The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-08-09

u0E OIOtuoF, partly through the lnHu-
ence of bride, partly through Lo-
maque's intercession, had been confined
together In one cell; and together they
now awaited the dread event of the
morrow.
The morning came. and the hot sum-
mer sunrise. What life was left in the
terror-struck city awoke for the day
family; and still the suspense Of the
long night remained Enlightened. 1t
was drawing near the hour when the
| tumbrtls were to come for the victims
doomed on the day before. Trudaine's
ear could detect even the faintest sound
In the echoing prison-region outside his
cell. Soon, listening near the door, he
heard voices disputing on the other side
o! II. Suddenly the bolts were drawn
back, the key turned in the lock, and
he found himself standing face to face
with the hunchback and one of his sub
ordinate attendants.
Look" muttered this last man, sulk-
lily, there they are. safe in their cell,
just as l said; but tell you again they
are not down in the list. What do you
mean by bullying me about not chalk
ing their door last night. along with
the rest? Catch me doing your work
for you again. when you're too drunk
to do it yourself!"
Hold your tongue. and let me have
another look at the list"' returned the
hunchback, turning away from the cell
door, and snatching a slip of paper
from the others hand. "The devil take
me if can make head or tail Of it," he
exclaimed, scratching his head. after
careful examination Of the list. 81
could swear tina. I read over their
names at the crate yesterday afternoon,
with my own lips; and yet, look as long
as l may. certainly can't find them
written down here. Give us a pinch,
friend. Am l awake or dreaming?
drunk or sober this morning."
Sober, hope" said quiet voice at
his elbow. II have just looked in to
see how you are after yesterday"
Glow am, Citizen Lomaque? Petri-
fled with establishment. You yourself
took charge of that man and woman
for me. in the waiting room. yesterday
morning: and as for myself, l could
swear to having read their names at the
crate yesterday afternoon. Yet this
morning there are no such things as
these said names to be found in the
list. What do you think of that?"
and what do you think" interrupt
NoF lit
having the 'mpudence to bully me for
being careless in chalking the doors,
when he was too drunk to do it himself?
too drunk to know his right hand
from his left! If wasn't the best ma
tured man in the world, I should re-
port him to the head gaoler."
/ Quite right Of you to excuse him,
and quite wrong Of him to bully you,'
said Lomaque. persuasively. "Take my
advice" he continued confidentially to
the hunchback, and don't trust too i'm
plicitly to that slippery memory Of
yours. after our little drinking bout
yesterday. You could not really have
read their names at the CRATE, you
know, or Of course they would be down
on the list. AS for the waiting room at
the tribunal. a word in your ear: chief
agents of police know strange secrets.
The president of the court condemns
and pardons in public; but there is
somebody else. with the power of ten
thousand presidents, who now and then
condemns and pardons in private. You
can guess who. say no more, except
that l recommend you to keep your
head on your shoulders, by troubling
it about nothing but the list there in
your hand. Stick to that literally, and
nobody can blame you. Make a fuss
about mysteries that don't concern you
and"
Lomaque stopped, and holding his
hand edgewise, let it drop significantly
over the hunchback's head. The action
and the hints which preceded it, seemed
to bewilder the little man more than
ever. He stared perplexedly at Lo-
maque; uttered word or two of rough
apology to his subordinate, and rolling
his misshapen head portentously
walked away with the death-list crum.
pied up nervously in his hand.
Il should like to have sight of them
and see if they really are the same
man and woman whom looked after
yesterday morning in the waiting
room," said Lomaque, putting his hand
on the cell door, just as the deputy.
jailer was about to close it again.
Look in, by all MEANS" said the
man. "No doubt you will find tina,
drunken BOBBY as wrong in what he
told you about them as he is about ev.
erything else"
LomaQue made use Of the privileg,
granted to him Immediately. He saw
Trudaine sitting with his sister in tn,
corner of the cell farthest from tn,
door, evidently for the purpose of pre-
venting her from overhearing the con
versation outside. There was an unset
tied look, however, in her eyes, slow
ly heightening color in her cheeks
which showed her to be at least vague
ly aware that something unusual hal
been taking place in the corridor.