The Washington herald., 1906-11-16

payne bottle. and his face was flushed. his
eyes glittering feverishly in the candle
light
"Ah,' he cried. Where is Perigord?"
He has sent me In his place 10 warn
YOU TO prepare yourself for death. In an
hour you VIII be shot 1 am further TO In
form you that a priest is IN attendance,
should you require his services"
4 must see Perigord. Beg him TO visit
me. I shall not detain him for moment"
He refuses 10 see you again, sir"
Refuses! my son dares to refuse his
fathers last wish on earth Tell him
that I. Bosa Gracci. his father. command
his immediate presence hereI Don't stare,
sir, 90 and do my biddingr The old
mans imperiOusness was sight magnifi-
cent 20 witness; Cressingham thought him
raving, but nevertheless, much impressed.
he bowed and conveyed the message word
for word 20 Perigord, adding, however.
apoiogeucally: He must have turned
crazy. sir"
Perigord smiled sadly and answered:
Would that Il were as you suppose He
Is not crazy. l am the Count d'Attala's
son. Until this day I knew nGught OF II,
but he has crUshingiy convinced me"
And yet-you-wili kill him?" STAN
mered Cressingham aghast
u shall do my duty" replied the other
with calm and simple dignity. Kindly
return and say TO the count these words.
Your son has made his peace with God.
He impiores you TO do likewise, for in an
hour you viii die. "
The counts face on his comprehending
this message became transfgured with
arrrsr Z
at the young man a perfect storm OF an
CRY curses. refusing utterly 10 credit the
inexorability Of Perigord's determination
and only became calm when Cressingham
threatened 10 reimpOse the gag. Then
ne fell TO whining and miserably entreat-
ing his enemy 10 enlist in his favor and
endeavOr 10 soften his sons stubborn
heart
Cressingham listened fer awhile. but be-
coming at last utterly disgusted. and q
little unnamed at the sight of a white
head stopped so low, he retreated and
sought out Perigord. that he might OBJ
tain permission to remove Desire as far
as possible from the scene of execution.
so that she might not witness her grand
fathers death.
PerigOrd at once consented. and innae-
diately Oeltien returned from the Yacht
he was hidden take Desire TO the castle
on a pretended erTand to the cable room.
and TO detatn her there beyond the al
lotted time.
Six gentlemen followed Oeltjen ashore
from the yacht. One was the Cardinal
Carnito, and to him Perigord disclosed at
once the relationship which existed be-
tween the count and himself
The cardinal was deeply shocked. but
after few minutes' reflection he unre-
servedly commended his friends deter
mtnation, and expressed his own intention
of at once approaching the count with
the pious idea of attempting to prepare
his soul for death.
Five minutes after he had entered the
old mans tent the watchers heard n
scream of pain, followed by wild meals
of laughter. They rushed forward. but
before they reached the place the car
dinal emerged. his face horribly cut and
profusely bleeding.
The Count d'Attaia, with fendisb cum
ming, had pretended to be grateful for
the prelate's kindness, and lured him
INTO unsuspecting close cOmpanionship:
then when the cardinal was completely
off his guard ne had attacked him with
the champagne bottle, the only weapon
he possessed. and the laughter which
Perigord and Cressingham had heard was
MS paean Of triumph at the success of
his plan.
BY the time the prelate's wounds had
been attended to, the allotted hour had
expired, and at Perigord's command the
count was carried forth TO the open
beach. and at once placed opposite the
five Italian gentlemen. who stood in line
their cooked revolvers in hand, awaiting
the word
The prevailing darkness concealed the
victims face; but to render the aim of
the firers sure lanthorn was placed be-
hind his back upon the sand There fol-
lowed long silence. which the cardinal