The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-06-01

spade Oh some blunt instrument His
hand, all muddy and bloodstained. still
held revolver. The other hand was
stretched out toward Eta, who Law
across his feet, crouchfng against the
wall. Death had found and left her in
an attitude Of fear, shielding her bow
ed head from blow with her up
raised hands. Her loosened hair fell
in a long wave of gold down to the
bloodstained hand outstretched toward
her. She was kneeling in De Chaux-
ville's blood, which stained the stone
floor of the passage.
Paul leaned forward and laid his
fingers on the bare arm just below a
bracelet which cleaned in the lamp
light. She was quite dead He held
a lamp close to her. There was no
mark or scratch upon her arm or shoul-
der. The blow which had torn her
hair down had killed her without any
Disagreement. The silken skirt of her
dress, which lay across the passage,
was trampled and stained by the tread
of a hundred feet.
Then Paul went to Claude de Chaux-
Vile. He stopped down and slipped
his skilled fingers inside the torn and
mud stained clothing. Here also was
death.
Paul stood upright and looked at
them as they lay, silent, motionless,
with their tale untold. Maggie and
Steinmetz stood watching him. He
went to the door, which was of solid
oak four inches thick, and examined
the fastenings. There had been no
damage done to bolt or lock or hinge.
The door had been opened from the
inside. He looked slowly around meas
uring the distances.
what is the meaning of it?'' he said
at length to Steinmetz in dull voice.
Maggie WINGED at the sound of it.
Steinmetz did not answer at once,
but hesitated, after the manner of a
man weighing words which will never
be forgotten by their hearers.
| 1T seems to me- he said, with
slow, wise charity, the best of its kind,
quite clear that De Chauxville died in
trying to save her. The rest must be
only guesswork."
Il suppose he went on after a
little pause, "that Claude de Chaux-
Vile has been at the bottom of all our
trouble. All his life he has been one
of the stormy petrels of diplomacy.
Wherever he has gone trouble has fol-
lowed later. BY some means he OBJ
tanned sufficient mastery over the
princess to compel her to obey his or
ders. The means he employed were
threats. He had it in his power to
make mischief, and in such affairs a
woman is so helpless that we may we'll
forgive that which she may do in a
moment of panic. I imagine that he
frightened the poor lady into obedi-
ence to his command that she should
open, this door,"
! He spread out his hands in depreca-
ton. In his quaint Germanic way he
held one hand out over the two mo-
;tionless forms in mute prayer that they
might be forgiven.
1--WE all have our faults" he said.
"Who are we to judge each Others? If
we understood all we might pardon.
The two strongest human motives are
ambition and fear. She was ruled by
both. l myself have seen her under
the influence of sudden panic. I have
noted the working of her great ambi-
ton. She was probably deceived at
every turn by that man, who was a
scoundrel. She must have repented Of
her action when she heard the clatter
Of the rioters all round the castle.
am sure she did that. 1 am sure she
came down here to shut the door and
found Claude de Chauxville here They
were probably talking together when
the poor mad fools who killed them
came round to this side of the castle
and found them. They recognized her
as the princess. They probably mis-
took him for the prince. 1t is what
men call series of condolences. I
wonder what God calls it?'
He broke off, and, STOPPING down, he
drew the lapel of the Frenchman's
cloak gently over the marred face
"And let us remember he said, chat
he tried to save, her. Some lives are so.
At the very end little reparation is
|
When he died they trampled him IN
derfoot in order to reach her. Made
moiselle, will you come?'
He took Maggie by the arm and led
her gently away. She was shaking all
over, but his hand was steady and
wholly kind.
He led her up the narrow stairs to
her own room. In the little boudoir
the fire was burning brightly; the
lamps were lighted, just as the maid
had left them at the first alarm.
Maggie sat down, and quite sudden
ly she burst into tears.
Steinmetz did not leave her. He
stood beside her, gently stroking her
shoulder with his stout fingers. He
said nothing, but the gray mustache
only half concealed his lips, which
were twisted with little smile full of
tenderness and, sympathy.
Maggie was the f1fst.to speak.
II am all right now she said.
please do not wait any longer and do