The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1907-08-09
CHAPTER xvn.-<corr,xurp.,

XVU.-fCoNTINUED.l
He paused, and Trudaine again en-
deavored to speak such words as might
show that he was not unworthy of the
deadly risk which Lomaque was pre-
pared to encounter. But once more the
o%hief-agent peremptorily and i%rritably
lnterposed.
II tell you, for the thin d time" he
said, ri will listen to no expressions of
gratitude from you, till I know when l
deserve them. 1t is true that : reccilect
your fathers timely kindness to ne
true that I have not forgotten what
passed five years since, at your house
by the river side. I remember every
thing. down to what you would consid-
Or the veriest tritle-that cup of coffee,
tor instance. which your sister kept hot
for me. ! told you then that you would
think better of me some day. I know
that you do now. But this is not all.
You want to glorify me to my face for
risking my life for you. I an weary
of life. I can't look back e. 1t with
pleasure. l am too old to looh forward
to what is left Of 1t with nope. There
was something in that night at your
house before the wedding-something
IN what you said, in what yoHr sister
did-which altered me. l have had my
days OF gloom and self-reproach, from
time to time. since then. ! have sick
ened at my slavery. and subsection, and
duplicity, and cringing. first under ore
master, hen under another. have
longed to look back at my life. and COM
fort myself with the sight of some good
action, just as a frugal nan comforts
himself with the sight of his little sav-
ings laid by in an old drawer. I can't
do this, and l want to do 1t. The
want takes me like a fit, at uncertain
overwhelmingly. under the most in
comprehensive influences. A glance
up at the blue sky-starlight over the
houses Of this great city. when ! look
out at the night from my garnet win
dow-a child's voice coming suddenly,
I don't know where from-the piping
Of my neighbours linnet in his little cage
now n thing. and then another,
wakes up that want in me in a mo-
ment. Rascal as l am, those few simple
words your sister spoke to the Judge
went through and through me like a
knife. Strange, In a nan like me, isn't
It? am amazed at 1t myself. My life?
Bah! I've let 1t out for hire to be
kicked about by rascals from II dirty
place to another, like a football! It's
my within to give 1t a last kick myself,
n throw 1t away decently before it
lodges or the dunghill forever. Your
sister kept a good cup of coffee hot for
me and l give her a bad life in return.
Thank me for 1t! What folly! Thank
me when l have done something useful.
Don't thank me for that!'
He snapped his fingers c%ontemptu-
ously as he spoke, and walked away to
the outer door to receive the TALLER,
who returned at that moment.
"Well," inquired the hunchback, has
anybody asked for me?"
NO." said Lomaque; not a soul has
entered the room. What sort of wine
did you get?"
"So-so! Good at a pinch, friend
good at a pinch"
"Ah! you should go to my shop and
try a certain cask, filled with a partic-
ular vintage!"
what shop? Which vintage?"
II can't stop to tell you now; but we
shall most likely meet again to-day.
I expect to be at the prison this after
noon. Shall l ask for you? Good! I
won't forget!" With those farewell
words he went out, and never SO much
10 looked back at the prisoners before
he closed the door behind him.
Trudaine returned to his sister, fear
eul lest his face should betray what had
passed during the extraordinary inter-
view between Lomaque and himself.
But whatever change there might be in
his expression, Rose did not seem to
notice 1t. She was still strangely mat
tentive to all outward things. That
spirit of resignation, which is the cour-
age OF women In all great emergencies,
seemed now to be the one animating
spirit that fed the flame Of life within
her.
When her brother sat down by her,
she only took his hand gently, and said:
LET us stop together like this, Louis.
till the time comes. l am not afraid of
It, for I have nothing but you to make
me love life. and you, too, are going to
die. Do you remember the time when
used to grieve that I never had q
child to be some comfort to me? / was
thinking a moment ago how horrible
It would have been now, II my wish
had been granted. 1t Ia n blessing for
me. In this great misery, that l am
ehildlessl Let US talk Of old days,
Louis. al long as we cannot of my
husband, OF my marriage-only of the
old times. before l was a burden and
. trouble to you"
CHAPTER XVIII.
NnaII By By oa 1es s sSas and md