The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1908-01-31

wessex's face was like mask, quiet.
impressive. almost stony In its rigid
expression Of perfect determination.
The Spaniard was still steadily losing
ground another few minutes and he
would be in the fun light. whilst the
Dukes figure would become the decep-
tive silhouette. Under these conditions.
and against such a perfect swordsman.
the Marquis knew that his doom vas
sealed. An icy sweat broke out upon
his forehead. he would have bartered
half his fortune to know what was GO
ing on behind the door.
For one awful moment the thought
crossed his mind that His Emineace
perhaps had decreed his death at the
ways of diplomacy are oft tortuous and
ever cruel: none knew that better than
Don Miguel de Suarez himself. How
Oft had he callousiy exercised the
right given him by virtue of some i'm
portant mission entrusted to him, in
order to sweep ruthlessly aside the
lesser pawns. which stood in the way
of his success
Had he become the lesser pawn now
In this gigantic game of chess, in
which the hand Of Queen was the
finaf prize for the victor? Was his
death. at the hand Of this man, Of more
Importance to the success of the Car
dinals intrigues than his life would
be? II so, Heaven alone could help
him. for His Eminence would not hest
tate to sacrifice him merci1essly.
The horror Of these thoughts gave
the young man the strength of despair.
But he might just as well have tried
to pierce a stone wall as to break the
gardc Of this impassive and deadly OPP
ponent. His own wrist was beginning
to tire; the combat had lasted nigh on
quarter of an hour, and the next
few minutes would Inevitably see it's
fatal Issue. The Dukes attacks be-
came more swift and violent, once or
twice already Don Miguel had all butt
felt His Grace's dagger at his throat.
suddenly woman's piercing shrek
seemed to rend the air the swift sound
OF running footsteps, tn grating of q
heavy door on it's hinges, and then
there came another cry. more definite
this time:
Both the men had paused, of course.
Even in this supreme moment when
one life hung in the balance. how
could they help turning towards the
distant corner OF the room whence
had come that piercing shrek.
me door leading to the Marquis
apartments was wide open now; a
flood OF light came from the room
beyond. and against this sudden gi.re,
sfHASh SSChtCQ OouDey DItIlianI 10 Ln6
dazed eyes of the combatants, there
appeared woman's figure dressed in
long flowing robes OF clinging white.
ner golden hair hanging in wild tan
gle over her shoulders. A quaint and
weird figure. at first only a silhouette
against glowing background, but
anon 1t came forward, disappeared
| completely for awhile in the dense
shadow Of an angle OF the room, but
the next emerged again In the fun
| light OF the moon. ghostlike and fan
| tastic. A girlish form, her white drap-
| cries half falling from her shoulders,
| revealing white throat and one
naked breast: on her hair a few green
leaves, bacchante-like, entwined and
drooping, half-hidden In the tangle of
rudy gold.
AS Wessex gazed on her, his sword
dropped from his hand.
1t was she! She, as q hellish vision
had shown her to him half an hour
ago, in the great room, wherein he
had kissed her: q weird and WITCH
| Ike creature, with eyes half-veiIeti
ana coarsened. sensuous lips! 1t was
but vision even now, for he could
| not see her very distinctly. his ewes
were dazed with the play Of the NOON
| light upon his sword, and she, after
her second cry. had drawn back into
the shadow.
| Don Miguel, on the other hand. had
not seemed very surprised at her APP
partition, only somewhat vexed, AZ he
exclaimed:
Lady Ursula, ] pray you - ."
| ITO BE COntfnued.l