drunken himself soTden; and
that would be rare test-to wake with
the rope around his neck? II those cursed.
slow-footed Dragons would but come!
Damme! I'll have that bull-necked Lieu
tenant cashered II his high and mighty
lettering balks me In this
He stopped before the wine cask where
on the n.ckering candle stood and craned
his neck 10 look beyond It. The candle
was guttering smo5ily. and he reached a
shaking finger to pluck the dead man
from the wick At that We heard him
mutterine again.
Twas a play to make the very devil
envious: and to have It marred by that
PIG OF a Lieutenant! No one knew ne in
It save the legion Colonel, end could We
have sprung the trap fair and softly. not
even Mistress Nrargery herself could have
laid this swashhuckler's Death at my door.
But now he's -one-varizhcd Tx" 4 straw
ba'lee. and all because that damned IN
derst-aprer Of Colonel Tar!etont must
needs turn up his nose at bit OF Sheriff's
work Curse him.
Tho candle was burning brightly VOW
ord he crent catlike around the casl; 70
rear into tho hin hn-ord g. Just tN"7
tho shutter 70 the Iir''n window of oepial
rel oncn with n ehr;N croal-iaC of -
rusty hinges and blue glare or lightning
came - prick ont every nook and corner
II tho collar Being almost within =
blades length % the factor. 7 saw him
plainly: saw him start back and put his
hands to his face and drop down all Of a
tremblr on the bins edge. where I had
been sitting whom he discovered mo.
To second the fash q prolonged drum
roll of thunder diHne1 upon tho still air OF
the vault and mingled with tre thunder
came other flashes. searching the eve and
making the candle fame appear as \ sick
" orange halo in the I!Gc-white glare.
WHAT with the play of tho storm artillery
We could neither SEQ nor hear for the
moment: but when the candle Irht came
to its Cwn again the scene had changed
as if'by magic. Under cover Of the thurder
din n squad Of dragons had come to bring
the factor In where he sat u7on the edge
of the wine hin.
'SO-hp- Sal4 my EGOd IrlonG 1NbCe.
with n little strident laugh. its you ! an
to take out and hang. IS it, Master law
yer? I thought mayhap you'd double on
your track once too often. and so it
seems you have. Up with you and come
along"
All in a fash Pengarvin was up and
bursting out in a trembling frcnzy-nt Of
protestation.
"Oh. It's all mistake, my good sra
devils own trap! II am not the man; l
pledge you my sacred word! I-hands off.
you cursed villains or I'll have the law on
you!" this last when one OF the men cast
| the moose Of a rope over his head whilst
/ a second drew his arms to his sides in
the looping of another cord. by God.
| you shall all smart for this; ALL l say.
| Take me to Colonel Tarleton. The King
! has no stancher friend in all the province
! than l. Why, damme, twas l who"
trooper came behind and gagged him
with the loose end of the rope, and Tybee
held the candle to light the knotting Of it..
And so they marched him out, with Tybee
muttering between his teeth that 1t wss
rat-catcher's work, and no soldiers tits
killing of vermin. and bidding his Lsen
make haste