The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-09-14

ton? Is there no greater dif1culty?"
None. Write the prescription. what
ever 1t may be, on that leaf." said the
other. giving him the pocket book.
Write it down, with plain directions
for use." Trudaine obeyed. "This Is
the first STEP" continued Lomaque, put
ting the book in his pocket, toward the
accomplishment Of my purpose un-
certain purpose, remember! Now
listen: am going to put my own head
In danger for the chance of saving yours
and your sisters by tampering with the
death-list. Don't interrupt me! II I
can save one, can save the other. Not
a word about gratitude!' Wait till you
know the extent Of your obligation.
tell you plainly, at the outset, there is
a motive of despair, as we'll as motive
Of pity, at the bottom Of the action
In which am now about to engage.
Silence! l insist on it. Our time is
short; 1t is for me to speak and for you
to listen The president Of the tribunal
has put the death-mark against your
names on the prison list of to-day. That
list, when the trials are over, and it ia
marked to the end. will be called in
this room before you are taken to st.
LaZare It will then be sent to Robes
pierre, who will keep it, having copy
made of ii the moment 1t is delivered,
for circulation among his colleagues
St Just, and the rest. 1t Is my busl-
ness to make duplicate OF this copy
in the first instance. The duplicate will
be compared with the original, and pos
sibly with the copy. too, either by Ro-
bespierre himself. or by some one in
whom he can place implicit trust, and
will then be sent to St. Lazare without
passing through my hands again. It
will be read in public the moment 1t Is
received, at the grating of the prison,
and will afterward be kept by the gaol-
er.who will refer to it as he goes around
In the evening with piece Of chalk.
to mark the cell doors of the prisoners
destined for the guillotine tomorrow.
That duty happens, to-day, to fall to the
hunchback whom you saw speaking to
me. He Is a confirmed drinker, and I
mean to tempt him with such wine as he
rarely tastes. If-after the reading OF
the list in public. and before the mark
ing Of the cell doors-I can get him to
sit down to the bottle, will answer for
making him drunk. for getting the list
out Of his pocket. and for wiping your
names out Of it with the prescription
you have just written for me. I shall
write all the names, one under another,
just ir-egularly enough in my duplicate
II prevent the interval left by the eras-
ure from being easily observed. II I
succeed in this, your door will not be
marked, and your names will not be
called tomorrow morning when the
tumbrils come for the guillotine. In
the present confusion of prisoners pour
ing in every day for trial, and prisoners
pouring out every day for execution.
you will have the best possible chance
Of security against awkward inquiries,
If You play your cards properly for q
good fortnight or ten days at least. In
that time"
well! We'll" cried Trudaine, eagerly.
Lomaque looked toward the tribunal
door, and lowered his voice to a fainter
whisper before he continued: I'm that
time Robespierres own head may fall
into the sack! France is beginning tr
sicken under the Reign of Terror.
Fren chmen of the Moderate faction,
who have lain hidden for months in cell
lars and lofts, are beginning to steal
out and deliberate by twos and threes
together, under cover of the night. Ro-
besplerre has not ventured for weeks
past to face the Convention commit
tee. He only speaks among his friends
at the Jacobins. There are rumors OF
a terrible discovery made by Carnot, of
desperate resolution taken by Tall
lien. Men watching behind the scenes
see that the last days Of Terror are at
hand. II Robespierre Is beaten in the
approaching struggle, you are saved
for the new reign must be Reign Of
Mercy. II he conQuers, have only put
off the date Of your death and your sis
ter's, and have laid my own neck under
the axe. Those are your chances-this
is all can do"