The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-08-28

persist Inc law must axe It's course.
This man, who has been your friend.
will lose his life at dawn; you will be
sent across the frontier, penniless and
branded as an adventures. There will
be another President-we need not
speak Of him; ne will be generous to
you. Renounce your title to this mans
protection"
'"To his protection-how dare you?'
Bear with me. In the history of
every court there is such a story as
yours-the wife whom governments
will not recognize and princes must
forget. I am compelled to speak frank
ly. You can save my Prince from the
scaffold; why should I beat about the
bush? Resign your claims upon him,
say that he is free, keep your secret,
return to your own country; my oath
shall be your security. I swear to you
upon the cross that we will keep faith
with him. Let it be here and now the
solemn bond between us-ah! folly, you
ask his life, then-you send him to the
open grave"
He stepped back the words broken
abruptly upon his lips. Her cry of an
ger and shame echoed like a low moan
in the silence Of the night. Until that
moment he had never understood her
truly; but when she confronted him
for the last time, with blazing eyes
and heaving breast, and hands clenched
and cheeks on fire, he knew the wo-
man and said that he had failed.
"Go!" she cried, a passion of hate
and despair breaking her voice; 'if it
were my last word, 1 say go,"
Her anger frightened him. 1t had
been no surprise to him if she had
fallen dead at his feet. Nevertheless,
he did not spare her-he had expected
such an outbreak.
''Since that is your answer, madame, ="
he SAID deliberately, II will return you
mine. Here are pens and ink-I am
going to sign this document without
delay"
She stood TO watch him, quivering
like leaf which a hot wind of night
is blowing. He did not take his eyes
from her face while he spread out the
paper and felt for the mouth of the
inkstand with the pen which the troop
er had provided. When he had signed
the paper and dried the ink at the can
dies flame, he would have continued
had he not been aware that the door
OF the cell stood open and that some
one had entered it silently. A premo-
milton Of danger for which he could not
account stiIled the word upon his lips
and sent his hand to his sword. A
figure from the shadows advanced with
shutting step. 1t was that of wo
man, gaunt and wan and terrible.
She shuffled up to him and her face
IL % he feIaf
No word was spoken; she did not ac-
cuse him-asked nothing, declared no
intention. Some dreadful apparition
might have doomed up out of the Silly
night to break the word from the mans
lips and hold young girl fascinated
Esther, indeed, moved neither hand nor
limb. A scene long forgotten was being
enacted again before her startled eyes.
Once again she waited in the,garden Of
roses; the fountain splashed in the sun
shine; a vain woman babbled vainly;
q face looked down upon her from a
window; she was afraid but silent.
And now she saw the face again, the
hollow cheeks, the hectic flush, the
withered skin, the outstanding bones,
the lust of vengeance in the staring
eyes. And the man, no less. shrank
back; the pen tumbled from his hand,
great drops of sweat stood upon his
forehead.
who are you? what do you want?"
he cried, hoarsely.
The woman answered with resound-
ing shrieks heard far beyond the prison
walls-a knife flashed in the air: she
struck at his throat and the blood
gushed out upon her arms and tattered
gown.
THE curse Of God be upon your
palsied Iimbs!'-a maniac spoke and
laughed horribly-"as you sowed so
shall you p-now-snow-!"
He fell headIong and she stabbed the
prone body again and again. The Ian
tern crashed upon the stone pavement;
the table was overturned; the room lay
in darkness save for the ebbing glow Of
the waning fire. None intruded upon
the scene; none came between the wo-
man and the man.. The awful laugh
ter subsidized anon in a low grOaning
sound as of a mother fondling a child.
To this silence succeeded; the shutting
step was heard descending the stairs
one by one as though escape were a
labor.
Night engulfed the messenger of
death; Esther was alone, and the door
Of her prison stood open.