Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-02-28
COPYRIGHT. 1898. BY HARPER 6 BROTHERS
Blu A. CONAN DOYLE.

caleche ratified away down the main
drive.
1t had not surprised her that this man
should join her inside the coach, for it
was usual to have a guard there, and
he was doubtless taking the place
which her brother would afterward oc-
cupy. That was all natural enough.
But when ten minutes passed by and
he had neither moved nor spoken she
peered at him through the gloom with
some curiosity. AT last the silence i'm
pressed her with a vague uneasiness.
1t was time to bring it to an end.
A thrill ran through her nerves. Who
or what could he be, this silent man?
Then suddenly 1t struck her that he
might be dumb.
Perhaps monsieur is afflicted" she
said. perhaps monsieur cannot speak.
If that be the cause of your silence,
will you raise your hand, and l shall
understand" He sat rigid and silent.
Then a sudden mad fear came upon
her, shut up in the dark with this
dreadful, voiceless thing. She screamed
In her terror and strove to pull down
the window and open the door. But
q grip Of steel closed suddenly round
her wrist and forced her back into her
seat. They were already out on the
country roads far beyond Versailles.
1t was darker than before, heavy clouds
had banked over the heavens, and the
rumbling Of thunder was heard low
down ON the horizon.
The lady lay back painting upon the
leather cushions of the carriage. She
was a brave woman, and yet this sud
den. strange horror coming upon her at
the moment when she was weakest had
shaken her to the soul. She crouched
In the corner, staring across with eyes
which were dilated with terror at the
figure On the other side. If he would
but say something. Any revelation,
any menace, was better than this 81
lence.
"Slr," said she, there is some mis-
take here. l do not know by what
right you prevent me from pulling down
the window and giving my directions
to the coachman."
He said nothing.
Il repeat, sir, that there is some mis-,
take. This is the carriage of my broth,
er, M. de Vivonne, and he is not a man
who will allow his sister to be treated
uncourteously."
A few heavy drops Of rain splashed
against one window. The clouds were
lower and denser. She had quite lost
sight of that motionless figure, but II
was all the more terrible to her now
that 1t was unseen. She screamed
with sheer terror.
"Sir," she cried, clutching forward
with her hands and grasping his sleeve,
'you brighten me. You terrify me. /
have never harmed you. Why should
you wish to hurt an unfortunate wo,
man? oh, speak to me, for Gods sake,
speak,"
Still the patter Of rain upon the win,
dow and no other sound save her own
sharp breathing.
Perhaps you do not know who ]
ann" she continued, endeavoring to as,
sumo her usual tone of command. and
talking now TO an absolute and i'm,
penetrable darkness. You may learn
when it Is too late that you have
chosen the wrong person for this pleas
antry. am the Marqulse de Monies,
pan, and l am not m who forgets a
slight. If you know anything of the
court you must know that my word
has some weight with the king. If you
would o Jesus! Have mercy!'
A livid fash Of lightning had burst
from the heart Of the cloud and for an
instant the whole countryside and the
interior of the caleche were as light as
day. The mans face was within q
hand breadth Of her own, his mouth
wide open, Is eyes mere shining Sits,
convulsed with silent merriment. Every
detail flashed out clear In that vivid
light-his red quivering tongue, the
lighter pink beneath 1t, the broad white
teeth, the short brown beard cut into
a peak and bristling forward.
But it was not the sudden flash; II
was not the laughing, cruel face, which