Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-29


dared to balk him thus
Miss Elliott was soon roughly reused from her
position, but she did not heed the negroes inso-
lence. Every second that passed seem TO her an
agonized eternity for every second she expected
to hear the outcry which would proclaim her lcv
er's failure, his capture and his death. She held
her eyes tightly closed and scarcely dared TO
breathe, 80 fercely terrible was her anxiety but
minutes passed and nothing happened Could 1t
be possible, she asked herself that he had actual
ly succeeded
With fearful effort she opened her eyes and
glanced at the shore.
No, it seemed incredible.
The boat-house was fully sixty yards away. But
yet, and yet her lover had not appeared again.
Perhaps he had deceived her Perhaps he had
really killed himself in order to force her to live
on! Perhaps he was drowned Each thought
filed her heart with anguish unspeakable. As in
a horrible dream she saw the negroes leaning over
the boatside peering keenly into the dark waters
But Cressingham did not appear again, and after
half hour infinitely dreadful to the girl the
search was abandoned and she was taken to the
landing place and subsequently to the chateau.
AS for Cressingham. when he took the dive he
entertained no illusions. He was desperately con
soious that the slender chance he grasped at was
his last and only hope of salvation, and ne swan
for dear life itself.
The swim was long and full Of fearful effort,
for before he had traversed half the distance his
breath was almost used, and he combated two
forms Of death instead Of one. But with burst
ing heart and swollen lungs he struggled madly
on, fortunately, in the right direction, out ne
never gave thought to that.
He ceased struggling at last, unable to move
another muscle without taking breath, and his
only idea at first was failure. He had done his
best; no man might do more. Well, he mad
failed, and must pay the penalty
His mind was filled with vague pity for Fran
cine; he had not kept his promise to her, ne now
would never have the courage to take her own
life; and then, forgetting her, there came into
his brain thousand mindpictures of the past,
vivid, real and flashing pictures that fitted past
his mental eyes with phantasmagoric rapidity'
Suddenly all this went from him. He was really
dying now, and natures struggle with lts oio arcn
enemy set in in spite of him. His hands uncon-
sciousy beat tie waters, uplifting him, and final
ly he reached the surface.
He wondered vaguely in a moment why he was
not already seized and why he heard no shouts
of triumph at his appearance. Then he opened
his eyes that had closed in his late unconscious
ness. and they were dazed with brilliant glare
of artificial light.
With gasp of rapture hope returned, and he
realized that after al he had succeeded. One of
his hands in his drowning struggle had uncon'
scious'y clutcbed a stake driven into the water.
i
Slowly strength returned, and he looked Curl
ously about him. The boat-house was a single
apartment, long and narrow; onehalf composed
of stone platform whereon reposed long wood
en- work tables and score of strange, bright,
manv-wheeled engines, covered with crystal
frames, and other implements; the other half was
all water to the iron portculis at the farther end
behind him. Above his head platform OF
planks running from the stone floor right to the
portculs, and above this platform swung mar
row skeeton-lke boat, whose sides shone like
FURNISHED silver In the fierce electric light.
Cressngham discovered that he could complete
ly conceal himself from observation by remaining
beneath the plank platform. He had no desire
to land just then, fearing that the Count dAttala
might accompany Desire back to the boat-house.
Nor was he mistaken. After half an hour of
waiting he heard voices, and the lad entered tie
building, his grandfather at his heels.
"Do you think his body will soon come up,
sir?" asked the boy in Italian His voice was
soft and liquid that of a girl.
"I don't" answered the Count; 'he must have
been dead before he touched the water, for he
sank like stone. The bay is full of currents,
and his body will be probably carried out to sea-
that is, if the sharks let it alone 1 can't un-
derstand how he got that dagger, though
''Perhaps Miss Elliott gave it to him"
"Ah, boy, you are right. missed knife from
my room some days since; thought you had
taken it, and intended to ask you"
''No sir touched dagger"
'"Well, how goes the work, lad?"
''Smoothly sir. I have completed the alloy,
and am now shaping it into plates. It's hard
work, though"
''Bahl you are young"
IT am not grumbling, grandfather; please don't
think I'm grumbling. I wouldn't shirk anything
to earn what you have promised, sir.
'fWell, well; don't waste time. / shall expect
TO hear from you this afternoon that half the
plates at least are finished"
''Il do my best, sir"
The Count d'Attala strobe out, showing no
signs of weakness although deprived of the as
sistance of his slaves He slammed the door be-
hind him violently.
Cressingham watched the boy take up large
sheet of white metal and place it in frame,
then bring to bear on it an appliance from one
of the strange machines, which he set in motion
by pressing on lever. There followed a sharp
and deafening hiss and he could see now tiny
saw was cutting through the plate as fast as
though il were a board of deal. Cressingham
watched the work and he only awaited an oppor-
tunty to declare his presence.
Fate brought him a splendid chance The boy
Desire while comparing two plates by transposi-
ton mused aloud: 81 am glad that / did not
meet that gentleman, Lord Cressingham. Miss
Elliott is always saying what splendid man he
is. should have been sure to want to help him
to escape, and if / had grandfather-' He
paused as If rejecting. well, l suppose he'd
not have killed me, I'm too useful to him for
that, but I'm sure he'd punish me by breaking
his promise in the end
Cressngham listened breathlessly, and at the
last word sighed out his relief The noise startled
the boy. He dropped the plate and glanced fur
lively at the water. Cressingham pushed him
self into the light The boy turned deathy
pale, and stood staring at the apparition shock
ed and rigid, for the mans face was indescriba-
IL, oha.tly eeaD under the white glare of the