The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-08-27

Master BERTHE directed my eyes by a
gesture OF his hand to the door at the
far end of the cellar, and ] saw that the
key was In the lock. He wrung my
II win walt above
CHAPTER XXI.
Tell him ALP I stood thinking, my
hand on the key. The voices OF the
rearmost OF the con~spirators sounded
more m more family as they passed
up the shaft, until their last accents
died In the Don above, and silence fol-
lowed-a silence in strange contrast
with the bright glare OF the torches
which burned round me ard lit UP the
empty cellar as for a feast. was
wondering what he would say when 7
told him all, when ! said: II am your
soni l. whom Providence has used to
thwart your plans, whose life you
pity, you left to persist I am your
soniD
Infinitely I dreaded the moment when
Kshould tell him this and hear his an
swer, and / fingered with my land on
the key until an abrupt knocking on
the other side OF the door brought the
blood to my face, Before / could turn
the key the hasty summons was repeat
ed and grew to o. frantic, hurried drum
ming on the boards-a sound which
plainly told of terror suddenly con-
ceived and in ar instant full grown
4 hoarse cry followed coming
ness of the door, and the next mo-
ment the stout planks shook as o.
heavy weight fell against them.
I turned the key and the door was
flung open from within. Ny father
stumbled out.
The strong light for an instant
4 Altr.HaA If,rR a,ll ta hItaalraAI ao a n nxnSI
does brought to the sunshine. Even In
him the long hours passed In solitude
and the blackness OF despair nae
worked changes. His hair was grayer.
In patches II was almost white. and
then again dark. He had knawed his
lower lip. and there We're blood stains
on II. His mustache, too, was ragged
and torn, as IL he had gnawed that
also. His eyes were bloodshot. his lean
face was white and haggard and fierce.
"Hai" he cried, trembling as he
neered round II thought they had left
me to ~starvel There were rats In
there! thought
He stopped. He saw me standing
holding the edge OF the door, He saw
that otherwise the room was empty,
the farther door leading to the shaft
open. An open door! To him
doubtless IL seemed OF all sights the
most wonderful, the most heavenly.
t1lS Knees began TO SNAKE ulQ6I mtns
What Is IT." he mrttered. What
were they shouting about? I heard
them shouting"
THE queen is dying / answered
simply, "or dead, and you can do us
no more harm. You are froe."
"Free?" ne repeated the word,
leaning against the wall, his eyes, wild
and glaring, his lips parted.
Yes: Free" / answered In a lower
voice-"free to go out into the air
of heaven a living mani" I paused. For
a moment l could not continue. Then
1 added solemnly, ''sir, Providence has
saved you from death and mo from q
! crime"
He leaned sim against the wall,
dazed, thunderstruck, almost incred-
ulous, and looked from me to the open
door and back again as if without
this constant testimony of his eyes
he could not believe In his escape.
sit was not AIMEE" he murmured.
"She did not
Sshe tried to save your life,e I
answered, but they would not listen
to her"
did she come here?"
As he spoke he s~traightened him
Pself with an effort and stood up. He
was growing more like himself.
NO" ! answered. She sent for me
and told me n told me her terms.
But Kingston and the others would
not listen to them. You would have
been dead now, though I did all I
could TO save you, IL Penruddocke had
not brought this news OF the queen"
"She is dead"
"She is dying. The Spanish ambassa-
dor" / added to clinch the matter, for
i saw he doubted, rode through here
this afternoon to pay has court to the
Princess Eizabeth at HATFIELD
He looked down at the ground.
thinking deeply. Most men would have
been unable to think at all. unable to
concentrate their thoughts on any
thing a V their escape from death.
But a life OF daily risk and hazard
had so hardened this man that / was
certain, as I watched him. that he
was not praying nor giving thanks.
He was already ponderlng how he
might make the most out of the
change; how he might to the best ad-
vantage sell his knowledge of the gov
eminent whose hours We're numbered
to the government which would soon
be. The life OF intrigue had become
second nature to him.
(ContiRued Next Weekly
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