Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-11-18
CHAPTER XIV.
IN THE SHADOW.

l wv . bLOoSs " LILLE ~ "a
mentl"
He stopped and looked into my eyes,
then burst into a roar Of laughter.
For me, / meant" he cried, holding
his sides, For me-no for you. Come
look at 1t from my standpoint. Be
large minded enough to look at 1t from
my standpoint, Could anything have
admirable In every way? 1t tempts me
almost to believe I'm Providence
I could only stand and stare at him
and wonder numbly whether he were
man OF devil.
You wonder how / know your he
continued. True, I have never oefore
had the supreme pleasure Of meeting
versing pleasantly with you as l am
now doing; but l know you perfectly,
nevertheless. The nation has a sharp
eye for it's enemies. and 1t never sleeps.
That eye has been upon you from the
moment Of your flight"
But / had shaken off my stupor and
got something Of my boldness back.
"Nonsense!" 1 said, contemptuously.
II am not fleeing. / am on my way to
Join the forces at Thouars. You mis-
take me for someone else"
He looked at me n nodded, while
his smile grew and broadened.
Not bad" he commended. But It
is useless for you to lie. Even If you
were not -~rnay, your fate is none
stand your reluctance TO part with
life," and he cast a leering glance
toward the still form On the cot. You
must have found life very pleasant re-
Gently. But do not despond. o are
leaving our mistress in tender hands.
She will not want for affection!"
What is the charge against me?'
y 1n~nn ,1-l 1nNN-NIII~r nn mall o. n
could he wrath which devoured me.
THE charger" he repeated neg
ligently, "Oh, I do not ~know-there
are a dozen charges. I have not yet
determined which I shall use. But
what does 1t matter. Between our
selves, I will tell you, citizen, that
have decided pon your death be-
cause you are in the way" and again
his eyes wandered to that still figure.
You would, then" 1 said, real
izing that I must keep my calmness,
murder a patriot in order to be more
free to wrong a woman2"
"a patriot" be sneered. Perhaps
not-but I would murder ar aristocrat
for far less AUS than that"
IT am not an a~ristocrat." I protested
desperately.
so you persist in that farce7" he
queried coldly. Really, you grow
wearisome. Perhaps you will explain.
then, how o happen to be wearing
the clothing Of that traitor, Pasde-
loup7"
Ny tongue refused to answer and
he laughed again as he noted my
confusion.
Il recognize II, every stitch" he
went on evenly" every stitch except
the shoes. And I even think I can
guess where you got thosel More
thar that, 7 c2a have you identired
in a moment. Perhaps you remem-
Der Sergeant Dubosq, whom you en-
eountered on the road from Tours
am sure that he win recall you
readily, even in this guise. for he has
an excellent memory. Shall I sum
mon him?"
I saw that 1t was useless to per
sist.
No" I answered, don't disturb the
You admit. then. that your are
Tavernay2"
Yes" I answered boldly why
not? I have committed no crime
You have opposed the nation"
TN what wayH By trying to es-
"You have abetted the nations
enemies"
'By accepting their hospitality 7
! Come this Is childish 2"
you have murdered two patriots"
he went on i~nexorably.
"Two?" I repeated with a start.
"Ons you stabbed last night"
1T was his life or mine"
"Ths other you shot a few mo
ments ago"
ITO defend a woman's honor"
A. sudden light blazed In his eyes.
'"You pretend It still exists?" ks
sasersa.
/ gave him a look, which, had looks
that power, would have scorched and
Instead Of shrinking he came very
close to me and stared into my
eyes, a fendish grin upon his lips.
Really, Citizen Tavernay," he said
Mt last, at would appear from your
countenance that this surprising thing
Ia true, and yet I "a scarcely believe
I'll Have YOU taken a vow7 Are you
but no matter! I thank you, my
plaud your virtue, which Is really uni
Que, even In this age Of virtue. Never
theless, you must agree with me that
your death Is more han ever neces-
sary. Indeed, ] find you already one
too manyl" and he glanced toward the
cot with a meaning unmistakable.
tempt mastering every other emotion.
What a brutei This Is your whole
life, theni You think OF nothing but
ytienessi 1 might ave guessed as
much by looking at you! But one victim
has already escaped you
Yes" he broke In, his face sud-
denly contorted with rage; III I knew
the wretch who fred hat shot, he
would have been In hell long ere thisl"
+Sne died in her husbands arms"
I continued. seeing how the words
stung him. happy, his lips on hers.
OF you, she had never SO much az
heard the name; during her whole
life, not onoe did she so much as
think Of you For her you have never
existed-nsyes viii EXIST She has
go onI" he said hoarsely, licking
his lips with q purple tongue. Body
OF God, go oni"
His face was convulsed with an
guish, great drops Of sweat stood out
across his forehead. he was CULVER
Ing under the blows I dealt him, and
yet he seemed to get q kind Of fear
ful pleasure from them. And in that
instant I saw how he had been CON-
sumed by q hopeless passion; how ne
had beaten himself against a lofty
wall which he could never hope 10
scale: how he was at this moment
eating his heart out-and I might