The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-06-22


II otaaa to ~ ssipo t0u c'bVb0s.
had iuves sOsOe Of sbs uoas 10 tse
crown ps-innn Of =-. mt ~ Cfdau0
but / id nat aheaan 10 oaeognd 10
a,ake an explanation iuadeso Of
that tnat u sword and stood on
guard 4 heE Yon 10 arm Yourafilf.
marquis. J said Htofhly.
He eyed me With a euld smile.
and silently ate some Of the paste.
extracting n from the skull with "a
fingers. whoreupon the whole
apartment became quickly pormoat.
"a with the oder Of almonds. Il re-
greet 10 dlsappelut you. ny friend. "
making the pretenae Of extreme
courtesy. but believe me. you put
yourself to a great deal Of unnecea.
gary trouble"
What do you meant ] cried.
angored past patience. DO you after
all refuse 10 fight?"
10 eoolly ate another consider
able portion Of the Bweetmeat be-
fore he replied. then. with shrug
OF unaffected amusement.
you would not fight with a dead
man. monsleur7'
What DO you meant" ] gaaped.
but a light breaking on my mind.
cried out. N 10 poison you are sat
ingl"
yea said the marquis. II rs
poison. and poison o. such n cum
ming texture that in the space 81
half an hour I shall be dead"
before he had completed the sen
tenca hiH face assumed an express
alun Of keen pain. and elaHping his
hands tightly across his chest he.
gave vent 20 a deep, hollow moan.
speeehlena with surprise and dis
may. We gathered round him. but he
broke from Us. and crying out az II
in a paroxyhm staggered across the
room until he reached tho table.
across which he threw himself.
Eroauing horribly. II was a piece
% Hupefiatively fine acting ! eaw
tho rascal give a cunning glance II
o.. then ho Enatehed up hia confea-
sion and darted 10 the fireplace.
But ! was near as swirl rs he. Re
ycnge's be cried. and threw the
paper 10 tho flames. Not 90"
shouted. and thrusting him aside.
quick a. llght caught and saved the
precious document before IL vas 30
much as acorched.
His rage was diahoiicl. with
cure OF fury he Hprang upon me
while yet I stopped. but Eveaton
came 70 my relief and pulled him
roughly back. There followed
Wild melee IN which tho marquis.
foilcd In his desires. fought. spat
kicked ike a veritRbie imp. He re-
covered hts control NJ last an alb
ruptly Is he had Loaf u. ceaainR on
sudden hia frantic struggles, he
staggered 90 hts feet. aud. sharply
watched By US ali. throw himself in-
TO the nearest chair. whero0n he
looked ap AT ua and laughed. An
bis laughter; Il rings Ia my ears
now 10 think OF III
We stood. a aaEed and helpless
trio. staring at him IN numbed,
foolish fashion. listening dumbly to
bis hideous caehinnafiona And
preaeutly he spoke. 10 detail with
cold and gloomy bragEadocfo
score % atrocious crimes he de-
elared he bad committed.
But soon real pain aud the fear OF
death crowded out all other
thoughts and be threw himself To
the floor. rayiRg. cursing and en-
treating us 10 save him. To send for
a lecch. 10 do anything which might
help or prolong his wretehed exist
ence.
Overcome with horror aud pity
for the tortures he nov undoubtea.
~ endured. we lid at last a. ho re-
quested. and dispatched Richards
poathaaie for an apotheeary. bat
when the doctor arrived the mar
quis was past human aid. lie died in
the end a miserable craven. draK
ging himself upon his stomach
from one 10 another OF US. Shrek
ing out in his aEony and imploring
~ 10 render that aid which Il was
then impossible for any mortal TO
bssi0w.
When all was over NO found. TO
my astonlahment. Pitt lying IN a
deep awoon. stretched out behind A
curtain, where he had. in spite OF
me. prevailed on Richards 70 con-
eoal him. 40 that he might see the
duel The horror OF that scene had
been too much for man whose
shoulders had been won't to bear for
long aud unassiated the cares OF a
great kingdom.
As for Eveston. his control had
long before given way and tears
still uninterruptedly triekled down
his cheeks, while Polkinghorne sat
ahivering In his chair. III and half
fainting, HIS teeth chRtterinE a.
with an ague. / alone was out
wardly unmoyed. yet can mover
deny that In spite OF the calm