Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-09-13
Copyright, 1894, by Stanley J. weyman.l
CHAPTER XI.-CoNTINUED.

man in the mask staggered to his feet
and felt stupidity for a pistol. But
he could not find one and was, l
saw, in no state to use it if he had.
He reeled helplessly to the bank and
leaned against it. He would give no
further trouble. The man | had
wounded was in scarcely better condi-
ton. He retreated before me for some
PAGES, but then losing courage, he
dropped his sword and, wheeling round
eantered off down the road, clinging to
his pommel. There remained only the
fellow engaged with my man and l
turned to see how they were getting
on. They were standing to take
breath, so I ran towards them; but,
seeing me coming, this rascal, too,
whipped round his horse and disap-
peared in the wood and left us mas
tiers Of the field. The first thing l did
and l remember it to this day with
pleasure-was to plunge my hand into
/ had in the world and press it on tae
man who had fought Cor me so stoutsy
and who had certainly saved me from
disaster. In my joy l could have
kissed him! 1t was not only that l
had escaped defeat by the skin of my
teeth-and his good ~sword-but I knew
and thrilled with the knowledge, that
the fight had altered the whole posi-
tion. He was wounded in two places
and | had a scratch or two and had
lost my horse; and my other poor fell
low was dead as a herring. But speak
ing for myself, I would have spent
half the blood in my body to purchase
the feeling with which I turned back
to speak to M. de Cocheforet and his
sister. had fought before them.
Mademoiselle had dismounted and
with her face averted and her mask
pushed on one side, was openly
weeping. Her brother, who had scru-
pulously kept his place by the ford
from the beginning of the fight to
the end, met me with raised eyebrows
and a peculiar smile. Acknowledge
my virtue" he said airily. II am here.
M. de REHABILITATION is more than
can be said of the two gentlemen
who have just ridden off,"
eyes," I answered, with a touch Of
bitterness. 81 wish they had not shot
my poor man before they went"
He shrugged his shoulders. "They
were my friends" he said. "You mus
not expect me to blame them. But
that is not ALL"
mo-" l said, wiping my sword
''There is this gentleman in the mask
And I turned to go towards him.
I'M. de Berault!" There was some
thing abrupt in the way in which
Cocheforet called my name after me.
I stood. "Pardon?" I said, turning
"That gentleman" he answered
hesitating, and looking at me doubt
fully. "Have you considered-wha
will happen to him, if you give hin
up to the authorities?"
"Who is he?" | said sharply.
"That is rather a delicate question,
he answered, frowning, and still look
ing at me fixedly.
mot from me-" I replied brutally
"since he is in my power. If he will
take off his mask I shall know bette
what I intend to do with him."
The stranger had lost his hat in hi
fall and his fair hair, stained will
. dust, hung in curls on his shoulders
He was a tall man, of slender, hand
so1ne presence, and though his dres
was plain and almost rough, | espie
a splendid jewel on his hand and fan
cied I detected other signs of higl
quality. He still lay against the ban
in a half-swooning condition an
seemed unconscious of my scrutiny
"Should l know him if he unmasked?
said suddenly, a new idea in my heat
"You would" M. de Cocheforet an
swered simply.
"And?" ,
at would be bad for every one"
"Ho, ho!" I said softly, lookin
hard, first at my old prisoner, and the
at my new one. "Then, what do 70
wish me to do?"
Leave him here" M. de Cochefore
answered glibly, his face flushed, tn
pulse in his cheek beating. ha
known him for a man of perfect hone
before, and trusted him. But thi
evident earnest anxiety on behalf
his friend touched me. Besides,
knew that I was treading on slipper
ground; that it behove me to be carr
full. II will do it." I said, after a mt
ment's reflection. "He will play m
no tricks, I suppose? A letter OFF
tMon Dieu, no! He will undel
stand" Cocheforet answered eagerl,
"'You will not repent 1t, l swea
Let us be going"
"Well-but my horse?" / said, som,
what taken aback by this extrem
haste.
eve shall overtake it," he reptile
urgently. 1T will have kept to ii
road. Lectoure is no mor than
league from here, and we can give O
ders there to have these two fetche
in and buried"
/ had nothing to gain by demurrir
and so it was arranged. After that "
did not linger. We picked up whit
we had dropped, M. de Cochefor'
mounted his sister and within fl,
minutes we were gone. Casting
glance back from the skirts Of Il
wood, as we entered it, I fancied thu
I saw the masked man straighten hin
self and turn to look after us; but Il
leaves were beginning to interven
the distance was great and perhal
cheated me. And yet l was not di
inclined to think the unknown q Il
tie less severely injured and a trit
mora ohsarvaut than ha snemed