Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-08-19
CHAPTER Vim. (continued.)

e.aeHa. ---- .t
But as / looked at him, I could
scarcely believe that this was the
bloodthirsty rufflan whose voice l
had listened to. He stood leaning on
his musket, staring toward the chat
eau, and a beam of light falling full
upon his face. revealed q mere youth,
with features finely chiseled n the
dreamy eyes OF q poet. His hair
clustered about his face In little curls,
his lips were curved and sensitive as
any woman's. / stared at him amaz-
ed: then. suddenly, / understood. This
was one OF those who fought for an
ideal, who fancied that the era OF uni
versal brotherhood was at han and that
the revolution was 20 make 1t possible
one to whom liberty, equality, frater-
nifty was not a mere phrase, Dat d
vision to be realized. l had heard OK
such, but never until that moment
I believed in their existence. Could
a. be that. after all, the revolution had
in 1t a germ OF good. a possibility OF
light?
I shook the thought await was alb
gurd TO suppose that good could spring
from murder and outrage, that Ignt
could come from a darkness 80 re-
voting. This was not a Tor
theories, but for deeds. / must go; l
must make dash for 1t. i should fall,
of course; he could scarcely miss me
in thai clear light. But the shot would
alarm the house, would give its occu-
pants at least a moment to prepare Tor
their defense. That, at any rate, could
accomplish.
/ gathered myself for the spring-tust
ahead Of me lay a strip Of moonlit
lawn-it was there that the peril lay
It was there he would bring me Owl
And the shot would p~recipitate the at
tack.
/ paused. II there was no alarm, at
least 20 minutes would be required to
post the sentries n to make sure
there was no break in the chain. Per-
haps there was another and a better
way; perhaps I could leap upon the
sentry and bear him down before he
could give the alarm.
raised my head cautiously and
looked at him again, measuring the dis
lance. He was humming the Marseil-
iaise, his thoughts, evidently, far away,
for his eyes were lifted and he was
staring absently up at the clear heay-
ems. Had / a dagger, / could have
struck him, but I had no Weapon, and
even had there been a dagger in my
hand, I doubt If / could have nerved
my arm TO the blow, so pure, so youth
ful did he appear at that moment
younger than /, and somehow l under
stood that there In the sky he saw a
face smiling down at him.
I shook myself ~savagely and called
myself a fool. Since he had espoused
the cause OF murderers, he must suf-
fer like any o~ther-this was no time to
hesitate. Again / measured the dis
tanaa and noted his abstraction.
would be upon hin at a single bound,
and my fingers nee at his throat. /
kne@ that no would o cry out.
~ E,.dInnlxg IN fha uhadnxv hail If him
1 fancied / saw a deeper shadow move.
I strained my eyes; yes, there 1t was
another sentinel, perhaps. My heart
fell. And yet, why did he advance SO
slowly, why did he crouch 30 near the
earth7 Was 1t man o. beastf
Breathlessly / watched II, vague. in
choate, scare discernible, but the men
ace OF it's attitude the meaning of that
slow advance, was unmistakable. A
man, undoubtedly, since in Poltou no
such bloodthirsty beast Of prey existed.
But who-who? / glanced again at the
unconscious face. so pure, SO
innocent. Should / warn him; should
The shadow stood suddenly erect, a
knife flashed In the air, and the sentry
fell forward upon the grass, coughing
softly. The shadow vent over the pros
trate figure, the knife flashed again and
the coughing ceased.
Chilled with horror "a I was. I never
theless had self-control enough TO see
that the moment for escape had ar
rived. I slid from the seat and crept
forward toward the house, across that
staring disk OF moonlit lawn, where 1t
that the light of all the suns In
heaven was beating down upon me;
then, with a deep breath OF thankful
ness, INTO the shadow Of the shrubbery
again. There I stood erect and softly
but rapidly pressed forward. ! gained
the walk; before me vas h open
window; a moment more
Then / became conscious OF swift,
soft steps behind me and q chill OF
terror ran up my spine and seemed to
el4ffen the hair upon my head, for !
knew that the slayer OF the sentry was
pursuing me, knife In hand-red, drip
ping knife In hand! Numb with fear,
! nerved myself for the struggle, but
even as 4 turueu, a powerIuI ana cruet
hand was laid roughly Oh my shoulder.
"Go on, monsieur" whispered a
hoarse voice In my ear. go on !
will 80 with you