The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-24

at wayside inns.
pounded upon the door and then
paused to listen. The sounds drew
/ hollow reverberation from within, but
! aroused no other reply.
knock again. called Lesba.
I obeyed, but with no better success.
| The place seemed uncanny, and re-
/ turned. abruptly to the carriage, stand
1 ing beside the wheel and gazing up
/ through the moonlight into the beau
tiful face of the girl bent over me.
Lesba," said 1, pleadingIy, what
/ does all this mean Why have you
! brought me to this strange place ~
ITO save your life she answered. in
! a grave voice
But how came you to be waiting in
the lane2 And who were you waiting
for?" I persisted.
by what right do you question me.
Senior Harcliffe2'' she asked, drawing
back so that could no longer look into
her eyes.
by no right at all. Lesba. Neither
do I care especially whether you are at
tached to the empire or the republic,
or how much you indulge in political
intrigue, since that appears to be the
chief amusement of your cOuntrymen.
But I love you. You know it WELL al
though you have never permitted me
tell you So And loving you as I do,
with all my heart. I am anxious to un-
tangle this bewildering maze and un-
derStand something of your actions
since that terrible morning when I
parted with you at Dom Miguel's man
SION
She laughed, and the laugh was one
of those quaint flashes of merriment
peculiar to the girl, leaving one in
doubt whether to attribute it to amuse-
ment or nervous agitation. Indeed.
where another woman might weep
Lesba would laugh; SO that it frequent
ly puzzled me to comprehend her.
Now, however, she surprised me BY
leaning over me and saying gently:
My brother is at the mansion, and in
danger of his life. I was waiting with
the carriage to assist him to escape
But how do you know he is in dam
''He sent me word by a carrier
pigeon"
s'To be sure. Yet there is one more
thing that troubles me; why were you
in Rio, riding in the emperor's carriage
with the spy Valcour2"
1T is simple, senior. I went to. Rio
to assist in persuading Dom Pedro to
visit the vault"
Knowing it was empty?''
knowing it was empty. and believ-
ing that the emperOr's absence would
enable Fonseca to strike a blow for
freedom
"'Then Fonseca is still faithful to the
Cause2''
Il know of no traitor in our ranks.
Robert, although it seems you have
suspected nearly all of US. at times. But
peril. VIII you again rap upon the
door?"
ct is useless, Lesba."
t'Try the back door; they may hear
you from there" she suggested.
So I made my way. stumbling over
tangled vines and protruding roots. to
the rear of the house, where the
shadows lay even thicker than in front
I found the door, and hammered upon
it with all my strength The noise
might have raised the dead, but as
listened intently there came not the
least football to reward me. For a time
/ hesitated what to do. From the grim
forest behind me I heard a half-audi-
bic snarl and the bark of a wolf; IN
the house an impressive silence reigned
supreme.
drew back. convinced that the place
was uninhabited. and returned around
the corner of the house.
There is no one here, donzelIs-" 7
began, but stopped short in amaze
ment.
The carriage was gone.
CONTINUED Next SundayO