Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-08-16
ever a man found death sweet, It was

said, in sudden fury. 81 believe you
are glad"
"He deserved his fate" l answered
why should | pretend to be
1t was now or in three months.
And for the other poor DEVILS sake
1 am glad"
He glared at me a moment, in
speechless anger. At last, 81 should
like to have you tied up!" he said,
between his teeth.
Il should have thought that you
had had enough of tying up for one
day." | retorted. But there; it comes
of making officers out of the canaiile.
Dogs love blood. The teamster must
still lash something if he can no
longer lash his horses"
We were back, a sombre little pro-
c~essiCn, at the wooden bridge, when I
said this. He stopped suddenly. VERY
WELL" he replied, nodding viciousy.
THAT decides me. Sergeant, light me
this way with a lanthorn. The rest of
you to the village. Now Master Spy"
he continued, glancing at me with
gloomy spite, your road is my road.
l think l know how to cook your
goose"
I shrugged my houlders in disdain,
and together, the sergeant leading
the way with the light, we crossed the
meadow and passed through the safe
where mademoiselle had kissed my
hand and up the ghostly walk between
the rosebushes. l 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 a 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,
l saw the flutter of a white skirt by
the stone seat against the house and I
stepped that way.
"Mademoiselle." l said softly, sis
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 mademoiselle
roughly. She looked at him with shud-
dering adherence.
Are you come to fog me, sir?" she
said Jelly, "Is it not enough that you
have murdered my %servant?"
"On the contrary, It was he killed
my captain" the lieutenant answered,
in another tone than | had expected.
IF your servant is dead, SO is my
comrade."
She looked with startled eyes, not
at him, but at me. What! Captain
she muttered.
| nodded.
"How?" she asked.
"Clon fling the captain and himself
into the liverpool" | explained in a
low voice. 1.-The pool above tho
bridge"
She uttered an exclamation Of awe
and stood silent. But her lips moved;
! think she was praying for CloR
though she vas a Huguenot. Meanwhile
| had a fright. The lanthorn, swinging
in the s~ergeant's hand and now throw
ing its smoky light on the stone seat,
not on the rough wall above it, showed
me something else. On the seat, doubt
less where mademoiselle's hand had
lain, as she sat in the dark, listening
and watching. stood a pitcher of food.
Beside her, in that place, it was damn
ing evidence. l 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 l 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.
ut is true, the captain is gone" he
said stifly. But others are alive and
about one of them a word with you,--
by your leave, mademoiselle. I have
listened to a good deal of talk from
this fine gentleman friend Of yours.
has spent the last "a hours say
ing, You shall!' and You shall not!'
He came from you and took a very
high tone because we laid a little whip
lash about that dumb devil Of yours.
He called us brutes and beasts and
but for him | am not sure that my
friend would not be alive. But when
he said a few minutes ago that he was
glad glad of it, d-n him!-then |
fixed 1t in my mind that I would be
with him. And | am going to
What do you mean? mademoisaIls
asked, YEARLY i%nterrupting him. IF
think you can prejudice me against
hat gentleman"
That is precisely what / do think!
And am going to do it. And q little
more than that"
You will be only wasting your
oreath!' she answered proudly.
Wait wait, Mademoiselle, until
you have heard!" he said. "If ever
| black-hearted scoundrel, a %dastardly,
'neaking spy, trod the earth, it is this
This friend Of yours! And I
am goiLg to EXPOSE him. Your own
Eyes and your own ears shall persuade
Why, I would not eat. 7 would
lot drinE. I would not sit down with
him! I would not! ! would rather be
Deholden to the meanest trooper In
ny squadron than to him! Ay, Iwould,
80 help me Heaven!" And tho
lieutenant. turning squarely on his
,oo1c enak 80 ako ,r1r.l r..L.