Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-21

RszszssSJ and torches caught me full in
Ex@@ the eyes from the other side
of the bridge But soon the scene grew
clear. and it was Il strange scene. The
bridge was in its place. At the far end
of it stood Il group of the dukes Serv
ants. Two or three carried the lights
which had dazZled me; three or four
held pixies in rest. They were huddled
together; their weapons We're protrud-
ed before them; their faces We're pale
and agitated. To put it plainly. they
looked IL as arrant a fright as | have
seen men look, and they gazed appre-
hensivcly at Il man who stood in the
middle of the bridge. sword in hand
Rupert HentZau was in his trousers
and shirt. The white linen was stained
with blood. but his easy buoyant pose
told me that he was himself either not
touched at all or merely scratched.
There he stood, holding the bridge
against them and daring them to come
on, or, rather, bidding them and Black
Michael to him, and they, having no
firearms. covered before the desperate
man and dared not attack him. They
whispered to one another, and in the
backmost rank l saw my friend Jo-
ham leaning against the portal OF the
door and stanching with a handker-
chief the blood which flowed from a
wound in his cheek.
BY marvellous chance / was master.
The cravens would oppose me no more
than they dared attack Rupert. | had
but to raise my revolver to send him
to his account with his sins on his
head. He did not so much as know
| that | was there. | did nothing-why,
| hardly know to this day. | had kill
ed one man stealthily that night and
another by luck rather than skill-per-
haps it was that. Again, villain as
the man was, | did not relish being
| one of a crowd against him-perhaps
| it was that. But stronger than either
| of these restraining feelings came q
| curiosity and fascination which held
| me spellbound, watching for the out
come of The scene.
Michael. you dog, Michael! If you
can stand. come on" cried Rupert
| And he advanced a step. the group
| shrinking back a little before him.
| The answer to his taunts came in
the wild cry of woman:
| He's dead! My God. he's dead"'
| ''Deadr' shouted Rupert Il struck
better than I kneww And he laughed
triumphantly. Then he went on
'Down with your weapons there! I'm
| your master now! Down with them,
sayr'
l believe they would have obeyed
but as he spoke came new things
First there arose distant sound, as
of shouts and knockings from the 9th
er side of the chateau. My heart leap
ed. 1t must be my men. come by
happy disobedience to seek me. Th'
noise continued, but none of the res
seemed to heed it. Their attention
was chained by what now happened
before their eyes. The group of serv
ants parted, and woman staggered
ON to the bridge. Antoinette de Mau
ban was in q loose white robe, he
dark hair streamed over her shoulders
her face was CHASTITY pale, and he
1 eyes cleaned wildly in the light of tn
/ torches. In her shaking hand she he'll
revolver, and as she tottered for
ward she fired at Rupert HentZau
The ball missed him and struck tn
woodwork over my head.
/ Faith, madam" laughed Rupert
''had your eyes been no more deadl,
than your shooting / had not been il
this scrape nor Black Michael in tn
lower regions tonight!''
4 She took no notice or his words
With a wonderful effort she calme,
herself till she stood still and rigid
Then very slowly and deliberately sh'
began to raise her arm again, takini
i most careful aim.