Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-08-09
CHAPTER vIII.-CoNrINUEp.

rod. "We shall leave you the house
and madam and you can take your
line to find thu man. For ourselves,
we shall draw off our men to the viii
lage and we shall take our line. That
is all, M. lie Capiteine, is 1t not?"
81 think So" the captain muttered,
looking anywhere but at me.
"Then we bid you good-day, Mon
%sieur," the lieutenant added. And in
q moment he turned his companion
round, and the two retired up the walk
to the house, leaving me to look after
them in a black fit of rage and In
credulity. At the first flush there was
something so offensive in the manner
OF their going that anger had the up
per hand. l thought of the lieutenant's
words, and l cursed him to hell with
q sickening consciousness that | should
not forget them in a hurry: "Was |
playing the traitor to the cardinal or
to these women-which?" Mon Dieu!
If wei ~question-but there! some day
I would punish him. And the captain!
I could put an end to his amusement,
at any rate; and I would. Doubtless
among the country bucks of Auch he
1orded it as a chief provincial bully,
but I would cut his comb for him some
fine morning behind the barracks.
And then, as l grew cooler I began
to wonder why they were going, and
what they were going to do. They
might be already on the track, or
have the information they required I'M
der hand; in that case I could under
stand the movement. But if they were
still searching vaguely, uncertain
whether their quarry were in the neigh
borhood or not, and uncertain how
long they might have to stay, it seemed
incredible that soldiers should move
from good quarters to bad without mo-
tive.
l wandered down the garden think
ing sullenly of this, and pettishly
cutting off the heads of the flowers
with my sheated sword. After all, If
they found and arrested the nan what
then? | should have to make peace
with the cardinal as l best might. He
would have gained his point, but not
through me, and | should have to look
to myself. On the other hand, If I
anticipated them-and, as a fact,
felt that I could lay my hand On the
fugitive within a few hours-there
would come a time when | must face
snademoiselle.
A little while back that had not
seemed so difficult a thing. From the
day of our first meeting-and in a
higher degree since that afternoon
when she had dashed me with her scorn
my views of her, and my feelings
towards her, had been strangely made
up of ~antagonism and sympathy; of
repulsion, because in her past and
present she was so different from me;
of yearning, because she was a woman
and friendless. Then | had duped her
and bought her confidence by returning
the jewels, and in a measure I had
stated my vengeance; and then, as a
consequence, sympathy had again be-
gun to get the better, until now l hard.
1y knew my own mind or what l in.
tended. | stood there in the garden
with that conviction suddenly new
born in my mind; and then, in 8
moment, l heard her step and turned
to find her behind me.
Her face was like April, smiles
breaking through her tears. AS she
. stood with a tall hedge of flowers be
hind her, I started to see how beauti
full she was. IT am here in search Of
you, M. de Barthe," she said, colorins
slightly, perhaps because my eyes be
trayed my thought, ito thank you
You have not fought, and vet you have
conquered. My woman has just beer
with me, and she tells me that they
are going!"
"Going?" l said. "Yes, Mademoiselle
they are leaving the house."
She did not understand my reserva
ton. What magic have you used?'
she said, almost g%aily-it was wonder
full how hope had changed her. More
over, l am curious to learn how yol
managed to avoid fighting"
"After taking a blow?" said bit
terly.
Monsieur, | did not mean that" sht
said reproachfully. But her fac,
clouded. | saw that. viewed in this ligh
lin which | suppose she had no
seen 1.-THE matter perplexed her still
more.
I took a sudden resolution. "Hav'
you ever heard, Mademoiselle," | salt
gravely, p%lucking off while I spoke tn,
dead leaves from a plant beside me
"of a gentleman by name De Berault
Known in Paris. so l have heard, b!
sobriquet of the Black Death?"
1.-THE duellist" she answered, il
wonder. Eyes, l have heard of him
He killed a young gentleman of THU
province at Nancy two years back. !
was a sad story" she continued, shud
dering, "of a dreadful man. God keel
our friends from such!"
"Amen!" l said quietly. But, il
spite of myself, | could not meet he
eyes.
"Why?' she answered, quickly tax
ing alarm at my silence, What O
him, M. de Barthe? Why have yol
mentioned him."
Because he is-here, Mademoiselle.
"Here?" she exclaimed.
Eyes, Mademoiselle," l answered so
berly. Il am he"
CHAPTER TX.