Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-09-05
The Argus Daily Short Story
A virginian-By Kathleen j. McCurdy.
Copyrighted. 1870 by Associated Literary Press.

to him. 1t would not be safe for her
to express herself. so far as he was
concerned. openly. He also heard that
the discomfort among the people was
daily growing. Then it reached his
ears that the guards protecting the
Bastille were being greatly strengthen
ed One day he heard indications of
commotion without-shouts. musketry.
cannon. Then came sounds Of the
breaking down of doors and finally
wild, demoniacal throng entered, shout
ing:
You are free
Sidney Pyle before his Incarceration
had been> full of kindness for ali
mankind. He left the Bastille con-
sumed by thirst for revenge. One
feeling alone at first dominated him--a
desire to learn if the woman he loved
was in danger. Happily he discovered
that her father, who was a stanch
royalist, had taken his family across
the border, making, with a few others.
a nucleus for that multitude of emf
gres which followed.
Pyle. having been a political prison
er, had nothing to fear from the revo-
luton. Indeed, he was carried out
on the shoulders of the mob and amid
their acclamations. Had it not been
for q purpose he had in view he might
have been tempted to become one of
the leaders in the cause of freedom.
But his purpose now that he knew the
countess was safe kept him in another
channel. His object was to find the
whereabouts of the three men who had
conspired against him. Jean de Pavnes
was the only one of the three who had
remained in Paris. He had Joined the
revoIutionists and was a power among
them. The other two. being royalists
and known t. hsve been the cause OF
the Imprisonment Of many persons on
accusation OF disloyalty, had gone to
Belgium.
Pyle'S first intention was to settle
with De Pavnes. But an open attack
upon a man who was daily sending
people to the guillotine would only re-
suit in disaster Such a course was
not to be thought of. Pyle learned
that his enemy was accustomed at
night to frequent a certain cafe. He
would leave it at late hour and walk
to his home on Montmartre. One night
Pyle appeared in this cafe. De Pavnes
was there talking to an excited crowd
that had gathered about him on the
events of the revolution. He was a
violent Jacobin and was denouncing
the conservative Girondists.
1t was O'Clock in the morning
when De Pavnes started for home
Pyle left a few moments later. follow.
ing the man he sought until the two
were alone in a narrow, deserted
street at the base of Montmartre. Pyle
walked directly behind De Pavnes till
the latter not relishing any one at his
back, turned. Pyle stopped.
''Who are you, and what do you
wish:" asked De Pavnes.
II am Sidney Pyle of Virginia, whom
you imprisoned on a false accusation,
and / wish to kill your
Each wore the sword commonly car
ried at the time, and each drew. Pyle
during his Imprisonment had lost both
strength and skill, but he had not madt
this move till he had recovered both
De Pavnes had been known as one OF
the best swordsmen in Paris, but he
had bad reputation owing to certain
foul thrusts he had made in his duels
Pyle went at him with the GOODNESS of
a devil and in a few seconds ran him
through the heart.
The Virginian did not stop to call at.
tention TO his adversary's dead body.
though he left his mark-a with the
point Of his sword on de Pavnes