Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-13
UNDER THE
RED ROBE
CHAPTER v111-(continued).
By STANLEY j. wEYMAN
(copyriSht. 1894. By Stanley J. weyman

N~SS'
CHAPTER WHO ontinued).
shrugged my houlders in disdain,
and together, the sergeant leading
the way with the light, we crossed the
meadow and passed through the gate
where mademoiselle had kissed my
hand and up the ghostly walk between
the rosebushes. wondered uneasily
what the lieutenant would be at and
what he intended; but the lanthorn
light which now fell on the ground
at our feet and now showed one of us
to the other, high-lit in . frame Of
blackness, discovered nothing In his
grizzled face but settled hostility. He
wheeled at the end of the walk to
go to the main door; but as he did so,
i saw the hutter Of a white skirt by
the stone seat against the house and L
stepped that way.
"Mademoiselle," said softly, els
It your"
"Clon?" she muttered, her voice quiv-
ering. What of him?"
He is past pain" answered gently.
''He is dead, but in his own way. Take
comfort, mademoiselle. And then be-
fore could say more. the lieutenant
with his sergeant and light were at
my elbow. He saluted mademoise1le
roughly. She looked at him with shud-
dering adherence.
Are you come to fog me, sir?" she
said icily. as it not enough that you
have murdered my servant?"
ION the contrary, 1t was he killed
my captain" the lieutenant answered.
In another tone than had expected.
eff your servant Is dead, so is my
comrade."
She looked with startled eyes, not
at him, but at me. What! Captain
Larolle?" she muttered.
l nodded.
'How?" she asked.
"Clon flung the captain and himself
into the liverpool" explained in a
low voice. 1.-THE pool above the
bridge"
She uttered an exclamation of awe
and stood silent. But her lips moved;
think she was praying for Clon
though she was Huguenot. Meanwhile
had fright. The lanthorn, swinging
in the sergeant's hand and now throw
ing its smoky light on the stone seat,
not on the rough wall above it, shoFed
me something else. On the seat, d1of
less where mademoiselle's haR and
laiD. asisshe sat in the dark, " day
lost patching. stood pitchdght, . ID.
Beside her, in that place, 1t w3 s..amn-
ing evidence. trembled lest the lieu
tenants eye should fall upon it, lest
the sergeant should see It; thought
what could do to hide it; and then
in a moment I forgot all about It..
The lieutenant was speaking and his
voice was like doom. My throat grew
dry as listened. My tongue stuck to
my mouth; tried to look at mademoi-
selle, but could not.
"It is true, the captain is gone," he
said stiffly. "But others are alive and
about one Of them word with you,-
bby your leave, mademoiseRe. I have
listened to good deal Of talk from
this fine gentleman friend Of yours.
He has spent the last "a hours say
ing, You SHALL and You shall not!
He came from you and took very
high tone because we laid little whip
lash about that dumb devil of yours.
He called US brutes and beasts and
but for him I am not sure that my
friend would not be alive But when
he said few minutes ago that he was
glad--glad of 1t, d-n him!-then
~,
. even with him. And am going to
bel"
What do you mean? mademoisella
asked, YEARLY interrupting him. eff
you think you can prejudice me against
that gentleman"
''That is precisely what do think!
And am going to do it. And little
more than that"
"You will be only wasting your
BREATH" she answered proudly.
'tWait! wait, Mademoiselle, until
you have heard!" he said. eff ever
q black-hearted scoundrel, a dastardly,
sneaking spy, trod the earth, 1t is this
fellow! This friend of yours! And l
am going to expose him. Your own
eyes and your own ears shall persuade
you. Why, would not eat, would
not drink, would not sit down with
him! would not! would rather be
beholden to the meanest trooper in
my squadron than to him! Ay, would,
so help me Heaven!" And thu
lieutenant, turning squarely on his
heels, spat on the ground.
CHAPTER x.
THE ARREST.
bod copooi And nor, IN, c,1ch a