Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1905-10-14
she explained. land if" hesitating-

ly,
"And II were not criminal. les
perate scoundrel, you could"
II could learn to love you!" smiling
through tears which unbidden stole to
her eyes.
Louis looked at her in amazement.
Are you positive that you do not love
me as 1t is?" he asked, grasping her
hand in his own.
Perhaps I do" she said without
hesitation, "but it would make me
feel far happier to know that had
not thrown my love away where graft
tude alone would be SUFFICIENT"
Louis drew her INTERESTINGLY to him
and kissed her. Trust me-" he said,
II can see you have guessed the truth.
With your love to strengthen me
can carry the day"
Louis glanced at the clock. 1t
lacked only few minutes of the time
when he should appear to fight his
duel.
at is time for action!" he cried.
81 must go!"
81 will go with you!" she exclaimed.
At precisely eight o'clock, King
Schiller rose from his throne, or in
the box commanding the view of the
pit in the amphitheater, and after
bowling to the populace seated around
him, said:
Bring up the combatants!"
Iaraun fba italian tha lxpanQr IF
the beasts, stepped into the ring
through an entrance from the rear,
and behind him stalked the massive
being Whalen, whom Louis was to
fight. There was a murmer of adj
miration at his appearance, followed
by Kisses when it was discovered that
Lang was not in the company.
where is this Lang?" demanded
Schiller, as if surprised.
There was commotion at the main
entrance! In stalked our hero, hat
less, and spotted with blood! He was
supporting his wife upon his arm.
Il am here!" he cried
Before recording what came next in
our hero's life we may as well ex-
plain few of Schiller's actions. 1t
was that honorable and most august
persons intention to have Louis
killed or MANNED before he reached
"the hall of justice"
Schiller was playing a desperate
game. He knew that he was not
loved by his subjects. He had more
than his throne at stake-his very life
and a fortune. His game was to
dispose of Lang and to regain Pearl.
By threats of torture he expected to
compel Dr. Huntington to acknowl
edge himself heir of "Chesterlee
Estate"-of which Huntington through
strange fortune now was the only de
scendent. By marriage with Pearl.
as the only child, Schiller meant to
become possessor of the immense for
tune. This could only be done by dis
posing of Louis and remaining in a
position to subdue the doctor.
Not once had the thought entered
Louis mind of escaping. The boot
ing of the mob, which reused him to
action, partially prepared him for the
worst Ere he left the house he
armed himself with his trusty billy
It was well he did so. He had not
taken a dozen steps from the house
when some one whirled his wife from
his arm, while a second form made
murderous strike at him with club!
But Louis was not asleep. He hit
one away, then another, and before
his assailants had accomplished theil
purpose he laid both bleeding at his
feet!
Even at it's best, our hero was al
most too late. The clock had ceased
vibrating after striking the fatal hour
of eight. 1t was only by the greatest
difficulty that he arrived at the door
of the amphiteater just as Schiller
put the question, Where is this
Lang?"
81 am here!" cried our hero; ano
while the vast crowd rose up to catch
a glimpse of the daring man, as if he
had been in the building a thousand
times he marched his trembling wife
down the long aisle and seated her in
the box assigned for the councilmen
and with a leap sprang over the wall
of the pit into the arena.
(To be continued.)