The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-07-13

voE please. am guilty of a crime; l
Rave the "o''rage to nav the penalty"
His calm was extraordinary, and even
Ksrlof looked at him with a sparkle
of admiration.
As a plrmmet plunges into the sea,
so the girls look plunged into Warbur-
toms soul and had he been an Of
fccr Of the law. he knew that he would
have utterly disregarded his duty.
Il an not a secret service man. sir"
he reolied unevenly. IF | were. -
pointing TO the CRATE, your plans
world net have fed the fire"
who are you, then, and what do
you II my house in this guise?"-
proudly.
II am your head stable-man for
the present. It was all by chance.
came into this room yesterday to get
9 boo- on veterinary surgery ac-
cidently saw a plan. l have been a
soldier. ! knew that such a thing had
10 rightfvl place in this house
| was coming across the lawn, when l
looted into the window II is
rot fer ne to judge you, sir. Ny duty
lay in destroying those plans before
they harmed any one"
No, it is not for you to judge me"
said the colonel. Il have gambled
away my daughters fortune. To keep
ner in ignorance of the fact and to re-
turn to her the amount l had wrong
fully used, consented to sell to Rus
STA the coast fortification plans of my
country, such as | could draw from
memory. No, it is not for you to
judge me; only God has the right to
do that
Il am only a groom" said Warbur-
ton, simply. What l have heard !
shall forget"
All, had he but looked at the girls
face then!
A change came over Karloffs coun-
tenance; his shoulders dropped; the
melancholy fire died out of his face
and eyes. With an air of resignation
and a clear sense of the proportion of
things, he reached out and took UP the
note upon which Annesley had scrawled
his signature.
Warpurton, always alert, seized the
counts wrist. He saw the name of
hank and the sum of five figures.
What is this?" he demanded.
ut is mine" replied the count,
haughtily.
Warburton released him.
HE speaks truly" said the colonel
'The hour of madness is past" the
Russian began, slowly and unsteady.
The tone was musing. He seemed OBJ
livious of his surroundings and tina:
three pairs of curious eyes were leveled
In his direction. He studied the note,
it, drew it through his fingers.
it and caressed it. "And
should have done exactly as l threat.
ened. There is, then, a Providence
which watches jealousy over the inno-
cent? And l was skeptic!
Two hundred thousand dollars
picking up the packet of bank-notes
and balancing it on his hand. "Well ,
It is a sum large enough to tempt any !
man. How the plans and schemes of ,
men crumble to the touch! Addition
Is but the pursuit Of mirages.
Mademoiselle, you will never know
what the ignominy of this moment
has cost me,-nor how well love you,
come of a race of men who pursue
heir hearts desire through fire and :
water. Obstacles are nothing; the =
Ind is everything. In Europe | should
nave won, in honor or in dishoror.
But this American people, do not
quite understand them and that .
Why | have played the villain to TO
He paused, and a sad, bitter smile
played over his face J
"Mademoiselle,' he continued
wherever | may go, your
ace and the sound of your voice shall
ibide with me. do not ask you to :,
orget, but | ask you to forgive" :
again he paused. \
She uttered nc sound .
We'll, one does not forget nor for 6
i've these things in so short a time.
md, after ALL it was your fathers r
oily. Fate threw him across my path i
t critical moment-but l had reck- !,
med without you Your father is a :
rave man. for he has the courage to 2
ffer himself to the law; have the h
ourage to give you up. I, too am a n
older; I recognize the vaiue OF re g
reat. To Warburton he said "a
room. hostler, to upset such plans Il
S these. | do rot know who yoU cr2, &
ir. nor how to account for your ti-,e- t,
Y and peculiar appearance. TT
Hlly recognize the falseness Of yoIr c
resence here. Eth. well. this L what v
ONES Of race prejudice, the sensalsss D
attic which hes always beaH ard n
,ays will be vaced between +ha uot.e +,
nd the peasant He'd | Observed Ven N
I the proper time. our rositic2s miCbt
have been changed Useless 81
etrospection!" 70 Anaeslef; sir,
'e are equally culcerle Here is this NJ
cite of yours. ! r,icht. as snail