The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-07


I'll meant little to me, rejected; but
to die with Lesba was a bit comfort
ing, after all. L must steel myself to
meet death as bravely as this girl was
sure to do.
Paola, after sitting long silent, ad-
dressed Valcour, who, since the cap
tains exit, had been staring from the
window that faced the forest.
What did de Souza say to Lesba %
he asked.
The spy turned around with a coun-
tenance more composed and cheerful
than he had before shown, and an
swered:
He offered to save her from death
if she would marry him.
All; and she laughed at the dear
captain, as we all heard. But you, sen
nor, made an effort to induce her to
change her mind-did you not?"
II" returned Nalcour. by no
means, senior. It is better she should
die than marry this brutal Captain de
Souza.'
This speech seemed to confirm my
suspicion that NalcOur himself loved
Lesba. But Paola cast one of his
quick, searching glances into the spy's
face and seemed pleased by what he
discovered there.
May I speak with my sister," he
asked, a moment later.
Impossible, senior. She must re-
main in solitary confinement until the
hour of the execution, for the captains
gallantry will not permit him to bind
her.
Then, approaching de Pintra. VAL
cour stood a moment looking down at
him and said:
'sir. you have made a noble fight
for a cause that has doubtless been
very dear to you. And you have lost
In these last hours that YOU are per-
mitted to live will you not make a con-
fession to your emperor, and give him
the details of that cons piracy in which
you were engaged %
In Rio" answered Dom Miguel
quietly, there is now no emperor. The
republic is proclaimed. Even at this
moment the people of our country are
acclaiming the United States of Brazil.
Senior, your power is ended GU
may, indeed, by your masters orders,
murder us in this far-aWay province
before assistance can reach us. But
our friends viii exact a terrible ven
geance for the deed, be assured.
Valcour did not answer at once. He
stood for a time with knitted brows,
thoughtfully regarding the white
haired chieftain of the republic. whose
brave utterances seemed to us all to be
fraught with prophetic insight.
eff your lives were in my hands.
said the spy with a gesture of weari-
ness. you would be tried in a court of
justice I am no murderer, senior,
and 4 sincerely grieve that de SOuza
should consider his orders positive .
he turned Abruptly 10 MdZalONltChi
and throwing an arm around the lit
tie mans shoulders bent swiftly down
and pressed a kiss upon the pallid
forehead. Then, with unsteady gait he
walked from the room, and at last ]
saw the eyes of Mazanovitch open
wide, a gaze of inefable tenderness
following the retreating form, until
Valcour had disappeared. Paola was
staring, and the disgusting shipper had
left his face, for time. at least.
Silence now fell upon the room. B7s-
tro. in his corner had gone to sleep
and Dom Miguel seemed lost in
thought From the chamber in which
Lesba was confined came no sound tC
denote whether the girl grieved over
her approaching fate or bore it with
grim stoicism of her doomed com
rades.
The guard paced up and down be
fore the closed door pausing at times
to nuttcr word to his fellows. who
stood watchfully over US. From my
station on the chest I could gaze into
the yard and note the shadow OF the
house creeping further and further Out
into the sunshine, bringing ever near