The Cook County herald., 1905-07-22
~ ooned outright, and could only
sob sob ad and, gasp prayers for. the help Of 4
heaven as she listened. Il $%. MI 4

~ swoo ooned outright, and could only
sob and gasp prayers for the help Of
heaven as she listened 4 $ 81. y. MI
/. Bashfort could not reach his weap-
on, as he was crushed down upon his
chest by the weight of his unknown as
sailant, whose knees were firmly
planted on either side of the ruflan,
under the armpits, and all Bashfort's
efforts to overthrow his foe, to turn
himself over, to grasp the hilt ,of his
dagger, or of his hanger, or either of
his pistols, were vain.
II yield, yield!" he at last gasped.
for he was now nearly stranded.
Mercy"
II am the spirit of Claude de La
vet!" said Clarence, in clear and
stern voice, but still retaining his
throttling hold upon Bashfort's throat,
his thumbs pressing down upon the
nape of the wretch's neck, and his
steel-likel fingers gripped in upon both
sides of the fellows throat.
Mercy! yield!" gasped Bashfort,
with his mouth half filled with the
rock dust, down into which his relent-
less foe was grinding his swarthy, saw
age face.
'Listen!" said Clarence, r~lax1ng
but for an instant his grasp. II am
the spirit of Claude de Lavet, but in
the body of his nephew. l am he
whom you carried to the LIE Clercs in
France. I was Raymond Sosia-I am
Clarence Da1rell-and thus I rescue
Helen Beauclair. Die, thou accursed
yillain!"
Again his grasp grew remorseless
upon Bashfort's throat, and so it re-
mained until Clarence knew the man
was throttled to insensibility.
When Clarence had assured him.
self of this fact he quickly bound Bash
forts hands across the fellows back
with stout cord, which he found in
Bashfort's pocket-for Bashfort was a
sailor, and seldom without such mate
rial-and then called out in an eager
voice:
Helen! Dear Helen!"
"Oh, are you unhurt, dear Clar-
ence?" replied the poor girl, from
where she was
Il am not hurt, dear one. Return to
the inner cave and fear nothing.
Promise not to try to follow me! l
will be with you in half an hour or so.
All danger from this dead man is
passed.
"Ah, he is dead! You have killed
him?"
*'Yes, to save your life and mine.
Return to the inner cave and there
await my coming. I must remove this
man't body"
II will obey you, dear Clarence, but
be with me as speedily as you can,"
said Helen, strong now, since she
knew that her lover was an unharmed
victor.
Clarence now seized Bashfort's an
k1es, and with no heed for the uncon-
scious r,1ffian's comfort, lost no time
in dragging him back over the dis
tance he had crawled, and soon had
him in the outer cave.
Neil Bashfort was still insensible,
but breathing with fast increasing reg
uIarity, which foretold that it would
not be long ere his senses should be
in full play again.
With quickness, Clarence seized the
moose of that rope by which Bashfort
had made the descent, and adjusted it
around the rufian's bruised neck and
throat.
A terrible and almost ferocious re-
solve famed in the eyes and from the
face of the young man as he did this.
The heat of the recent struggle was
red upon his brow and cheeks; but the
rest of his face was deathly pale, while
his dark and splendid eyes seemed to
fash living fire.
ITO Be Continued.)