Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-03-17

outside, gathering vehicle whipped
| past over the rough stones, the driver
swearing at his team. The day was
| coming at last. Did 1 wish it? Per
/ haps the night We're kinder for it at
least oascured my misery. 1 almost
| prayed the darkness might last.
CHAPTER Nj
THE DAWN AND THE DUSK.
Gradually. so gradually the change
could hardly be observed, the inner
grating of the window became visible;
| the chinks between the edges of the
stones assumed distnctness. A ghost
| ly blctch grew into a fact upon tine
| floor. \ leaden hue, less black than the
pulsing sea of ink about it, spread and
spread, lighter and lighter, until it i'm
vaded the dim recesses where stood.
My hand became once more a tangible
possession, unreal and grim, yet all my
own. The opposite wall doomed up, my
utmost frontier of the domain of GER
tainty. DINNER, darker, more obscure,
the door, vast uncNplored cavern
gathered to itself the hobgoblins of evil
and gave them shelter. AS still as the
creeping on OF day we two men stood,
glarinS at each other and watched it
come.
Exactly when began to see him
could not say. Every impulse and vital
force of nature centered in my eyes,
and they fastened themselves uoon
that one irregular shadow I'm the OPP
/; ~ corner Which slowly--oh! with
~, h agonizing MISUNDERSTANDING the
outlines of Il man. My Fascinated gaze
wandered not nor wearied. When in
the moist light of the morning / clear
ly saw Broussard. haggard pale and
sunlen-eyed, watching me thirty feet
away, 1T seemed that | had seen him
all the night.
No detail of his dress or manner but
observed. There was q scar across
his forehead, fresh and bleeding bit.
a confusion rather. He had probably
struck the door-facing as he rushed in
Yes, 1t bled. A few drops had tricllled
down his nose; there hung one, quite
dry, from his brow. Precisely beneath
his there We're some dozen or so upon
the floor All could have been COW
cred by my hand Like myself Brous-
sard had not moved throughout that
awful night God, how 1 pitied him.
With such weight of treason on his
soul. And yet, looking back, the night
was less awful than the coming day,
far more merciful than the hideous
night Which followed 1t. With the sun
Broussard heartened up. and first
broke the silence.
who are YOU comraGe. and what do
you here?"
was at loss for reply. l had no
faith i'll him, yet even rotten stick
might serve 10 get me out.
Il am trapped like yourself. and
feared you all the night. God in heaven
| what a long night 1T was"
Broussard had no words, his con-
Nulsive shudder expressed more than
mine.
do YOU know how to get out of
here" | asked.
"Not !, except by the door, or the
window looking at that.
lil Try the door,, he continued.
smiling the treacherous smile of the
tiger. l remembered so we'll the first
day he showed his teeth aboard ship.
The man we'll knew 1 recognized him.
he had heard me speak his name, and
feared if he found the door open he
would shut me up again. and escape
IN test the door softly and see what
is outside and he moved as if TO put
| his thought in action.
| Hold on, not yet; methinls I'll try
! that door myself" l could see he had
the same idea which had occurred TO
me. for he dcmurrcd.
NO, my fine sir; Why you and
not t."
Because know you, sir, and fear to
| trust YOU
Verify, you have honorable inten-
tions yourself to suspect me so read
1 lily. lie VAS bent ON engaging me in
conversation, so he might perhaps
recognize me from my voice. The
mask still hid my features, and the
entire difference i'll my mode of dress
made recognition almost impossible
Fhe puzzled expression Of a half recol-
| lection still rested ON his face as | con-
| tinued:
Il do not merely suspect you, know
you for traitor--nay do not clap your
hand upon your sword until 1 have
finished. You have now in your pos
session certain traitorous dispatches
which We're given you by one Carne
Ward i'm exchange for others which
you brought over with you in a vessel
called lie Dauphin. All, you begin to
pale and shrink, and we'll you may"
You lie." he shrieked, convincing
me had made a home thrust.
Softly, softly, have care, lest you
call the marshals bloodhounds down
upon us. The dispatches with the
purple seals, which you brought with
such care from Biloxi, have been taken
from Ward, and are now in safe keep
ing for the king The lie, ah. we'll. I'll
pardon that for the while. You cam
rot leave here. and l have ample time
| for aNenging my honor after | have
had the pleasure of your delightful
/ conversation"
lie leaned morosely against the WALL
staring at me, as / went on.
Now listen to me quietly. You have
those dispatches upon your person
want them. and by all the gods | will
have them. II l have TO kill you for
them, then so much the worse for YOU
4 Now listen. Give me those dispatches
We will then get out of here together
and once outside, will give you full
four and twenty hours. That time
elapsed. will turn the dispatches over
to the authorities. If you can escape
with your miserable life so be it. DO
1 you agree?"
Il have no dispatches" he sullenly
replied. "and who are you to dare
| charge me With treason?"
There was 10 ring of resentment in
his tones, though he strove manfully
to stimulate offended and indignant in
nocence. 1t was necessary to keep him
in ignorance for while, because |
feared he might set upon me, and be-
ing really an excellent swordsman, the
issue of conflict would be doubtful. But
the weightier reason lay In the fact
that the clash OF steel might draw
down upon us the occupants of the
house. Here / was in a much worse
plight than he. though he knew it nc.
1 For whether those OCCUPANTS We're the